If Rugby’s fall collection is any indication, fall’s “it” shoe will be an LL Bean-style camp moccasin. After all, the brand does cater to young trendsetters — and followers — and its looks will likely reverberate like ripples on a pond.
Rugby’s fall outfits pair the shoe with just about everything. Even the most die-hard, old-school fuddy duddies might just be inspired to look at the shoe in a new way.
For example, here are camp mocs paired with bright cords and a bow tie:
The Oak Street Bookmakers are nice, just hard to justify that kind of money for something so simple as a camp moc. I like the camp moc look,but they are a bitch to break in without socks, very painful on the top of the arch, unlike a regular deck shoe with a tongue.
Hey MAC – i understand what you mean. OSB use Horween leather out of Chicago, they re-sole them when the time comes, small details-eyelets, different rawhide, full length veg tanned insoles, great service do it for me. Break in is super quick because of that buttery Horween leather. Can’t go wrong with osb or quoddy in my eyes
No doubt they are nice, we once called that leather dark wax hide or saltwater. Cole Haan, originally out of Chicago, made a similar shoe with Vibram soles in the 70s and 80s.
Anybody know anything about Quoddy? Are their shoes worth the price? My two cents- the best casual Bean shoes are the blucher mocs, I live in upstate NY and wear them year round. . .
I have been wearing Bean Camp Moccasins for 32 years, best all around casual shoe ever! I’m glad others will help keep this perrenial favorite in production.
I received a pair of camp mocs from Rancourt last week. All their shoes are made to order. I can’t decide if I should say that I’ve never had anything quite like them before in terms of quality, or if I should say that this is what US made goods were like in my youth. They are cheaper than other made-in-Maine handsewns, are almost excessive in their attention to detail, and practically guarantee the wearer will be a customer for life. Not only that, a man named Rancourt replied to my emails.
I certainly qualify as an old-school fuddy-duddy.
I’ve always thought of them as spring and summer shoes, but I’ll certainly consider wearing them in the fall. There’s no chance, however, that rI’ll be taken for a young trendsetter, since those bright colors will be replaced, by khaki, navy, white, or charcoal grey.
Ah, when the bean mocs used to be made in the USA – those days are certainly gone. But, there is definitely a resurgence in made in USA mocs. I ordered a pair from Oak Street Bootmakers. Mr. Vlagos, the owner, responds to inquiries personally and the shoes are nothing short of amazing. The comfort of these shoes is unlike anything i’ve ever owned. I’d like to see more brands taking notes from these small made in usa companies.
I bought some L.L.Bean camp mocs in early January. I thought the leather looked awful and the shoes felt and looked cheap. I prefer Sperry topsiders even in Winter in Vermont. I would look to a different company if I tried camp mocs again.
The LL Bean mocs of today are a joke compared to what they used to make. The initially look great, but the soles are awful and while the leather looks good, it stretches to the point of being unwearable. too bad, I still have some LL Bean mods made by Quoddy back in the early 90’s, hopefully they will be with me for life. As far as Rancourt, they are a horrible company to deal with. If you happen to get a well made pair and get good customer service, count yourself lucky and in a minority. They made me a pair of shoes that look to have been constructed by a blind person whose never made shoes before. The right shoe was literally different from the left. After sending them back for replacement they half-assed the repairs on the defective shoe. When I complained, the guy with Rancourt as his last name, as in Kyle Rancourt, the owners son, told me to buzz off and stop worrying about the little things in life. In other words, he wasn’t going to do crap about making a customer happy. So now I’m stuck with an expensive pair of shoes I cannot wear. If yor going for Made in Maine, stick with Quoddy, AVOID RANCOURT at all costs. I’m happy to share photos of the disastrous shoes, if anyone is interested.
I’m perfectly fine getting the L.L. Beans, since I’ve worn them since the ’80s. I haven’t experienced any stretching, but I have had the leather crack badly due to wearing them in the rain while walking the dog (so, my fault). My biggest complaint would be that the soles wear down way too quick on the heels because the way I walk. The old soles held up longer
Do I wish they were made like they used to be? Sure. Do I wish they were still made in Maine? Yes. The fact is they’re not the same shoes as they used to be, but they are comfortable and serviceable at the price offered. I have difficultly spending north of $200 for a pair of casual knock around shoes although Russell might be a contender if L.L. Bean raises the price by the time that my current camps give out.
There’s nothing wrong with Quoddy, Rancourt, etc., it’s great supporting these companies and they’re quality shoes. I just can’t justify the price difference in the way that I use the shoes, and I don’t need Horween leather.
What’s wrong with the cheaper ones is that the soles are thinner, so one feels every pebble on the road while walking. If you stick to smooth sidewalks, you’ll have no problem. The difference in the quality, appearance, softness, etc. of the cheap ones and the overpriced ones is hardly noticeable.
I love L.L. Bean Camp mocs! I bought my first pair in high school back in the 80’s. They hold up well and, with a wash of saddle soap and a polish of mink oil, they look refreshed and ready for another round! The shoes are very comfortable…almost like comfort food for the feet!
I hope that this “exposure” by Rugby doesn’t “jack up” the prices due to spinoff demand…I may have to splurge and get a new pair while the price is somewhat normal!
On the flip side, with the exposure, maybe my students will stop accusing me of wearing my house shoes to work 🙂
@Kionon
As a fellow teacher, I agree with you on the camp moc by L.L. Bean. They inadvertantly designed these for guys like us, right? I’m on my feet all day, lecturing and giving instruction and I like the fact that they feel like slippers and (unbeknownst to the students), I can slip them off under my desk and slip them back on with ease, should I want to let my feet rest and breath while grading or completing some quick desk work.
I often wear a blazer and chinos, and my camp mocs do not detract from this! I can go from work to my kids’ soccer practice without looking overdressed and can even kick the ball around without worry over “messing up” my shoes! The only other shoe that comes close to this are my L.L. Bean blucher moccasins!
Yep, that’s my view. In fact, I almost bought a second pair when I was at the LL Bean store in Osaka a few days ago. I went with a pair of Bean Boots because as August becomes September, the weather will start to get soggier.
I also have a pair of blucher mocs, but they’re currently back in Texas. A good eight boxes of stuff still haven’t been sent to Japan. My camel hair jacket, my corduroy jacket, like five pairs of shoes, all of my sweaters and sweatshirts, my BB flannel shirts…. It’s been 86 degrees and like 150% humidity here in Kyushu, so I probably won’t need anything cold until the end of September. My LL Bean yellow rain coat is also in Texas, boooo…
Pedro,
Direct tweet me @kionon and I’ll send you my email address.
I miss the leather they used to use. I still wear them, but the leather is not nearly like the old waxed leather they used years ago. Also, I need insoles now 🙂
Great article! I’ve worn LL Bean Camp Moc’s since the late 70s and always loved them! I have a current pair I find the sizing a little off compared to the old LL Bean ones made in the USA, all in all they’re not bad for the price and I hope they’ll make them back in the USA some day soon! I’ll keep on with my Camp Moc tradition!
My favorite shoes were LL Bean camp mocs from 1989 or so which lasted for more than a decade, which I wore just about every day.
My favorite are the Oak Street Bootmakers ones http://oakstreetbootmakers.com/footwear/brown-camp-moc-387
Ordered from them a couple of times in the past two years and always blown away by the service
The Oak Street Bookmakers are nice, just hard to justify that kind of money for something so simple as a camp moc. I like the camp moc look,but they are a bitch to break in without socks, very painful on the top of the arch, unlike a regular deck shoe with a tongue.
Hey MAC – i understand what you mean. OSB use Horween leather out of Chicago, they re-sole them when the time comes, small details-eyelets, different rawhide, full length veg tanned insoles, great service do it for me. Break in is super quick because of that buttery Horween leather. Can’t go wrong with osb or quoddy in my eyes
No doubt they are nice, we once called that leather dark wax hide or saltwater. Cole Haan, originally out of Chicago, made a similar shoe with Vibram soles in the 70s and 80s.
New caption for the first picture:
“What WON’T be worn by Huskies fans this fall”
Anybody know anything about Quoddy? Are their shoes worth the price? My two cents- the best casual Bean shoes are the blucher mocs, I live in upstate NY and wear them year round. . .
I have been wearing Bean Camp Moccasins for 32 years, best all around casual shoe ever! I’m glad others will help keep this perrenial favorite in production.
@Educator Quoddy was a L.L. Bean supplier.
In addition one might want to look at the Rancourt offerings.
Even cheap ones are better than what one sees on the feet of most people.
I received a pair of camp mocs from Rancourt last week. All their shoes are made to order. I can’t decide if I should say that I’ve never had anything quite like them before in terms of quality, or if I should say that this is what US made goods were like in my youth. They are cheaper than other made-in-Maine handsewns, are almost excessive in their attention to detail, and practically guarantee the wearer will be a customer for life. Not only that, a man named Rancourt replied to my emails.
I own a pair from LL Bean in cactus and adore them. I just picked up some gum shoe bean boots today.
I certainly qualify as an old-school fuddy-duddy.
I’ve always thought of them as spring and summer shoes, but I’ll certainly consider wearing them in the fall. There’s no chance, however, that rI’ll be taken for a young trendsetter, since those bright colors will be replaced, by khaki, navy, white, or charcoal grey.
Ah, when the bean mocs used to be made in the USA – those days are certainly gone. But, there is definitely a resurgence in made in USA mocs. I ordered a pair from Oak Street Bootmakers. Mr. Vlagos, the owner, responds to inquiries personally and the shoes are nothing short of amazing. The comfort of these shoes is unlike anything i’ve ever owned. I’d like to see more brands taking notes from these small made in usa companies.
Russell make a good looking camp moc for $155.00.
Does one ordinarily tuck in one’s sweater?
Dan,
I’ve seen photos from yesteryear in which men, wearing high-waisted trousers, tucked in thin V-neck sweaters.
Great post! The LL Bean camp moc does look nice. I think I will be getting a pair this fall.
I bought some L.L.Bean camp mocs in early January. I thought the leather looked awful and the shoes felt and looked cheap. I prefer Sperry topsiders even in Winter in Vermont. I would look to a different company if I tried camp mocs again.
I should have mentioned that I bought the blucher style mocs.
The LL Bean mocs of today are a joke compared to what they used to make. The initially look great, but the soles are awful and while the leather looks good, it stretches to the point of being unwearable. too bad, I still have some LL Bean mods made by Quoddy back in the early 90’s, hopefully they will be with me for life. As far as Rancourt, they are a horrible company to deal with. If you happen to get a well made pair and get good customer service, count yourself lucky and in a minority. They made me a pair of shoes that look to have been constructed by a blind person whose never made shoes before. The right shoe was literally different from the left. After sending them back for replacement they half-assed the repairs on the defective shoe. When I complained, the guy with Rancourt as his last name, as in Kyle Rancourt, the owners son, told me to buzz off and stop worrying about the little things in life. In other words, he wasn’t going to do crap about making a customer happy. So now I’m stuck with an expensive pair of shoes I cannot wear. If yor going for Made in Maine, stick with Quoddy, AVOID RANCOURT at all costs. I’m happy to share photos of the disastrous shoes, if anyone is interested.
I’m perfectly fine getting the L.L. Beans, since I’ve worn them since the ’80s. I haven’t experienced any stretching, but I have had the leather crack badly due to wearing them in the rain while walking the dog (so, my fault). My biggest complaint would be that the soles wear down way too quick on the heels because the way I walk. The old soles held up longer
Do I wish they were made like they used to be? Sure. Do I wish they were still made in Maine? Yes. The fact is they’re not the same shoes as they used to be, but they are comfortable and serviceable at the price offered. I have difficultly spending north of $200 for a pair of casual knock around shoes although Russell might be a contender if L.L. Bean raises the price by the time that my current camps give out.
There’s nothing wrong with Quoddy, Rancourt, etc., it’s great supporting these companies and they’re quality shoes. I just can’t justify the price difference in the way that I use the shoes, and I don’t need Horween leather.
What’s wrong with the cheaper ones is that the soles are thinner, so one feels every pebble on the road while walking. If you stick to smooth sidewalks, you’ll have no problem. The difference in the quality, appearance, softness, etc. of the cheap ones and the overpriced ones is hardly noticeable.
Pedro, I’d be interested in seeing those photos.
I wear my LL Bean camp mocs as my teaching shoes, and I have detected no issues in quality.
I love L.L. Bean Camp mocs! I bought my first pair in high school back in the 80’s. They hold up well and, with a wash of saddle soap and a polish of mink oil, they look refreshed and ready for another round! The shoes are very comfortable…almost like comfort food for the feet!
I hope that this “exposure” by Rugby doesn’t “jack up” the prices due to spinoff demand…I may have to splurge and get a new pair while the price is somewhat normal!
On the flip side, with the exposure, maybe my students will stop accusing me of wearing my house shoes to work 🙂
@Kionon
As a fellow teacher, I agree with you on the camp moc by L.L. Bean. They inadvertantly designed these for guys like us, right? I’m on my feet all day, lecturing and giving instruction and I like the fact that they feel like slippers and (unbeknownst to the students), I can slip them off under my desk and slip them back on with ease, should I want to let my feet rest and breath while grading or completing some quick desk work.
I often wear a blazer and chinos, and my camp mocs do not detract from this! I can go from work to my kids’ soccer practice without looking overdressed and can even kick the ball around without worry over “messing up” my shoes! The only other shoe that comes close to this are my L.L. Bean blucher moccasins!
P.S., Love your blog! Go Longhorns!
@ Kionon, how do I contact you? I’m happy yo send the photos.
Pedro
CL,
Yep, that’s my view. In fact, I almost bought a second pair when I was at the LL Bean store in Osaka a few days ago. I went with a pair of Bean Boots because as August becomes September, the weather will start to get soggier.
I also have a pair of blucher mocs, but they’re currently back in Texas. A good eight boxes of stuff still haven’t been sent to Japan. My camel hair jacket, my corduroy jacket, like five pairs of shoes, all of my sweaters and sweatshirts, my BB flannel shirts…. It’s been 86 degrees and like 150% humidity here in Kyushu, so I probably won’t need anything cold until the end of September. My LL Bean yellow rain coat is also in Texas, boooo…
Pedro,
Direct tweet me @kionon and I’ll send you my email address.
I miss the leather they used to use. I still wear them, but the leather is not nearly like the old waxed leather they used years ago. Also, I need insoles now 🙂
Great article! I’ve worn LL Bean Camp Moc’s since the late 70s and always loved them! I have a current pair I find the sizing a little off compared to the old LL Bean ones made in the USA, all in all they’re not bad for the price and I hope they’ll make them back in the USA some day soon! I’ll keep on with my Camp Moc tradition!
Who’d’ve thought that six years later, Bean would discontinue the shoe.
The L.L. Bean camp mocs look good with the light colored socks as shown in the photos above.