Customer Reviews Allen Edmonds Grayson

I received the dark brown Grayson loafers 3-4 weeks after ordering, as they have to be completed by Allen Edmonds after purchasing in this color. The shoes looked beautiful, and I was really excited to begin wearing them. Unfortunately, after a few days of wearing, I began to notice several issues. First, a crease developed in the toe, much closer to the toe than in any other AE shoes I own. Second, I noticed that the lacing on one shoe was not fully dyed - one side portion of the lace was bright white where the rest was dark brown, but the positioning of the lace kept it out of my view most of the time, so it was hard to notice. Third, the heels and soles appear to be poorly shaped, with strange "grooves" or "wobbles" where it looks like the technician operating the saw to cut the shapes of the soles/heels got distracted or had his arm bumped, leaving an irregular shape instead of smooth curves around the outside of the sole and heel. Additionally, while I have the Manchesters in the same size (and they use the same last), this pair seems narrower in the toe somehow, and has gradually begun to wear against my 4th and 5th toes. If you look at the shoe from the bottom, it becomes obvious that despite the width around the ball of the foot, the shoe tapers incredibly toward the toe, and I'm not sure I've ever seen a foot that would fit such a shape. In any event, the shoe *looks* fantastic, from first glance, and so far it's been mostly wearable (still working on the toe rub, wondering if it might dissipate with time), but in general it was a pretty serious disappointment to develop creases, find undyed portions of lacing, and find strange craftsmanship issues on the heels/soles. I'm not sure if the shoe is worth fixing or simply keeping (I bought them on sale) but it's certainly not what I hoped it would be.

I've had 2 pairs of Graysons now. The first pair I had recrafted and they performed quite well. The uppers got worn enough I bought a new pair to replace them. The new pair is nowhere near the shoe the original pair was. It seems to be much more cheaply made. The fit isn't as good, nor is the comfort. The first pair was like a good Mercedes seat, firm at first, but very comfortable in the long run. This new pair is more like a park bench. Something to sit on, but you really don't want to be there long. I've also now had 2 sets of shoes recrafted. The first being the first pair of Graysons. They were done well. Came back fitting and looking almost like brand new. The second pair has come back fitting about like I sent them in with the addition of cheap insoles. Sad to see good products and services go down. I want quality products and services and am willing to pay for them. I do not return to poor products and shoddy services.

I have had 2 pairs of Grayson in the past, one (black) I wore out completely after several new soles and heels, the other(cordovan) I still have and wear regularly. My new pair hurt my feet. The first few hours around the office were fine, then I went on a ten minute walk outside and they hurt my feet. I have tried several times to wear them (with breaks in between to let my feet heal) in the hopes of breaking them in, but no luck. It is like the leather is plasticy and will not provide any give. Needless to say, I am disappointed.

I own a pair of calfskin Graysons that have been worn through about one-half of the sole thickness. The sole on one shoe has begun to separate at the welt. I took it to your store and was offerred no spupport other than telling me to have it re-crafted. As a long time Allen Edmonds customer and owner of six other pairs I was very disappointed with this lack of response. I also own a shell cordovan wallet and while the leather is wonderful, the stiching around the edges has already started to unravel after less than one year of use. Tow products - two stiching failures. Have you changed stich material vendors?

I wanted the Acheson. Apparently, they no longer make it. The Grayson has a higher vamp. The very thing I didn't want. Quality made shoe, but not for me. I took a chance and wasted my money. A lot of money.

This is a great looking shoe that feels like you're walking on steel plates, noisily clanking along. There's not a scintilla of padding in the footbed! Compare that to any other (better) dress shoes in your closet. When you counter this with a thin Spenco pad, your feet get pressed up against the shoe's tongue - trading one misery for another. I regret making this purchase.

Subpar quality to say the least. The tassels are flimsy and not as shown in the photo. They make the entire shoe look cheap. The quality of Allen Edmonds shoes has gone significantly down. This will be my last pair of Allen Edmonds shoes. If you want high quality tassel loafers look elsewhere.

I own (2) pairs of AE Grayson model: (1) Oxblood & (1) Black. The last of the new pair of Grayson Oxblood's received were .25" longer & .25" wider in the heel counter. Hence, they were too big for my feet. My heel readily slipped out when walking. My existing pairs which are 10-15 years old respectfully & religiously maintained with AE shoe trees fit tighter than this new pair. My only surmise is that the last has changed significantly. This new pair was returned.

Overpriced, dull matte finish, not comfortable, a poor dress loader

I WAS EXCITED TO RECEIVE MY ONLINE ORDER ONLY TO BE DISAPPOINTED BY THE SCRATCHES/MARKS ON BOTH SHOES IN THE TOE AREA...I RETURNED THE SHOES AND I AM WAITING ON THE REPLACEMENT PAIR (HOPEFULLY WITH NO SCRATCHES). I WILL BE HAPPY WHEN I ACTUALLY RECEIVE MY NEW SHOES AND CAN WEAR THEM.

tight toe box can not wear this shoe sorry I will stay wit h alden

I am 72 years old have owned and loved your shoes for over twenty-five years. I currently own 11 pairs. They Graysons I received were of extremely poor quality to include: poor quality leather, very dull appearance, unevenly dyed, shadow zones with no dye at all near some seams and under tassels, black sole dressing smeared on leather of left shoe and some plastic-like compound on the entire bottom of the soles. I can't tell you how disappointed am to see the dramatic decline in the quality of your shoes!

I am usually very satisfied with Allen Edmonds shoes. I have purchased several pairs over the years (at least 7), and have never had this problem before. After moderate use over, the sole on both the left and right of these loafers has almost completely separated from the shoe. Now I can either pay to have them recrafted or throw them away. I would not recommend this pair of loafers.

Hi, This are my third pair ofAE and the quality is just disappointing Very soft lether loosiing n it shape after first time having them on I guess this is it a fine with AE for me :-( Regards Henryk

I bought two pair. The Brown were poorly manufactured with wrinkles on the sides, the color was not as rich as previous Browns (Strand). The Ox Blood color was atrocious, not like any Ox Blood I've ever owned. The Oak pair I already own are fine.

The finish was very dull. No shine at all. Even after I polished the shoes still looks unfinished. The black shoes were very good a total opposite of the brown shoe. The shoe looks like some one just did not put the final touches on the shoe. I am very disappointed with the brown shoe.

I have worn Allen Edmonds shoes for over 10 years faithfully. The Grayson is stylish, but I must say it is the first pair of AE's that have ever hurt my feet, the bottom of my feet. I rotate these with other AE shoes, the Cody and the Wilbert. I have attempted to wear the Grayson's less frequently, and they still hurt my feet when I do wear them while the other AE shoes do not. I would say the Cody is very close in the structure of the sole and inner linings. They are very comfortable. I would not recommend the Grayson for comfort. I never thought I'd say that about an AE shoe?