How to Care For Alden Kudu Shoes and Boots

How Do You Care For Alden Kudu Shoes and Boots?

The short answer: "easily". 

Most of our customers just leave their Alden Kudu boots and shoes alone.

Why? Kudu is a great tough, casual leather and makes a great "beater" shoe that you can kick around a bit. It's a great choice for foul weather.

What is Alden Kudu Leather?

There is a common misconception that Alden Kudu shoes are made from the animal of the same name. A kudu is a sort of African Antelope, and there are shoes made from actual kudu antelope leather. However, Alden's Kudu shoes and boots are made from cows. It is cowhide leather that Horween tans with their Kudu Chromexcel formula. 

Alden Kudu shoes and boots are made with Horween Leather's Kudu Chromexcel tannage. Confusing enough? Here's what you need to know:

"Alden Kudu" refers to the Kudu variety of Horween's Chromexcel leather. It has a duller appearance and a more pronounced grain character than the traditional Horween Chromexcel.

Horween's Kudu Chromexcel is a hand-curried leather, which means it has been oiled by hand. This results in a very  high oil content, so it needs very little regular maintenance.

Caring for Alden Kudu Boots and Shoes

As mentioned above, Alden Kudu leather is already full of the good stuff--hot stuffed with oils, waxes, and greases. 

For the most part, all you'll need is a horsehair brush and a slightly damp cloth to clean these.

You can skip these when polishing your shoes since Kudu isn't supposed to take a high shine like your dress shoes are. That means no, you won't need a jar of Alden Paste Wax. You can condition the boots occasionally if you like, but this won't need to be done very often.

To clean and condition Alden Kudu Leather:

First, brush your shoes to remove any loose dirt. You can use a slightly damp cotton cloth to remove additional dirt if you like. Let dry. Usually, you can stop here.

Occasionally, you can apply a small amount of your cleaner/conditioner of choice with a horsehair dauber or cotton cloth and rub it in. Heat from friction will help the boots absorb the conditioner. Keep in mind this won't need to be done often. Joe Z. likes to use  Skidmore's leather cream and/or Skidmore's beeswax.

Other than that, just wear them! 

Kudu Leather Alden Shoes and Boots from TheShoeMart

Interested in a new pair of Alden Kudu boots or shoes but don't know where to start? Take a look at our recommendations below! (Or just shop our full selection of  Alden shoes.)

Alden Kudu Leisure Loafer 5730S

A Kudu leather Alden Leisure Loafer is ready for your weekends running after the kids or finding new paths on leisurely strolls through your local park. Plus, they're easy to slip on and off whenever you need to run errands and would otherwise be tempted to wear slippers. You can find the  Alden 5730S available on our website.

We started carrying a Kudu LHS a few years back. Now, this style is available with machine stitching through Alden's Stock Program. That's good news for customers that aren't a standard D width -- if you don't see your size on our site, send an e-mail to  support@theshoemart.com to see if we can place a special order for the 5730S in your size! 

Alden Kudu Chukka Boot 1272S

A Kudu Chromexcel Chukka Boot offers the perfect solution for those days that you have to look professional and stylish, but need something that can brave the elements. Micro rubber lug outsoles come in handy in bad weather. These are a bit too rugged for more formal settings, but they pass well for business casual and can take you straight from work to play. If you're looking for something to wear with chinos on rainy days, the  Alden 1272S Chukka is for you.

Alden Kudu Indy Boot 404

For those of you looking for something that can handle snow, sleet, and dirt roads, the  Alden Kudu Indy Boot 404 is a great choice! The TruBalance Last is comfortable and offers enough room to accommodate hiking socks. This makes it great for your more adventurous trips and colder temperatures. Kudu leather makes this Alden Indy Boot the right choice for a low-maintenance casual style that will stand the test of time.