# Blucher Mocs



## ASF (Mar 6, 2006)

I pulled my LLBean Blucher Mocs today after months of hibernation. Does the younger set wear bluchers anymore? By younger, I mean those aged 12-20 years old.

I'm 43 and am on my 4th pair. My first pair were bought in 1977, my latest pair were purchsed in 1989.

asf


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## joeyzaza (Dec 9, 2005)

I am also 43 and get my ll bean blucher mocks out a few times per year. I bought my last pair around 1988. About 15 years ago, they changed the interior sole to make them more "comfortable". 

I also used to wear camp mocs, but my last pair was chewed by my dog about 10 years ago.

I rarely, if ever see young people wearing camp mocs. Some day they may come back, but for now, they are pretty much out.

I wonder how the quality of the current imported bluchers compares to the one's manufactured in Maine.


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## septa (Mar 4, 2006)

Mocs of all sorts are definetly making a comeback. I was at a vintage clothing store today that caters to the hipster crowd (think Williamsburg Brooklyn) and saw a good amount of weejuns and top-siders. One of the clerks looked like he was wearing bluchers. He did have a lot of tats though.


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## StevenRocks (May 24, 2005)

I haven't seen anybody under 30 wearing blucher mocs in a while.


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## Naval Gent (May 12, 2007)

My 16 year old son wears them, but he's a bit of an anomaly. (It's that twisted home life:icon_smile_wink. I think Sperry boat shoes are more common with his set. But Clark's Wallabees are the real Tennessee Prep shoe of choice, and have been for at least 30 years.

I love both my Bluchers and Camp Mocs. I usually wear Bluchers when I need a sock (prolonged walking or cool weather), and the Camps Mocs without.

Scott


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## memphislawyer (Mar 2, 2007)

I can concur that all the young boys love Wallabees in Memphis. My daughter says the Billfish was popular with girls at UT 2 years ago


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## gar1013 (Sep 24, 2007)

StevenRocks said:


> I haven't seen anybody under 30 wearing blucher mocs in a while.


I'm 31, but pass for mid 20's all the time. Do I count?


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## StevenRocks (May 24, 2005)

gar1013 said:


> I'm 31, but pass for mid 20's all the time. Do I count?


Hey, why not. I actually was a little shy of 30 when I picked some up.


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## tripreed (Dec 8, 2005)

After my recent, and ultimately disappointing, experience with the Bean camp mocs, I'm in no hurry to order anymore handsewn shoes from them (although their boat shoes are fantastic). Maybe one day when I'm not a poor student again I will go for some Quoddys.


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## TradTeacher (Aug 25, 2006)

I agree, Trip. I just sent back a pair of Bean Blucher Mocs the other day because, as much as I wanted to, I couldn't bring myself to like them...

TT:teacha:


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## Intrepid (Feb 20, 2005)

*Campus Wear*

Blucher mocs still work for me.

However, I'm on an east coast college campus every day. Footwear of choice, regardless of the weather, for students is rubber shower shoes. Thingy between the toes obviously means sockless.


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## Northeastern (Feb 11, 2007)

27 here and I don't wear them, I prefer Bean's handsewn boat shoes to the Blucher mocs. I think the Blucher mocs look good, just not on my feet.


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## 3button Max (Feb 6, 2006)

I have a pair of Bean bluchers which have worn well-they replaced a vintage pair of 80's sebago bluchers -the Bean are more comfortable. i wanted a pair of Quoddy but a had surplus of Bean gift certs.
the topsider thing is neat but I dont own a boat


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## Intrepid (Feb 20, 2005)

*The length of the damn laces !*

Blucher mocs will probably always be a staple. Price is right, they wear well, and are great shoes. They are no longer made in Maine by maniacs, but if you get them 1/2 size larger, they are relatively unchanged.

The thing that is maddening is that they take 27" laces. For reasons that aren't terribly clear, they insist on putting 37" laces in them. Must be a good reason for this, but it escapes me.


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## Ron_A (Jun 5, 2007)

^ I always thought that the laces are extra long so that you can do that fancy thing with the ends of the laces that girls used to do back in the 80s (can't find a picture of what I'm referring to). 

In all seriousness, I have a pair of non-USA made LLB camp mocs, with which I'm very pleased, and was thinking of getting a pair of bluchers. The Quoddy's might be better quality -- I'm considering them, too. This style is timeless, and they seem like a great summer option with shorts.


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## vwguy (Jul 23, 2004)

tripreed said:


> After my recent, and ultimately disappointing, experience with the Bean camp mocs, I'm in no hurry to order anymore handsewn shoes from them (although their boat shoes are fantastic). Maybe one day when I'm not a poor student again I will go for some Quoddys.


Do it! I love my Quoddy Canoe Mocs, just pulled them out today to wear around the house. I've been trying to get some leather samples from them for a pair of loafers I want to have them make, but so far, the samples haven't arrived. Too busy making shoes I'd guess.

Brian


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## vwguy (Jul 23, 2004)

Ron_A said:


> In all seriousness, I have a pair of non-USA made LLB camp mocs, with which I'm very pleased, and was thinking of getting a pair of bluchers. The Quoddy's might be better quality -- I'm considering them, too. This style is timeless, and they seem like a great summer option with shorts.


The Quoddy's are far and away a much better shoes than Bean's Camp Moc. I ordered a few pair at different times hoping that I'd get a decent pair, but no luck. They even hand picked thru stock looking for the old reddish brown color, but they couldn't find any. That's when someone on here mentioned Quoddy makes them just the way Bean did, camp sole & all, and I was sold.

Brian


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## Topsider (Jul 9, 2005)

I'm 40+, and I've worn Bean's blucher mocs since college. Not the same pair, of course.


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

vwguy said:


> Do it! I love my Quoddy Canoe Mocs, just pulled them out today to wear around the house. I've been trying to get some leather samples from them for a pair of loafers I want to have them make, but so far, the samples haven't arrived. Too busy making shoes I'd guess.
> 
> Brian


Indeed, they may be trying to grow a bit too fast for their own good. I am still waiting on a pair of lined penny loafers that I ordered Nov 11, 2007, on which delivery was promised during the week before Christmas. During January (Jan 4, I believe), I was able to get a telephone answered by a live person, and inquired as to the delivery status. After a bit of discussion, it was acknowledged that 'perhaps' my order had been lost but, a rush would be put on the reinitiated order. On Jan 31, 2008, the UPS guy delivered a pair of unlined Quoddy penny loafers (you might recall my order was for a pair of lined penny loafers) to my doorstep. I immediately called Quoddy Trail and spoke with Kevin, who was quite plesant and very appologetic and promised a rush would be put on production of a lined pair of penny loafers, in my size, and predicted that they would be on their way to me within three weeks. Last Tuesday (March 4), I called Quoddy and spoke with Kelly about the status of my order, who assured me, she would check and get back to me that day. Today, March 10, I'm still waiting for a call back and have yet to get any reasonable assurance of when the shoes I originally ordered on Nov 11, 2007, will be delivered. I absolutely love their shoes but, admit to being frustrated by their service, at this point!


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## vwguy (Jul 23, 2004)

Ah...not a good sign at all.

Brian


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## tintin (Nov 19, 2004)

Anybody with a web site like Quoddys has got to be damned good at sewing shoes together and very little else.


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## PersianMonarchs (Dec 7, 2005)

*LLBean blucher mocs*

I haven't been without two pairs (one pretty clean, one pretty old) for about 35 years -- and that doesn't count the tattered ones I wear in the garden. Ditto their moccasins, although I did just order a pair of Quoddy mocs too.

LLB's shoes seem to have declined in quality over the past few years, but the bluchers and mocs seem pretty much as before. My luck with their boat shoes hasn't been as good as that of others, evidently. My last (which may be my last) pair were made of cheaper leather and were never comfortable. I pitched 'em after a year or so. They certainly are a far cry from the old 4-eyelet boat shoes that LLB sold for years. THAT was a great shoe.


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## Cruiser (Jul 21, 2006)

In the November issue GQ called the L.L.Bean blucher moc a "must have" in the complete wardrobe. I'm getting ready to order a pair. A question. Do they run true to size?

Cruiser


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## 3button Max (Feb 6, 2006)

*size*



Cruiser said:


> In the November issue GQ called the L.L.Bean blucher moc a "must have" in the complete wardrobe. I'm getting ready to order a pair. A question. Do they run true to size?
> 
> Cruiser


maybe a little generous-break in was a week at most.


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## Intrepid (Feb 20, 2005)

*Moc Sizing*



Cruiser said:


> In the November issue GQ called the L.L.Bean blucher moc a "must have" in the complete wardrobe. I'm getting ready to order a pair. A question. Do they run true to size?
> 
> Cruiser


 After starting with the originals many years ago, I had to move up the size from 9 to 9 1/2, although size stayed the same in other shoes.

Terribly disappointing to see that they were recommended in GQ. What a blow!


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## nringo (Oct 5, 2007)

Do they usually carry these at the store? I figure that'd be the easiest way to go find my size.


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## videocrew (Jun 25, 2007)

If one is willing to pay a bit more for something made in America to a fairly high quality standard: https://www.quoddytrail.com/Bluchers.htm

Russell Moccasin makes something similar. Both of these can be resoled by the manufacturer, which means a much longer life.


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## Dave (Mar 17, 2003)

I for one wish Sebago's version of the blucher (Sebago Campsides) was still made. I have a pair from eBay, and they're not even close to wearing out (they were in practically new condition when I got them), but if and when that happens, I don't know what I'll do ... probably go with Bean bluchers, though.

Actually, back in the 80s it was the Sebago version that was most popular in my neck of the woods -- so much so that everyone started calling those shoes "Sebagos" regardless of brand name (kind of like how many people here in the South call all soft drinks "coke" . . . "Hey, want a coke?" "Sure!" "What kind?" "Dr. Pepper!")


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## waltonj (Nov 8, 2007)

I'm 19 and wear them frequently, as do many of my peers, although Topsiders are more prevalent around campus.


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## Topsider (Jul 9, 2005)

Dave said:


> Actually, back in the 80s it was the Sebago version that was most popular in my neck of the woods


In the 80's, the bluchers I had were made by Bass. A company called Eastland was also pretty popular, although you can no longer purchase a mens' blucher from them (they're still available for women, for some odd reason, although they lack the traditional camp moc sole). The Sebago shoes were good, too. I'm not sure why I didn't just order from L. L. Bean, unless perhaps the shoes were an impulse buy at the mall...which was probably the case.


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## Naval Gent (May 12, 2007)

Dave said:


> -- so much so that everyone started calling those shoes "Sebagos" regardless of brand name (kind of like how many people here in the South call all soft drinks "coke" . . . "Hey, want a coke?" "Sure!" "What kind?" "Dr. Pepper!")


Back in the 80s at UT, Bluchers were sometimes somewhat derisively known as "Fiji Boots" after that fraternity (Phi Gamma Delta).

My favorite coke is a root beer.

Scott


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## Harris (Jan 30, 2006)

Isn't this the old, classic design?


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## arturostevens (Feb 6, 2007)

I wore Bluchers in college in the early 80's and they were well made. Bean had a GREAT shoe called the Ranger Oxford, which, was a beefed up Blucher with a great sole that you could send back for resoling. The day of the real quality Bean Blucher is gone. As recent as 3 years ago I ordered one of the new ones with the softer rubber soles and the comfort insides, and you simply have a significantly inferior shoe to the true moccasins of the Maine made era. The leather was cheap, extremely soft, and had no place to age, no patina to acquire. I much prefer the harder soles of yesterday. I sent mine back and don't wear them any more. I agree, the 4 eyelet boater was also a great shoe...oiled leather and very dark brown with great boat soles. This too is gone from Bean's lineup.


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## 16128 (Feb 8, 2005)

Ron_A said:


> ^ I always thought that the laces are extra long so that you can do that fancy thing with the ends of the laces that girls used to do back in the 80s (can't find a picture of what I'm referring to).


Now Bean's does that for you on some shoes to save the effort.


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## Doctor Damage (Feb 18, 2005)

Harris said:


> Isn't this the old, classic design?


Those are EXACTLY identical to the current Bean model, in every detail. PRL must be sourcing from Bean (as we sort of determined last fall with the Bean boot).

DocD


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## StevenRocks (May 24, 2005)

The Ralph Lauren model in the lighter color is available at Marshalls right now for around $50.


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## 3button Max (Feb 6, 2006)

*bean?*



Doctor Damage said:


> Those are EXACTLY identical to the current Bean model, in every detail. PRL must be sourcing from Bean (as we sort of determined last fall with the Bean boot).
> 
> DocD


and jacked the price...


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## dustindeed (Nov 17, 2006)

the marshalls by me has both colors of the polo version (as well as their version of the camp moc) for $40. while they do look they same as llb's, the polo version is a more substantial shoe in my opinion. the leather is nicer, it's heavier, it has a leather footbed - if they'd had my size, i would've bought a pair.


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## tintin (Nov 19, 2004)

I'll have to try out Marshalls.

I remember back in the late 80s there was an article that ran on Ralph. He and his brother Jerry were described as flipping through a LL Bean catalog and marking pages. And they were not ordering.

www.thetrad.blogspot.com


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## erbs (Feb 18, 2008)

Two questions:

1) How do you get Bean mocs to look like this:










I have been wearing mine for almost a year with several applications of Obenauf's LP, and they are still really dull looking. No patina to speak of.

and

2) How do you tie those curly knots?


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## Reddington (Nov 15, 2007)

erbs said:


> 2) How do you tie those curly knots?


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## Forbes (Jan 8, 2008)

When these were most popular -- in my experience, from about 1987 or 1988 until the fall of 1993 or early 1994 -- we called these knots "barrels." They're tied in much the same way that one ties fishing line.

I'm 28 and have been a camp moc man since 1995. I grew up having to wear a sportcoat and tie to school everyday and my recollection is that bluchers were popular in the aforementioned time period, followed by a huge boom for bucs. My father has worn the camp model since the mid-1960s, he says. 

Camp mocs were quite popular in college and I can think of at least five of my close friends who wear them with great frequency. 

As for bluchers, I honestly haven't seen them in my circles since middle school. That said, I want a pair!

Cheers.


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## jjohnson12 (Sep 6, 2007)

erbs said:


> Two questions:
> 
> 1) How do you get Bean mocs to look like this:
> 
> ...


Here's what I did. Remove any dirt from the leather with warm water. Apply a good coat of saddle soap and then buff off. Apply a thin layer of a slightly darker brown shoe polish. Cover all the leather, but in an uneven way. Try not to get any polish on the stitching. Let dry and buff. I also replaced the LL Bean laces with leather ones. Rub a little brown polish on the laces as well for a nice effect.

Here's a previous thread on similar technique:
https://askandyaboutclothes.com/community/showthread.php?t=75078&highlight=antique+shoe


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## cvac (Aug 6, 2006)

Any ideas on a good alternative casual moc toe or otherwise shoe that perhaps looks a little more substantial that a boat shoe-like shoe? I'm not too keen on going sockless and I don't own a boat so...

Any opinions on these or suggestions for something similar stylewise?


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## erbs (Feb 18, 2008)

Thanks guys. I'll give the saddle soap/shoe polish thing a try.


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## Thom Browne's Schooldays (Jul 29, 2007)

courtesy the heavy tweed jacket blog:


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## jph712 (Mar 22, 2007)

Topsider said:


> In the 80's, the bluchers I had were made by Bass. A company called Eastland was also pretty popular, although you can no longer purchase a mens' blucher from them (they're still available for women, for some odd reason, although they lack the traditional camp moc sole). The Sebago shoes were good, too. I'm not sure why I didn't just order from L. L. Bean, unless perhaps the shoes were an impulse buy at the mall...which was probably the case.


Looks like the Eastland Camp Moc is again available for Men. Just looked at Zappos and Eastland's website and they are on both. Zappos shows the sole in one of the enlarged views and it is the Camp Sole.


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