[wnh]

I'm looking for a new pair of penny loafers, something better than Weejuns but not top-notch (budgetary contraints and all), hopefully under $250. Leather soles, no beef-roll. Here's what I've come up with so far. What am I missing?

Sebago Cayman II -- $135

Brooks Brothers "Casual Penny Loafer" -- $188 (Same as Cayman II?)

-- $225

Alden Cape Cod Full Strap -- $280

For those of you who own one or more of the above pairs, what are the pros and cons? What would you recommend? I'm looking for something that I can dress up more than something I can dress down.

 

[wnh]

Or is my search not even worth it? Am I better off making due with my crappy Weejuns and waiting until I've got the cash for a pair of Alden or AE pennies?

 

[Pgolden]

https://askandyaboutclothes.com/community/showthread.php?t=68313

There's link regarding Sebagos. I own the Cayman 2, and I'm quite happy with them. You can buy them at deep discount on e-bay. I also own the Weejuns, which I enjoy probably based partly on nostalgia, because I find the Cayman 2 a more comfortable shoe. I also own a pair of AE pennies, not the Walden, and they are wonderful. I have long been curious about the BB pennies, and it would be intersting to hear from someone who owns them. The middle position would be to buy the Sebago.

 

[hbs midwest]

I'm looking for a new pair of penny loafers, something better than Weejuns but not top-notch (budgetary contraints and all), hopefully under $250. Leather soles, no beef-roll. Here's what I've come up with so far. What am I missing?

Sebago Cayman II -- $135

Brooks Brothers "Casual Penny Loafer" -- $188 (Same as Cayman II?)

-- $225

Alden Cape Cod Full Strap -- $280

For those of you who own one or more of the above pairs, what are the pros and cons? What would you recommend? I'm looking for something that I can dress up more than something I can dress down.

Try contacting
Allen Edmonds Shoe Bank at the Factory 201 East Seven Hills Road Port Washington, Wisconsin 53074 USA Phone: 262-284-7158; inquire re: Walden factory seconds in your size/color. If available, a $50-100 savings is possible, in return for doing minor touchup with shoe polish or sole edge dressing (Personal experience with Paxton penny loafers/Cambridge shell Cordovan wingtip brogues).

Worth a try.

Good luck on your quest.:icon_smile:

hbs

 

[Danny]

https://zeta.zappos.com/product/7322473/color/7

I always thought those looked nice. I've never owned them though so take this info with a grain of salt.

 

[Patrick06790]

I love my Sebago Cayman IIs. They are indeed a little dressier, but not that much.

Or check out Footjoy closeouts at Golf Locker, eminently affordable at $119:

https://www.golflocker.com/dress-shoes.html

Click on closeouts, then look at #75328 (bottom row far right)

 

[dwebber18]

I just received my Sebago Cayman IIs that I won off ebay for $31. They are quite comfortable and they look great, take a look on ebay for some great deals.

 

[swb120]

A friend of mine just bought a pair of Alden Cape Cod Collection H410 beefroll penny loafers for $195. They're great. If I didn't have the BB Alden LHS #8, I would buy a pair. If you do a search, you'll see past discussions of the H410...a very nice-looking trad shoe.

 

[Ron_A]

I agree with the advice to look on ebay. I just bought a pair of new (in the box) AE Danbury pennies (discontinued model) from an ebay seller.

Just my 2 cents, but I would avoid the corrected-grain cheap pennies (including the outlet store Weejuns) and save your money.

 

[Sartre]

I own the Brooks loafers, wore 'em 4 or 5 times and gave up; no better than a pair of Weejuns. Very uncomfortable. Leather not soft enough for shoes that are upward of $200. Squeaked to high heaven. I'd save for some Aldens.

tjs

 

[jamgood]

https://zeta.zappos.com/product/7322473/color/7

I always thought those looked nice. I've never owned them though so take this info with a grain of salt.

Often available online or at local department stores (Dillard's, Belk, ?Macy's?) during a C-H $99-109? sale. This probably happens a couple of times a year for a few weeks. Several years ago I sold several pairs on eBay at around $60. Probably less there now, in these times. They've moved the production around. The cordovan color is sprayed on for a somewhat antique finish and when scratched reveals the reddish underlying color. Stiff leather with an increasingly plastic appearance, as with contemporary WeeJuns. Probably C-H's most popular shoe. (Opinion subject to unknown recent changes, ignorance.)

(There is at least one eBay seller of new Cayman II @ $8#? that has a variety of sizes.)

 

[stainless]

If you're willing to go right up to your limit I think you could get a pair of AE Randolphs for around that if you wait until Shoebuy has a sale. Around most holidays they have a 20% off then they throw in a seperate 10% discount if you register with them. And they have free shipping. So I think it would run right around $235. Alternately you could use them to get your Waldens cheaper. I'd check them out around Columbus Day and see if they're running a sale then.

 

[Doctor Damage]

Keep in mind, everyone, there are two types of penny loafers:
1. penny loafer mocassins
2. penny loafers goodyear welted

WNH listed a bunch of the first type, and of them my first pick would be the AE Walden. When I originally saw these in a store up here in Canada, accidentally happening on them, I was highly impressed. They were clearly a quality mid-level shoe that were true enough to what I would consider a "classic" penny loafer. However, the store didn't have my size and I never did bother to order a pair. In retrospect that was a mistake, since money I've spent on other shoes since -- including a different pair of AEs and a pair of Sebago Classics -- would have been best spent on those Waldens.

The BB penny loafer is made by Sebago and is virtually identical to the Cayman II. A few years ago one of our members bought a pair of the BB shoes and one of the sock liners still said "Sebago"...oops!

 

[Flanderian]

I'm looking for a new pair of penny loafers, something better than Weejuns but not top-notch (budgetary contraints and all), hopefully under $250. Leather soles, no beef-roll. Here's what I've come up with so far. What am I missing?

Sebago Cayman II -- $135

Brooks Brothers "Casual Penny Loafer" -- $188 (Same as Cayman II?)

-- $225

Alden Cape Cod Full Strap -- $280

For those of you who own one or more of the above pairs, what are the pros and cons? What would you recommend? I'm looking for something that I can dress up more than something I can dress down.

If $250 is your top, the AE fits under it, and the Alden is only $30 over it. Frankly, $30 ain't what it used to be, and at best equates only to part of a tank of gas, or a couple really cheap lunches. I'd tend to go for the Alden.

I admit to not having extensive experience with factory seconds, but the limited experience I've had has lead me to not buy any more. In both cases one of the pair was mis-lasted, and while looking quite good to start with, wound up funny looking, and uncomfortable to the degree that both pair had to be discarded.

These days I prefer quality over quantity.

 

[bigCat]

This is one place where I consider Alden premium over AE not worthed (unlike shell shoes). I would go with Walden - even better if you can find seconds.

I do have 2 pairs of Cape Cod Aldens (but not the loafers in question), and while they are good shoes, AE offerings ar at the same level.

If you do not prefer styling of one over other, get AE.

 

[Green3]

Those footjoy ones are really nice looking.