Allen Edmonds Penny Loafers

Hello all,

What is the difference between the Kenwood and the Patriot loafers? Which would you pick?


- They are basically the same price (on sale right now)
- different lasts; 606 vs 800 but both sound comfy and I have no experience with either
- lined premium calfskin vs unlined premium calfskin and grain leather
- 360 goodyear welted construction vs hand sown construction

I am leaning towards the patriot right now.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks!

The Patriot is a good-looking shoe. But the trouble with loafers is getting the fit absolutely right. I've talked with some people who say the Patriot in their normal size was too tight across the instep. Others say the heel is loose. If it's possible, your best bet would be to try them on first.

Allen Edmonds has a good return policy, though I think you now have to pay to send them back.

So if you have an AE store nearby, you might want to try them on first, then order during the sale.

Main differences:

Lining:
Patriot - lined
Kenwood - unlined

Kenwood has a "beefroll", which is that stitched area where the strap attaches. Its kind of "rolled up" and stitched vertically. It also has that stitched area at the back of the heel. I'm not sure what they call that. The tongue is serrated as well.

The Patriot is probably closer to the "traditional" penny loafer, but I don't think either looks bad.


There are some pretty good AE deals right now....I'm tempted for another pair of Daltons at $200.....

Go with the Patriot, it fits me much better than the Kenwood for my size (11.5 E) - the Kenwood is quite loose. For my secon d pair, I did go down a bit in size, but still the foot slips out much easier than from Patriot, maybe the unlined inner has to do with this.

my19 said:

The Patriot is a good-looking shoe. But the trouble with loafers is getting the fit absolutely right. I've talked with some people who say the Patriot in their normal size was too tight across the instep. Others say the heel is loose. If it's possible, your best bet would be to try them on first.

Allen Edmonds has a good return policy, though I think you now have to pay to send them back.

So if you have an AE store nearby, you might want to try them on first, then order during the sale.

Click to expand...

+1. IMO Allen Edmonds are terrific shoes. Have had many pairs over the years. Strongly suggest you try them on before buying. I also suggest taking LOTH, if possible for an opinion!

I ended up getting the patriots in size 13 E and am very glad I did. They fit perfectly and they are exactly the look I was going for.

Appreciate all of the input. Thanks!

How much do these loafers break in? I picked up a pair of Patriot loafers off Shoebank in my size 9E but they feel pretty tight, especially on the toes. They also look a bit short compared to my other shoes.

They have the same shoes in 9EEE and 9.5E. Think either of them would be a good choice?

Really like the quality. Price is great too.

Jarick said:

How much do these loafers break in? I picked up a pair of Patriot loafers off Shoebank in my size 9E but they feel pretty tight, especially on the toes. They also look a bit short compared to my other shoes.

They have the same shoes in 9EEE and 9.5E. Think either of them would be a good choice?

Really like the quality. Price is great too.

Click to expand...

I'm not sure. Mine fit well in the toes and I don't need them to stretch at all. I have only been wearing them about once per week so far so I am sure they will just continue to get more comfortable. This last is definitely shorter than my other AE shoes but they still have plenty of room while not making my feet look super big (size 13's so they are already plenty big).

As for the sizing, I would guess it is where the tightness is located. If the toes are scrunched, then go for the 9.5 E. If it is tight across the shoes, then get the wider shoe. Good luck.

just bought a pair of Cavanaugh and they were enormous. sent back no problem. agree try them on if possible at a brick and mortar. also nice to see I have the same size feet as the infamous Rudy V. Got my first ae in 1964

Just called AE and returned the shoes for the larger pair. Everything fit a little tight, so I figured the next size up would work. Still a heck of a deal ($127 shipped!).

The shoes really are beautiful and I can't wait to wear them!

Got the 9.5E in today. Much better fit aside from a tiny bit of heel slip in one shoe and a tiny bit tight across the top of the foot. Should break in though I think.

Wearing them today, the overall shoe itself has broken in a touch all around and feels pretty comfortable, but it's still tight across the top of the instep. I don't have a high instep (more average) so again thinking they should break in and give a bit over time.

Second wear with these guys today. After that last post, they become really uncomfortable as my foot swelled through the day. I put the shoe trees in and seems like they might have stretched out just a bit. Today started out much better and I'm keeping a close eye on them. Really, all I need is for the top of the shoe to stretch a bit and I'll be very pleased.

I brought the Patriots in to my local Allen Edmonds shop today. They are going to stretch the width slightly at the strap. Free of charge, and gave me a shoe horn too.

Picked up the shoes yesterday, wearing them today. They seem wider at the toes which is great, but the strap is still pretty tight.

Starting to think they just won't work.