# Quoddy blucher/boat shoe fit vs. Sperry A/O Topsiders or Bean Bluchers



## qwerty (Jun 24, 2005)

Hi everyone, I'm considering buying a pair of Quoddys very strongly.

For any of you who have familiarity with the Sperry A/O size/fit or that of Bean Bluchers, what sizes (length and width) do you take in each of these shoes and the Quoddys?

What do people think about the boat shoe with camp sole versus the blucher with camp sole?

Boat shoe with white sole:
https://www.quoddytrail.com/store/images/601.jpg

Blucher with camp sole:
https://askandyaboutclothes.com/community/showthread.php?t=73027&highlight=quoddy

The main difference between the two (when the boat shoe has a camp sole) is that the lacing runs around the throat of the shoe. I am wondering what people prefer. I would be just fine with the blucher except that I don't know that I like the odd brogue-ripple detail that runs around the throat of the shoe (see pics in above link).
I also think the 360-degree lacing will provide a more secure fit -- or at least that's the case when I compare the fit of my Sperrys and my Bean bluchers.


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## 3button Max (Feb 6, 2006)

*quoddys*

Isnt it feasible to order boat shoe , w/camp sole, as well-?


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## qwerty (Jun 24, 2005)

Yes -- that is what I'd order. 
The question about shoe choice is:
1) Chromoexcel bluchers
2) Chromoexcel boat shoes with camp sole.


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

My choice would be the chromexcel boatshoes with a camp sole. As to fit, I wear a 9.5D in both the Quoddy Trails and the Sperry Topsiders...if that helps? In the future I may give the Quoddy blutchers a try. But for now, I'll stick with their boatshoes and penny loafers...just can't get over how incredibly comfortable Qouddy's are on the feet!


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## The Continental Fop (Jan 12, 2007)

I second eagle2250's rec. I also have a pair of Quoddy's chromexcel boat shoes with camp soles -- wearing them right now as a matter of fact. Love them. I've owned Sperry and Bean boats and believe me, these are much better. If you can accept Quoddy's long shipping delay and then getting the wrong shoes anyway and having to wait another 3-6 months for the shoes you ordered (happened to me twice now, with two different shoes), you'll wind up with great boats. If these kinds of issues annoy you, think twice. Only the most patient and unhurried should consider Quoddy. I am neither, but I still remain a Quoddy fan with the aforementioned caveat.



eagle2250 said:


> My choice would be the chromexcel boatshoes with a camp sole. As to fit, I wear a 9.5D in both the Quoddy Trails and the Sperry Topsiders...if that helps? In the future I may give the Quoddy blutchers a try. But for now, I'll stick with their boatshoes and penny loafers...just can't get over how incredibly comfortable Qouddy's are on the feet!


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## Ron_A (Jun 5, 2007)

The Continental Fop said:


> I second eagle2250's rec. I also have a pair of Quoddy's chromexcel boat shoes with camp soles -- wearing them right now as a matter of fact. Love them. I've owned Sperry and Bean boats and believe me, these are much better. If you can accept Quoddy's long shipping delay and then getting the wrong shoes anyway and having to wait another 3-6 months for the shoes you ordered (happened to me twice now, with two different shoes), you'll wind up with great boats. If these kinds of issues annoy you, think twice. Only the most patient and unhurried should consider Quoddy. I am neither, but I still remain a Quoddy fan with the aforementioned caveat.


I know you guys love Quoddy, but I can't seem to get past some of these customer service issues I keep reading about. I guess I'm into instant gratification, but I couldn't imagine waiting 3-6 months for a pair of shoes to arrive. And it sounds as though -- even after the wait -- more than one person has received the wrong shoes.


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## CM Wolff (Jun 7, 2006)

I haven't had to wait longer than 6 weeks on any of my orders. I do have a pair of lined penny loafers on order that are scheduled to be delivered this week. Because the lining made this a custom order, I did email Kirsten at Quoddy, who ensured that the special request was being successfully addressed. She did give me the ship date that she was expecting. While Quoddy may be going through some growing pains with the volume they are now doing and some hiccups with their administrative staff, Kirsten has been very thoughtful and honest in her communications with me. In that regard, because I love their shoes (really, there are no better boats, bluchers, or mocs on the market), I am going to remain a loyal customer unless things really take a turn for the worse. 

In the end, do not go into a transaction with Quoddy expecting more than a 4 to 6 week delivery, email them around that same time period if it gives you some peace of mind, and there is a great chance you will receive both a very satisfying communication and a wonderful pair of shoes to boot.


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## Ron_A (Jun 5, 2007)

CM Wolff said:


> I haven't had to wait longer than 6 weeks on any of my orders. I do have a pair of lined penny loafers on order that are scheduled to be delivered this week. Because the lining made this a custom order, I did email Kirsten at Quoddy, who ensured that the special request was being successfully addressed. She did give me the ship date that she was expecting. While Quoddy may be going through some growing pains with the volume they are now doing and some hiccups with their administrative staff, Kirsten has been very thoughtful and honest in her communications with me. In that regard, because I love their shoes (really, there are no better boats, bluchers, or mocs on the market), I am going to remain a loyal customer unless things really take a turn for the worse.
> 
> In the end, do not go into a transaction with Quoddy expecting more than a 4 to 6 week delivery, email them around that same time period if it gives you some peace of mind, and there is a great chance you will receive both a very satisfying communication and a wonderful pair of shoes to boot.


That's good to know. Thanks.


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## CM Wolff (Jun 7, 2006)

Ron_A said:


> That's good to know. Thanks.


Good luck with any Quoddy purchases. I agree that it can be disconcerting when you hear of shoe mix-ups, and in a perfect world one should not have to "supervise" one's purchase by making follow-up calls. However, so far I am accepting of these as the price of dealing with such a small shop. The shoes have been worth it and in a couple instances where I needed some additional help with an order, Kirsten's service has been at a bend-over-backwards-for-me wonderful level.


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## The Continental Fop (Jan 12, 2007)

I'm glad some members have had better luck than I have had with Quoddy's getting orders right and getting them out the door in a reasonable amount of time. As much as I love the company's work, I feel it's important to prepare first-time customers for a lengthy wait and even then, the probability that the order will be wrong in some way, which means setting the clock back to zero and starting over. 

At this point I own three pairs of Quoddy shoes -- boat shoes, loafers, and a pair of slippers. The boat shoes were ordered with the black camp sole option, and arrived 3 months later a half-size too small and with the white boat sole. Another 3 months and I had the right shoes. 

The slippers took 2 months and arrived in the wrong size. Again, they were sent back, and it took several months more to receive the right size. 

The loafers were a custom job, and I expected added delay. But in the end it took over six months to get the shoes, and I had to follow up with the company repeatedly to get them finished. 

Am I completely happy with all three pairs of Quoddys? You bet. Love them to death. Are Kristen and Debbie always a pleasure to talk to on the phone? Sure are. But there seems to be a disconnect at some point between the order placed on the site, and the actual production line where the rubber meets the chromexcel. As much as this forum likes to flatter itself with the Ask Andy effect, I don't think it has anything to do with Quoddy's issues. I just think it's a smallish firm capable of excellent work and not nearly as organized from top down as it should be. Too many members here tell the same story of extra-long waits and then the wrong shoes show up, etc. 

As I said, if you are the patient type and you accept a certain number of do-overs in order to get things just the way you ordered them, I can't recommend the Quoddys more highly. In my experience, they really are without equal as far as current production boat/moccasin-type shoes go.


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

With five pair of Quoddys sitting in my shoe rack, I am very pleased with the quality of the final effort(s) and the comfort of the shoes is unsurpassed, for that type of footgear. However, every order has required correction and none have been delivered on schedule. Throughout the process, Kevin and Kirsten have been very accomodating and have done what was necessary to make the orders right! I will continue as a customer but, do hope the frustrating delays in the procurement process can be eliminated...or at least sharply curtailed!


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