Quote Originally Posted by MacMillan of Rathdown View Post
Excellent choice, and I hope they fit. If they do, I'd suggest that you have your local shoe repair shop put a thin rubber sole over the leather soles. This won't affect the flexibility of the shoe, but it will prevent slipping on damp or wet surfaces. It will also prolong the life of the shoe, as the rubber over sole will take 100% of the wear and tear, thus protecting and preserving the leather underneath.
Congratulations. I own several pairs of Allen Edmunds. They are an excellent investment, and will last for decades (I have one pair that I purchased in 1990.) I've used the Vibram brand on all of them for years. On one assignment, the op required I cover ten miles a night (I used a pedometer to check the mileage.) This gave me the opportunity to see how far the the soles would go. The soles lasted 500 miles before I had to take the shoes in for a new set of the soles. The Vibram soles are simple for a cobbler to attach to the leather and can be replaced quickly. As M.o.R. stated, the rubber soles protect the leather underneath (I still have the original leather soles on my shoes.)