Customer Reviews Cole Haan Caldwell

After reading lots of positive reviews, I purchased a pair of Caldwells shortly before moving to Hong Kong in July. When the shoes arrived, they were stiff and very shiny, and as I walked around in my house I noticed the leather near the toe cap did not bend very well. I assumed the shoes merely needed to be broken in, so I decided to keep them. After three months of wearing the shoes two or three days a week, the toe cap issue has gone from bad to worse. There are deep, noticeable cracks around the area where my toes bend, and pieces of the brown finish on the shoe have started to fall off. No amount of polishing will fix this problem, as the super shiny finish I noticed the day I received the shoes is nothing more than a cheap surface treatment. The leather - if it can even be called that - is absolute junk, and the shoes are still incredibly stiff. I would not recommend this shoe to anybody, and I am looking for a replacement. This review is not meant to be a negative reflection on the customer service I received from Zappos. On the contrary, I could not be happier with the ordering, delivery, and return processes. I wasn't sure of my size when I ordered the Caldwells, so I purchased two pairs and selected standard shipping. Zappos automatically bumped me up to overnight shipping, and I received the items the next day. Returning the second pair of shoes was simple and hassle free, and I got my refund within a few days.

The toe of these shoes started creasing within several steps of use. The soles have no treads and it's potentially dangerous to use these for any kind of inclement weather.

These are my go to business dress shoes. I have had about a dozen pairs over the past few years (my feet sweat, so I rotate daily wear) and while the sole and footbed will eventually wear out as with all leather-soled shoes, they are supremely comfortable, lightweight and versatile. Through Zappos, they are inexpensive enough to simply replace rather than have re-soled after a couple years, and they break in quickly. Get a good set of shoe trees and they will last for a long time.

I'm a second time buyer of these shoes. The only complaint, if I dare call it that, is that there is a short "breaking-in" period, but trust me when I say these shoes will be nicer than any other shoe you come across. Don't think twice about purchasing these shoes, and certainly don't waste your time using anything but Zappos to do so!

Truly beautiful shoe...received a lot of compliments the first time I wore them. I ordered "W" which is a tad larger than "E" but not quite my normal "EE". Still for brand new shoes they were very comfortable.

These shoes are technically everything that was promised, but I nevertheless felt disappointed. The construction is decent but unimpressive, and the color is difficult to work with. Compared to my go-to oxfords, the leather feels thin and cheap, and it is extremely shiny. Not shiny like a pair of well-polished dress shoes, but like a coat of glossy latex paint. The color is vivid, but lacks depth. Though the shoes look good sitting on a table, they are tough to pair with clothing. They do not pair with any of my day-to-day suits, but they are too dressy to wear with khakis or jeans.

I usually wear a D; width, but ordered a EE width because it was the only size available. I'm glad I did because they fit perfectly. Absolutely love the shoes and would recommend them. Great style and comfort.

The picture does not do this shoe justice. I have spent much more on far lesser shoes. 11.5 EE was a perfect fit out of the box. Break in was null. I feel like I stole these shoes. Compliments on the first day!

I bought my first pair of Florsheim Lexingtons in 1987. When they wore out in 2003, I bought another pair, which lasted until 2010. Given the good luck I had with the first two pair, I bought a third in 2010 from another online vendor. After three months of wear, I noticed the leather was flaking off on the back of the shoe. I contacted the vendor about the problem and was told to send them in for "review" at my own cost. A few weeks later, I got them back with a snarky note stating "normal wear and tear" and suggested I contact the manufacturer. I did. Florsheim told me to ship them for review (I am now out almost $15 in shipping charges by this point). A few weeks later, I received another new pair. And three months later the same flaking leather problem happened. Needless to say, I was and will forever be done with Florsheims. My wife suggested I try Cole Haans, and after hemming and hawing for several months, took the plunge this week. Boy, am I glad I did. These shoes won't even need a break-in period. And once again, Zappos came through with its expedited shipping: My wife ordered this for me around 8:00 CST on a Wednesday, and they were at my door the next day.

They look great and they fit perfectly. Very little break-in required. This was my first Zappos purchase and I wasn't sure about buying shoes on-line but this worked out great. I have narrow feet and will definitely be back.

Could not be happier with this pair of shoes. Came extremely fast, and am shocked at how comfortable they are, even on the first day after walking all over New York City. They look amazing go with anything (I have three gray suits and a dark blue, and these go great with any combination). Cannot believe I paid so little for these!

I own both the black and brown/burgundy colors and love them. Very traditionally styled--as a captoe oxford ought. No elongated toes or other folderol. I keep the black pair well-shined and use them as my tuxedo shoes; as midrange Cole Haans these have very shiny corrected leather and with a buff are nearly as reflective but much nicer looking than patent rental tux shoes. They have leather soles so it will take some time (two wears or so) to break them in and get the sole appropriately roughed up for traction, but they are very comfortable once that happens. An added benefit is that leather soles look much more mature/formal than the rubber clodhoppers we wore in the 90s. Frankly, if they made another color I'd buy it too! Very satisfied.

I wear a size 9 B, and they are getting harder to find. Ordered the "Caldwell", and they fit great! Probably a 16 to 20 hour period to break them in well, but a great fitting, and great looking shoe! And, Zappos service was perfect - I expect to order most or all of my shoes here in the future.

When I first received them I didn't want to wear them; they looked so nice. First day was a little rough as the backs rubbed my heels, but by the second day they were the most comfortable and best-looking shoes I've owned. Note to complainers: if the size feels wrong, there's free shipping. So whining about it gets you nothing. Shoe sizes are not standardized so you have to be patient with such things.

I wear steel toes far more often than dress shoes, and these cost about as much as I was willing to spend. I tried them on when they arrived, and the fit seemed okay enough to keep. Well, I spent a whole night at the opera, and they are the most comfortable dress shoes I've ever owned. The "okay" fit turned into a remarkably great fit after about 20 minutes. I'll never spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars on a pair of shoes, but the Caldwells are what I would expect to get if I did. A great value! Purchased size 12 narrow.

A very nice shoe, fit well, looks good. I was hesitant to purchase online, but it was a great fit right out of the box. Delivery was quick as I needed the shoes for an event.

Simply the Best...Zappos I mean - The shoe fits great…as expected. The real story is Zappos. I refuse to buy my shoes anywhere else. I'll go to a store, try on the shoe, and then order it from here. This company is a few cuts above the rest...PERIOD!!!

Great shoe - Great shoe, comfortable, great looks. Very happy with this shoe.

Classic look, modern comfort & appeal - Hard to find fault with this shoe. It has a timeless cap-toe look with a great leather. The shoes look phenomenal with dress slacks, khakis, or even nice jeans. Stiff at first, but give them a week to soften up and you will be very happy. I was skeptical that something like this could be so comfortable, but I love wearing these every day. A solid choice and a must-have for any wardrobe.

AWESOME SERVICES AND OUTSTANDING SHOE!!!!!! An outstanding shoe overall. I love the way they fit and feel on my feet. They feel comfortable, look professional and also my first dress shoe I've purchased in a long time. For the cost of this shoe, the money is well spent. Also for the services that Zappos provided is beyond compare. Their services is outstanding, the staff I've talked to about my order were nice, courteous and professional. I've ordered through Zappos several times now and I tell you their services is number one in my book. I love you Zappos, keep up the great work and outstanding services you provide. Love the shoe and Zappos. Again, thank you Zappos!

Excellent shoe for dress and comfort - I bought this shoe for work--I wear suits daily. It's simple but professional style and look, plus the lace-up, got my attention. The leather sole sold it--I've had bad luck with those rubber donut-hole soles before. The price was OK--more than I usually would spend, but I've been very pleased. And pleasantly surprised with the "out of the box" comfort and wearability. A plus: they arrived within just a couple of days.

Great shoe! Excellent finish and materials. The shoe fits true to size and is very comfortable after only a couple of hours of "break-in". Excellent looking traditional dress shoe goes perfectly with business attire. Zappos support is top notch!

Great shoe - The shoes are lovely and reasonably comfortable for dress shoes. They are on the fancy side, though, so the leather is very shiny. They are also a bit more narrow than average.