A few months ago I started a consultation with a client who had a very unique problem – his feet measure in at 11.5 EEE. For comparison’s sake, the average size foot of a man in the US is 10.5 C (if you’re unaware, the letter measurement is for the width of your feet). Needless to say, this man has had a hard time finding shoes that fit him properly.
I spent quite a bit of time online with style forums, blogs, and websites trying to find a good solution for him. High quality companies like Alden and Allen Edmonds can accommodate his size but only insofar as their lace-ups are concerned. When it comes to casual shoes or loafers, we were at a loss.
During my search I kept reading about a relatively new company called Mantorii. They make custom shoes in Vietnam and offer a good variety of style, details, and obviously sizing options.
So naturally I reached out to the company to see if I could find out more about them and get a chance to try out their shoes. I wanted to know the quality of their leather and construction before recommending them to a client. They were happy about the prospect and said they’d hook me up with a pair to try out.
They had me go through their simple ordering process as if I were a regular customer. The first thing you do to start your order process is select your shoe type. They offer monk straps, dress boots, loafers, chukkas, and a few other options as well.
After selecting your shoe type you will be taken to a separate page wherein you can enter your foot measurements and the details of how you’d like to customize your shoe. Their measurement process was simple but does require a second person. They have you download a PDF and print it up on a piece of paper. To ensure that the scale is correct, they also have you measure and mark the dimensions of the paper. From there, you’ll measure one foot at a time, tracing the outline of your foot after placing it in the proper corner of the paper, and measuring and marking both the widest and the highest point of your foot. Repeat with the other, upload, and attach. Nice and easy.
After entering your measurement dimensions you get to play around with the details like brouging (seven options – including a custom one), leather color (ten options – including custom), shoe lining (five choices), and sole selection (four options).
At the time of my order the interior lining customization was not available but I’m excited to see that as an add on.
For my shoes I decided to try something relatively clean and simple – a brown double-monk strap with no broguing and half-rubber soles.
It took a little over three weeks from order completion to when the shoes showed up at my door. They came packaged well and with an unbranded carry bag for travel purposes.
The fit is perfect. In fact, it’s almost too perfect. I am in the habit of wearing cotton in-soles with my shoes in the summer as they allow me to go sockless. However, my Mantorii’s are made so specifically to my size that wearing them with insoles and socks makes my feet tired by the end of the day. Having to specifically add the insoles on days that I wear them without socks is a small price to pay for a great fit.
Thankfully I don’t have to worry about arch support or a lack thereof. This is not an area which is called out in the measurement process so if you are a man who needs insoles for the sake of comfortably wearing shoes, I recommend you contact Mantorii about this when placing your order. They should be able to accommodate.
As far as the appearance of the shoe is concerned, I’ve been very happy. Initially the leather looked a bit flat and cheap.
It’s a full grain so it’s not cheap but it looked that way (top). However, after three or four shines (one of which was with a black polish on the toe) I was able to add some visual depth and the shoes now look as great as they are (bottom).
The shape of the shoes is fantastic. The current style right now is to avoid anything too flat, too pointed, too long, or too bulky and Mantorii hit all of these points perfectly. The toe has a nice, gradual roundness to it that will compliment the shape of your foot and prevent it from looking too bulky or too dainty.
Their soles are goodyear welted and resoleable. I opted for the half rubber sole as I appreciate having the extra grip and water proofing in inclement weather. One cool little detail on the bottom of the sole is that they’ll monogram your shoes right beneath their logo. No one will see it, but it’s a cool reminder for you that these are custom.
I’ve had these shoes for over a month now and have worn them every other day, if not multiple days in a row. They took about a week to break in and I’ve been happy with the fit, style, and durability since.
At around $300 for starting prices they can be expensive, but the construction quality paired with the customization make them worth it. It’s a similar price to what you’d pay for a quality shoe made of full-grain leather and a goodyear welt without the ability to customize all the details or the fit. In comparison, other custom shoe companies will often start at or around $700.
All in all, this is a great product and one for which I am happy to give a positive review. Check out mantorii.com and order yourself a pair.
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