# Bean Blucher Mocs: Pics



## Tenacious Tassel (Sep 11, 2006)

Would like to see some posts with pics of old or well worn Bluchers. The archives are a bit thin. Thanks!

tt


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## rgrossicone (Jan 27, 2008)

Not sure if these are "old" or "worn" enough for ya, but here ya go...2 years old:


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## AAF-8AF (Feb 24, 2009)

Don't know how old these are, but they are from before they started squaring off the toe 









.
.


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## qwerty (Jun 24, 2005)

AAF-8AF said:


> Don't know how old these are, but they are from before they started squaring off the toe
> 
> .


They don't square off the toe. Last has not changed -- you must be thinking of a different model.

rgrossicone -- 2 years old but sitting in the closet for one year 364 days? Those look brand new!!! 

Mine are 4 years old and look like something between AAF's and rgrossicone's in terms of wear. I polished them once with neutral cream when I bought them, wore them in rain and snow (they've been soaked through maybe 6 times), and leather conditioned and polished with brown wax once (as an experiment -- it did nothing really). I'd love to replace the construction boot laces with leather laces (a la topsiders) but have never gotten around to doing so.

Anyone have photos of the Bean Blucher's cousin, the Bean Camp moccasin, in classic brown???

All a man needs in the moccasin category are:
1. Sperry A/O Topsiders in classic brown
2. Bean bluchers
3. Bean camp mocs

Quoddy, Russell, and Alden's Cape Cod topsiders are all very nice, no doubt, but certainly not 3-4x the price of the original shoes they copy nice.


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## inq89 (Dec 3, 2008)

Wish mine could look as worn in as AAF. I've had mine for a little over a year and worn them almost everyday, including being exposed to saltwater a few times...except for a few scratches, they still look brand new


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## Memphis88 (Sep 10, 2008)

Here are my nearly year old blucher mocs.










And, here are my slightly newer (probably about 8 months old) camp mocs.










Both fit my feet perfectly now and have become the most comfortable shoes I've ever worn.


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

I have some I'll have to dig up.

Ideally they'd be a nice casual fall/winter shoe (for when topsides and camp mocs are not enough), but in my experience they're a little too light for this.

Saw a really heavy duty pair on_ An Affordable Wardrobe_, and thinking about hunting down a pair.
Still searching for a good non-summer casual shoe.


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

qwerty said:


> Quoddy, Russell, and Alden's Cape Cod topsiders are all very nice, no doubt, but certainly not 3-4x the price of the original shoes they copy nice.


The argument could be made that they are worth the price because they are more durable and made in the USA.


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## Saltydog (Nov 3, 2007)

*I don't mean to hijack the thread but...*

does anyone know the secret to getting leather laces--in the blucher mocs being shown, top-siders, etc. to stay tied in shorter than a year's break in period. I've owned countless pair of this type shoe over the years and have yet to find one that didn't stay untied for much of the first few months I wore it. It seems the leather finally retains the memory of what it is supposed to do and stays tied somewhat better. Would oiling the leather strings help or hurt the effort? Does anyone else have this problem?


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## AAF-8AF (Feb 24, 2009)

qwerty said:


> They don't square off the toe. Last has not changed -- you must be thinking of a different model.


Nope, same model. It's not squared off a lot, just not as round as it used to be. Anyway, I can see the difference and it's enough to bother me.
.
.


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## phyrpowr (Aug 30, 2009)

Thom Browne's Schooldays said:


> I have some I'll have to dig up.
> 
> Ideally they'd be a nice casual fall/winter shoe (for when topsides and camp mocs are not enough), but in my experience they're a little too light for this.
> 
> ...


Thom, look at Timberland's 3 Eyelet


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## Taken Aback (Aug 3, 2009)

Oh yes. I was just designing a pair at their site. (didn't follow through with the buy, though)


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## OH-CPA (Jun 12, 2008)

Jovan said:


> The argument could be made that they are worth the price because they are more durable and made in the USA.


I couldn't agree more!


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## Doctor Damage (Feb 18, 2005)

I see some of you guys are really hard on your shoes. I have a pair of the new blucher mocs, about two years old, and I wear them everyday for my daily constitutional walk, but they aren't nearly as banged up as Memphis88's!

I think I posted these before, but here's some vintage Bean blucher mocs (from eBay):

https://img38.imageshack.us/i/beanblucher.jpg/
https://img85.imageshack.us/i/bean30.jpg/
https://img38.imageshack.us/i/beanvintageblucher.jpg/


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## Doctor Damage (Feb 18, 2005)

Here's some vintage Bean camp mocs (from eBay):

https://img19.imageshack.us/i/copyofbeanvintagecamp.jpg/
https://img6.imageshack.us/i/copyofbean12b.jpg/

...and what might possibly be old Bean "ranger" mocs (but I'm not sure):

https://img6.imageshack.us/i/copyofbean24size11d.jpg/


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## Tenacious Tassel (Sep 11, 2006)

Thanks everyone. DD, interesting that you posted those pics, I have a thread saved from a few years ago where you had posted those, and I was interested in doing a comparison between new and old Beans as well as the Quoddy Maliseets, which should be ariving at my door any day.

Of course, as I say this, I see a pair of vinatage Bean Bluchers on ebay in my size, so I maybe able to do an in person comparison if I get around to bidding.

tt


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## Cruiser (Jul 21, 2006)

Please don't anyone take offense at this, but for the life of me I can't understand why anyone would want to buy someone else's old worn, broken in shoes. Wouldn't you want to do this yourself to your own pair of shoes? 

To me buying old shoes like this isn't any different than buying a new pair of denim jeans that have been artificially distressed. Back in the 70's I wore faded, well worn jeans; but I didn't buy them that way, I wore them to that state.

Am I missing something here?

Cruiser


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## Doctor Damage (Feb 18, 2005)

Jovan said:


> The argument could be made that they are worth the price because they are more durable and made in the USA.





Tenacious Tassel said:


> ...I was interested in doing a comparison between new and old Beans as well as the Quoddy Maliseets, which should be ariving at my door any day.


Because of this thread, I looked at the Quoddy website and horrified to see they are charging USD$250 for what should be a pair of cheap kick-around shoes. Unbelievable pricing. I'll stick to Bean and let the Japanese (and the Continuous Lean crowd) get hosed by overpriced "American heritage" products.


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## Mazama (May 21, 2009)

Cruiser said:


> Please don't anyone take offense at this, but for the life of me I can't understand why anyone would want to buy someone else's old worn, broken in shoes. Wouldn't you want to do this yourself to your own pair of shoes?
> 
> To me buying old shoes like this isn't any different than buying a new pair of denim jeans that have been artificially distressed. Back in the 70's I wore faded, well worn jeans; but I didn't buy them that way, I wore them to that state.
> 
> ...


As for the heavily worn shoes... I don't get it either.

The "distressed" (i.e., "used") or prewashed condition for otherwise new products allows someone to not look like they just bought the item yesterday. Unfortunately, IME achieving the used appearance with a new item results in greatly reducing the life of the product; I've had even some mildly distressed/prewashed jeans develop holes amazingly fast.

Buying a product that's already been broken in provides the illusion that the wearer has some "history". Buying a product and breaking it in yourself as Cruiser does means giving it your own history. I'm in Cruisers camp.


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## Tenacious Tassel (Sep 11, 2006)

I don't think most use eBay to buy used shoes to save themselves the effort so much as the opportunity to buy old stock (new or used) that are made of better materials or simply constructed better.

Although there clearly is a market for buying "broken in" shoes as evidenced by J Crew selling used Topsiders.

As for the steep prices for Quoddy's, I'm not gonna try and justify that price nor defend the shoe till I see it. All I can say, for a shoe meant to be worn for years and resoled a few different times, one can arguably afford to weigh the approx. $150 difference in price (a 20-25% Quoddy discount is easy to come by if you've been with them for a while) against more traditional styling, better leather, handmade construction, available customization, etc.

For example, I am in the process of sendind several pairs of Quoddys back to have them relasted on a wide platform instead of a normal width, and they're gonna replace a few insoles and laces while they're at it. Each pair is a few years old, but after this effort, they will for the most part be new again for a small nominal charge.

tt


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## Memphis88 (Sep 10, 2008)

Doctor Damage said:


> Because of this thread, I looked at the Quoddy website and horrified to see they are charging USD$250 for what should be a pair of cheap kick-around shoes. Unbelievable pricing. I'll stick to Bean and let the Japanese (and the Continuous Lean crowd) get hosed by overpriced "American heritage" products.


A Continuous Lean is one of my favorite websites and as you can see in my above post I stick to Bean.


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

Doctor Damage said:


> Because of this thread, I looked at the Quoddy website and horrified to see they are charging USD$250 for what should be a pair of cheap kick-around shoes. Unbelievable pricing. I'll stick to Bean and let the Japanese (and the Continuous Lean crowd) get hosed by overpriced "American heritage" products.


It can be ridiculous, you could easily spend $2K on a single outfit that makes you look like a slimmer version of a victim of the dustbowl.

Not that I hate it, I think ACL is one of the coolest sites out there, and one of the few I check everyday, but there's next to nothing I can afford on it.

I appreciate how this whole americana/workwear trend emphasizes well-made stuff, I just wish it recognized that it can be done on the cheap too. For exmple I have a handfull of nice, made in amercian chambray shirts, all of which I bought for under $2 at various thrift stores.


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## Doctor Damage (Feb 18, 2005)

Thom Browne's Schooldays said:


> Doctor Damage said:
> 
> 
> > Because of this thread, I looked at the Quoddy website and horrified to see they are charging USD$250 for what should be a pair of cheap kick-around shoes. Unbelievable pricing. I'll stick to Bean and let the Japanese (and the Continuous Lean crowd) get hosed by overpriced "American heritage" products.
> ...


You stated my point much clearer than I did. You don't even have to thrift. Most farmer's co-ops sell rugged workwear for low costs. I suppose there aren't any farmer's co-ops in Manhattan, of course, but in my opinion that doesn't justify global fashion brand prices for what are fairly banal and everyday items.

I love the whole idea of a "blucher mocc", which I see as a boat shoe with normal oxford lacing. Boat shoes can be a little too casual or summer-ish for my tastes, so I think the blucher mocc is the perfect thing to fill a gap. But I still see them as nothing more than a modified boat shoe and I don't think boat shoes should ever cost serious money. I'm glad the Quoddy shoes can be re-soled, which certainly helps to offset the front-end price, and I know (and acknowledge) that some of our members have been really satisfied with them. However, I'm still not convinced that this "genre" of shoe needs to be upgraded (and priced) as a luxury or semi-luxury item. But that's a cost/benefit decision we each have to make on our own.

Tenacious Tassel - I think I know the Bean bluchers you saw on eBay. I was just looking at them two nights ago. Pretty heavily worn, esp considering the previous owner probably wore them without socks.

Everyone - Does anyone have pics of vintage Ranger moccs? I don't want to drift this thread off course, so please PM me if you have any.


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## Tenacious Tassel (Sep 11, 2006)

Actually, it was these: 
https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?VISuperSize&item=160364742882

which look to be in decent shape if the sole wear is any indication. Tough to tell there is so much shoe polish on the front of the shoes (certainly a red flag). If no one picks up on them, $25 -$30 would be worth it to me to see the details of the Maine version


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## Doctor Damage (Feb 18, 2005)

Back on track, here's my pair of recent Bean bluchers. I bought them about two years ago, but didn't wear them much until this past spring. Now I wear them every day for my 3 km walk. I got the "cactus" colour since I like the way white thread is used for all the stitching on the shoe, not just the toes.


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

^
The cactus color is kind of nice.

How do you like walking in them?
They're not my favorite shoe for walking in, certainly not more than a couple miles anyways.


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

Aw man, I was hoping the new ones still had that fancy "scooped-out" sole.


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## Doctor Damage (Feb 18, 2005)

Thom Browne's Schooldays said:


> ^
> The cactus color is kind of nice.
> 
> How do you like walking in them?
> They're not my favorite shoe for walking in, certainly not more than a couple miles anyways.


I like the cactus colour a lot. Out of the box it has an oiled matte surface, which scuffs nicely and doesn't show scuffs (if that makes sense). As for walking, I've always worn either boat shoes or leather sole shoes, and thankfully have always had tough feet (probably due to going barefoot throughout my childhood). For long distances in a city, my Gucci loafers are actually the best - incredible, but true.


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## Ron_A (Jun 5, 2007)

Jovan said:


> Aw man, I was hoping the new ones still had that fancy "scooped-out" sole.


Unfortunately, LLB did away with a traditional "camp" sole on their bluchers, as well as on their camp mocs (one more reason that I prefer my Quoddy canoe mocs). I do like the bluchers in the cactus color, though (perhaps I'll revisit them in the spring).


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

Well that's a load of crap. How can they be "camp mocs" and not have a "camp sole"?


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## qwerty (Jun 24, 2005)

It is amazing how I agree with everything DocD has ever written on this forum.

First of all, thank you DocD for posting those vintage Bean moc pics. Clearly AAF was right and I was wrong -- Bean has squared off the toe a bit, and now I will forever by slightly bothered by the "nouveau" toe!

As to AContinuousLean, it might be the most annoyingly affected site around. It really is the History Channel of blogs (I didn't come up with that, some other critic did). I mean, this guy would worship a 1950s urinal hockey puck if he found one (okay, I did come up with that one). 

While I appreciate what Mr. Williams (the ACL guy) does with some of his photo posts, the idea that one would spend 5x what something should cost on some NYC Village designer imagines would be the "updated" or "most true to the original" version and makes in an NYC workshop is ludicrous. Finally, to Quoddys (one more time), I own nice shoes -- I have no problem shelling out for Aldens, for Peals, for EGs, even $100+ for NB running shoes. But buying a pair of boat, blucher, or camp mocs for $200+ just because they're made in the US is silly. Rainbow leather flip flops are made in USA. They cost $50. That's roughly 2x what a pair of plastic/rubber/foam made-in-third world Reef flip flops cost. The inflation on Quoddy's over the original Beans is more like 4x-5x.

Okay. Rant over.

What was the point of the slotted original camp sole? I fell like the slot would get stuck on things on the ground and would cause tripping...


Just received a brand new pair of Bean camp mocs for $69 (free shipping). Beautiful shoes. Feel much higher quality than the Bean Bluchers, and that's because the pebbled leather (dark brown) is much more substantial than the sort of rubbery thin bluchers (which I also own).


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## CrescentCityConnection (Sep 24, 2007)

I have been wearing the Bean blucher since about 1984. I have had exactly two pair since then. They are incredibly comfortable, versatile and in my opinion just as much a trad staple as the Sperry boat shoe. I just took delivery of a brand new pair today, my old ones were destroyed by the neighbors dog and I think I purchased them in 1995 or 1996. The ones I received today look just like the other two pair I have owned, save the sole. I can't wait to get them broken in to that sublime state of my previous ones and to get a little character on them! Maybe it's me but the shoe seems almost identical to what I remember from 1984.


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## qwerty (Jun 24, 2005)

How does the leather compare? Were the old ones (ca. 1984) as thin in the uppers?


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## CrescentCityConnection (Sep 24, 2007)

qwerty said:


> How does the leather compare? Were the old ones (ca. 1984) as thin in the uppers?


I honestly dont remember the old ones when they were new, the ones the dog ate had become worn and pretty shabby. In my opinion for $69 as opposed to the Quoddy option of $200+ the Bean model is a no brainer for me. Are they as good as the ones I bought in 84? I have no idea, they look almost identical. The leather in my opinion seems comparable, maybe I am just not discerning enough to be able to tell the difference. Sorry I can't be of more help.


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## TradTeacher (Aug 25, 2006)

I wore Sebago Bluchers as a kid. Wish they'd bring them back...

I really want the Quoddy Maliseet bluchers, and really don't mind paying the $250 for them. I just can't right now. However, as many here can attest, don't understate Quoddy's quality. My Quoddy Canoe Mocs are my most worn shoes, and they've held up like a champ for the almost 4 years I've had them. 

Despite this, the Bean's I just ordered will have to suffice.


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## Ron_A (Jun 5, 2007)

TradTeacher said:


> My Quoddy Canoe Mocs are my most worn shoes, and they've held up like a champ for the almost 4 years I've had them. . .


Quoddy Canoe mocs are $175 at O'Connell's website, if they have them in your size. They are my most worn shoes from April through September, and worth every penny, IMO. I actually found my LLB camp mocs to be relatively high quality - I just like the Quoddy version better.

Back on topic, I would not pay current Quoddy prices for their bluchers and probably would go with LLB in this style shoe.


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## CrescentCityConnection (Sep 24, 2007)

Ron_A said:


> Quoddy Canoe mocs are $175 at O'Connell's website, if they have them in your size. They are my most worn shoes from April through September, and worth every penny, IMO. I actually found my LLB camp mocs to be relatively high quality - I just like the Quoddy version better.
> 
> Back on topic, I would not pay current Quoddy prices for their bluchers and probably would go with LLB in this style shoe.


I purchased the Quoddy boat shoes way back when they were priced in a reasonable range. They are wonderfully comfortable, well made and durable. I am in no way knocking the style, comfort or quality of the Quoddy brand. I am very disappointed that they have raised their prices into the upper stratosphere and eliminating a market segment in the process. The same market that will be wearing their niche style of shoe long after the ACL crowd and SF'ers have found the latest and greatest. I wish Quoddy wouldve given this some thought and maybe they did. I don't hesitate to buy Alden shells, AE or other brands that are pricey but I refuse to pay that kind of money for a casual shoe when there are other options that are 1/4 of the price. For now ole Leon will continue to get my dimes!


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

Maybe I just need a new pair, or am wearing the wrong size, but I find blutcher mocs excruciating to walk long distances, or to stand for long periods of time in.










Actually I did have a new pair (see above) that I returned in april because Quoddys were $79 a pair at O'Connells--I just missed out on the last of my size too.

Anyways, I'm a huge dork and have been known to save pictures of cool ebay stuff that I can't afford on my computer, so somewhere I have a folder full of old blutcher images, here's the only one I could find:









Looks like the parts they removed from the sole were re-sold as those cheap plastic doortops.


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## CrescentCityConnection (Sep 24, 2007)

Thom Browne's Schooldays said:


> Looks like the parts they removed from the sole were re-sold as those cheap plastic doortops.


LOL!! I always thought the same thing!


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## vwguy (Jul 23, 2004)

Tenacious Tassel said:


> I
> As for the steep prices for Quoddy's, I'm not gonna try and justify that price nor defend the shoe till I see it. All I can say, for a shoe meant to be worn for years and resoled a few different times, one can arguably afford to weigh the approx. $150 difference in price *(a 20-25% Quoddy discount is easy to come by if you've been with them for a while)* against more traditional styling, better leather, handmade construction, available customization, etc.


So...how do you get that discount?

Brian


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## Memphis88 (Sep 10, 2008)

vwguy said:


> So...how do you get that discount?
> 
> Brian


You spend hundreds buying several pairs, first.


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## OneEyeMan (Aug 23, 2009)

I love the look of a well worn pair of rugged outdoors shoes.:icon_smile_big:
Lenny



AAF-8AF said:


> Don't know how old these are, but they are from before they started squaring off the toe
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## CrescentCityConnection (Sep 24, 2007)

Here are mine. The Eastland knot was to show my daughters how we used to do it! I am not sure if I will keep them that way or knot!!


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## chiamdream (Aug 7, 2009)

I ordered a pair of the Bean bluchers last week to break in my new LL Bean credit card, but had to send them back. I've read everything online and still hoped that maybe they'd be OK, but I couldn't make a mark in the leather no matter how hard I scratched - not my scene.










(Next to a Quoddy for comparison)

Should have a pair of the Eastland bluchers arriving today; hope they're better.


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## KennethB (Jul 29, 2009)

Look forward to a report on the Eastlands, since they are about the same price as the Bean model.

Does anyone else prefer the cactus color? I think it looks cool.


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## CM Wolff (Jun 7, 2006)

Chiamdream - are those Quoddys the Maliseet Oxford? They are not the standard blucher, which only has 3 eyelets. 

I have been waiting for my real life pictures of the Maliseet, they look good in Quoddy's stock photos, but nothing beats the real thing....


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## chiamdream (Aug 7, 2009)

^ Yessir, they're from a limited run of the Malisset Oxford that Quoddy did for Winn-Perry in Portland - I fell in love with the pebbled brown chromexcel. Here's a picture from when they were new:










They're pretty great shoes (and they do have the classic scooped-out camp sole, for people who miss that). I doubt you'll find a better version. However, I really don't think they're worth $250. Some of the stitching around the collar's already come out. Jordan at Winn-Perry told me to send them back for repairs, but I didn't really want to lose them for who-knows-how-long, so I decided to just suck it up.


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## Doctor Damage (Feb 18, 2005)

The single major concern I have about Quoddy - aside from price - is the rear counters look like they are just a piece of vertical leather, with little or no shaping or "heel-cupping" (which sounds like some sort of sexual act, but I hope my meaning is clear).


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## Doctor Damage (Feb 18, 2005)

chiamdream said:


> I ordered a pair of the Bean bluchers last week to break in my new LL Bean credit card, but had to send them back. I've read everything online and still hoped that maybe they'd be OK, but I couldn't make a mark in the leather no matter how hard I scratched - not my scene.


Presumably you did that to test if they were "corrected grain" or not? Don't forget to do that the next time to buy a pair of AE of Alden shoes - just run your fingernail along the uppers, probably across the top of the toebox, and you will quickly find out if they are full grain or not! Of course, my Bean bluchers in cactus will scratch all to hell if you use this method, which kind of negates the point.


> Should have a pair of the Eastland bluchers arriving today; hope they're better.


I've looked online, but I can only find these being sold as women's shoes. Where are you getting them from?


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## KennethB (Jul 29, 2009)

Doctor Damage said:


> I've looked online, but I can only find these being sold as women's shoes. Where are you getting them from?


One option:


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## chiamdream (Aug 7, 2009)

Yep, I ordered from Shoebuy. They had a 20% off code (FALL) that brought them down to $67 or so. Mail guy ought to be coming by shortly...

Thanks for the corrected-leather test, Doctor Damage. I was sort of doing this without really knowing what I was doing when I had the Beans last week. My decent-shoe collection is really just starting, so I don't have any Aldens or AEs yet, but the Bass Gilmans I'm wearing today demonstrate what you're talking about.


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## chiamdream (Aug 7, 2009)

Ah, these are quite nice. No camera at work, I'll snap some pics tonight. These are a much better option than the Bean ones.


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## Doctor Damage (Feb 18, 2005)

chiamdream said:


> Thanks for the corrected-leather test, Doctor Damage. I was sort of doing this without really knowing what I was doing when I had the Beans last week. My decent-shoe collection is really just starting, so I don't have any Aldens or AEs yet, but the Bass Gilmans I'm wearing today demonstrate what you're talking about.


DO NOT do that with good shoes!

I was just kidding around - the "scratch test" struck me as kinda funny.

Again, DO NOT do that. (If you do that with AE or Alden or any quality brand you will irrevocably mark the leather and you will have trouble returning them.)

The best thing to do is stick your nose up real close to the leather, tilt the shoes so the light is shining at the right angle, and look for small pores or depressions in the leather. Corrected grain leather, or cheap leathers generally, will have a mostly smooth surface. Full grain leathers will have lots of tiny depressions in the leather. That's not a hard and fast rule, but it doesn't require any laboratory tests. It gets tricky with scotchgrain or pebble-grain leathers, but if you buy a good brand you should be okay. Shiny is almost always bad, unless you are dealing with expensive shoes or shell cordovan, and again a good brand is the key.


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## chiamdream (Aug 7, 2009)

Here ya go. As you can tell from the pictures, the leather is much nicer than the Bean shoes. It's a heavier, nicer shoe by a longshot.


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## chiamdream (Aug 7, 2009)

Doctor Damage said:


> DO NOT do that with good shoes!
> 
> I was just kidding around - the "scratch test" struck me as kinda funny.
> 
> Again, DO NOT do that. (If you do that with AE or Alden or any quality brand you will irrevocably mark the leather and you will have trouble returning them.)


Man, I'm such a noob. Thanks for clarifying.


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

Anyone know anything about these old Bean Chukkas?


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## Doctor Damage (Feb 18, 2005)

1980s Bean catalogue scan from the HeavyTweedJacket blog (below). Notice the "ranger moccs" are actually just a heavy-duty blucher mocc. Notice also the way the side lacing goes on the old camp moccs: one large loop on the sides and one that wraps around the rear of the shoes.


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## Memphis88 (Sep 10, 2008)

I really like those double sole mocs. The only similar ones on the bean website now are labeled as slippers. So are these in home shoes only? The look pretty much the same construction wise as the mocs in that ad.

Here's a link to the slippers. 
https://www.llbean.com/webapp/wcs/s...oreId=1&catalogId=1&langId=-1&from=SR&feat=sr


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## Doctor Damage (Feb 18, 2005)

Doctor Damage said:


> Back on track, here's my pair of recent Bean bluchers. I bought them about two years ago, but didn't wear them much until this past spring. Now I wear them every day for my 3 km walk. I got the "cactus" colour since I like the way white thread is used for all the stitching on the shoe, not just the toes.


These finally wore out a few days ago when the heels wore through to nothing. I figure I got my money's worth over three years of daily walks considering the price!


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## Pgolden (May 13, 2006)

Doctor Damage said:


> 1980s Bean catalogue scan from the HeavyTweedJacket blog (below). Notice the "ranger moccs" are actually just a heavy-duty blucher mocc. Notice also the way the side lacing goes on the old camp moccs: one large loop on the sides and one that wraps around the rear of the shoes.


The boating moc reminds me of a similar shoe that you can find at the Bass outlets. I have a pair and they are, without question, the most comfortable Topsider/Docksider knockoff I've had. Also, the outlets have blucher mocs and regular quite similar to Bean, and they are also quite comfortable. And you can get three pair for under $50 apiece.


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## DFPyne (Mar 2, 2010)

Not to hijack the thread but could anyone roughly age these shoes?

The sole is what is most intriguing. They seem like a strange hybrid of the original scooped camp sole and the current sole.


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## brozek (Sep 24, 2006)

Given the wear on the uppers, I suspect that's a resole job. I like the double channel stitching on it though!


DFPyne said:


> Not to hijack the thread but could anyone roughly age these shoes?
> 
> The sole is what is most intriguing. They seem like a strange hybrid of the original scooped camp sole and the current sole.


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## cvac (Aug 6, 2006)

Those Eastland bluchers look pretty good. Was browsing LLB the other day and saw that they have the bluchers with the old camp/cutout sole as part of their "signature" line. I wonder how these compare to the Eastlands and the current "regular" blucher mocs?

See here:



There is also a suede version:


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## Uncle Bill (May 4, 2010)

Know who sells Eastland in Canada? they do look better than the LL Bean Bluchers.


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## hardline_42 (Jan 20, 2010)

cvac said:


> Those Eastland bluchers look pretty good. Was browsing LLB the other day and saw that they have the bluchers with the old camp/cutout sole as part of their "signature" line. I wonder how these compare to the Eastlands and the current "regular" blucher mocs?
> 
> See here:
> 
> There is also a suede version:


 I have the signature LLB bluchers. I can't compare them to the Eastlands, but I can give you my impression. They run a bit narrow but are otherwise pretty comfortable. The pebbled grain leather is a nice color, but it's stiff and a bit strange in that it discolors when it bends or stretches, but goes back to normal after a while. I haven't found it to be very durable. The moc stitching on the toe has opened up enough to be able to see the skin of my feet, and walking on any off-road surface leaves me with a shoe full of dirt and gravel. Also, the laces are not very durable. The braided yellow and red sleeve has broken in some parts and the white core sticks out. I bought them last year and wore them pretty heavily, but I expected them to last a little longer. I'll probably be spending a little extra next time on some Rancourts.


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

Oh man... see now I have a dilemma. My new shoe purchase was going to be the Casco Bay Boat Moccasins in Canyon to replace my Top-Siders that are nearing the end of their life. I'm now torn between those and the Signature Eastport Hansewn Blucher Mocs. (Try saying that ten times fast.)


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## frosejr (Mar 27, 2010)

Does anyone have a report on the Eastlands?


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

I have the LLB Signature mocs and they're fantastic, very glad I bought them.

I've never had a pair of eastlands, but I've seen them, and tried them on and they always felt llight and unsubstantial. Not that that's necessarily a bad thing, but I'd think they'd be more fragile than the Bean version.


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## hardline_42 (Jan 20, 2010)

Jovan said:


> Oh man... see now I have a dilemma. My new shoe purchase was going to be the Casco Bay Boat Moccasins in Canyon to replace my Top-Siders that are nearing the end of their life. I'm now torn between those and the Signature Eastport Hansewn Blucher Mocs. (Try saying that ten times fast.)


 Not to be a downer on all these LLB shoes, but the Casco Bay Boat mocs are the worst boat shoes I've ever owned. I wore them for one summer and replaced them the very next year. They are very uncomfortable. I'm no newcomer to breaking in leather shoes and I could not get them to stop rubbing my feet raw from exposed stitching on the inside and on the heel, despite numerous applications of Lexol, wetting them and wearing them dry etc. The toe is, IMO, very square looking compared to more traditional boat shoes. I would take my sixty bucks and go to a Timberland outlet to pick up their 2-eye boat shoes on sale. Extremely comfortable out of the box, much more substantial build quality and a more traditional shape.


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

... Signature bluchers it is. 

Thank you.


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## hardline_42 (Jan 20, 2010)

Jovan said:


> ... Signature bluchers it is.
> 
> Thank you.


 Good luck with them. I hope they work for you.


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

Given all the good things said about them, I sure hope I haven't been led astray.


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## Doctor Damage (Feb 18, 2005)

hardline_42 said:


> Not to be a downer on all these LLB shoes, but the Casco Bay Boat mocs are the worst boat shoes I've ever owned. I wore them for one summer and replaced them the very next year. They are very uncomfortable. I'm no newcomer to breaking in leather shoes and I could not get them to stop rubbing my feet raw from exposed stitching on the inside and on the heel, despite numerous applications of Lexol, wetting them and wearing them dry etc. The toe is, IMO, very square looking compared to more traditional boat shoes. I would take my sixty bucks and go to a Timberland outlet to pick up their 2-eye boat shoes on sale. Extremely comfortable out of the box, much more substantial build quality and a more traditional shape.


I have to post a counter-point to the above: I have a pair of the Bean boat shoes and I think they're the best deal out there right now. Some of the thread ends on the inside were poorly finished, but I simply snipped them off and problem solved. Mine are showing normal wear for boat shoes.


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

Just ordered the Eastport Handsewn Blucher Moc last night. Bean was running a 10% off code until the end of today through their newsletter, so I'm getting them for $62.25 shipped. Figure it's about time I had a pair of casual shoes that fall between penny loafers and boat shoes.


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## hardline_42 (Jan 20, 2010)

Doctor Damage said:


> I have to post a counter-point to the above: I have a pair of the Bean boat shoes and I think they're the best deal out there right now. Some of the thread ends on the inside were poorly finished, but I simply snipped them off and problem solved. Mine are showing normal wear for boat shoes.


 Doc D, I know they worked for you. In fact, I bought them after reading one of your reviews. I don't know if the construction quality has changed since you've had yours or what, but my feet are pretty average (8.5D, normal arch, normal instep) and they just feel terrible when I wear them. I don't have particularly delicate feet but the Casco Bays just chew them up something fierce. Fit and comfort issues aside, I don't like the shape of the toe. I think it's very squared off and prefer something more traditional. As far as being a good deal, I think the Timberland 2-eye classics are up there as well.


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## Patrick06790 (Apr 10, 2005)

Doctor Damage said:


> I have to post a counter-point to the above: I have a pair of the Bean boat shoes and I think they're the best deal out there right now. Some of the thread ends on the inside were poorly finished, but I simply snipped them off and problem solved. Mine are showing normal wear for boat shoes.


My experience has also been good, and they are on their second summer of frequent wear.


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## Dr.Watson (Sep 25, 2008)

I think the Bean boat shoes are a pretty good value out there (and they are not covered in logos, like Sperry). But, their medium width is wider than average, in my opinion. I tried to make mine work, but eventually got tired of the extra space and replaced them. I am currently wearing NOS Sperry blucher mocs as my go to casual shoe.


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## Doctor Damage (Feb 18, 2005)

Dr.Watson said:


> I think the Bean boat shoes are a pretty good value out there (and they are not covered in logos, like Sperry). But, their medium width is wider than average, in my opinion. I tried to make mine work, but eventually got tired of the extra space and replaced them. I am currently wearing NOS Sperry blucher mocs as my go to casual shoe.


I'am also glad there are no logos on them.

You're quite right about the width, which is quirky and much different than the bluchers and camp mocs: the medium fits like an E and the wide fits like a EEE. I need the exta space up front and the heel shape, although wide, somehow stays on my feet. I can see how they wouldn't fit everyone, though.


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## jimw (May 4, 2009)

*Resoling Bean Bluchers?*

My Bean Bluchers are in need of either a resole or outright replacement. They are already in their third year, and are my daily knockabout shoes, and I've never had issue with them - not for the price, certainly.

Our puppy finally had his way with the left shoe, and has ripped out the heel insert of the lining - time to do something!

Is it expensive to have rubber soles replaced? I've never done this before. If it even costs half the price of new Beans, then I may as well go ahead and pick a new pair.

Thanks - I hope everyone's enjoying their summer.

Jim


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## Tilton (Nov 27, 2011)

I wish there was a rule where, if you don't have 100 posts, you can't post on topics older than 1 year. Or, at least, if you try, a warning pops up when you try to post telling you how long the thread has been inactive - other forums have such functions.


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

jimw said:


> My Bean Bluchers are in need of either a resole or outright replacement. They are already in their third year, and are my daily knockabout shoes, and I've never had issue with them - not for the price, certainly.
> 
> Our puppy finally had his way with the left shoe, and has ripped out the heel insert of the lining - time to do something!
> 
> ...


I called Bean about getting an old pair of mine resoled, they don't do it anymore but gave me the name of a shoe repair place in maine that does, but they appear to have gone out of business.

Hope you find someone, I still have an old pair needing soles.


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## Uncle Bill (May 4, 2010)

Anyone know of a either a decent online source for Eastland who will ship to Canada or a bricks and mortar retailer in Greater Toronto other than Uncle Otis (they just carry the super high end ltd edition stuff)?


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## BigTC (May 10, 2010)

Tilton said:


> I wish there was a rule where, if you don't have 100 posts, you can't post on topics older than 1 year. Or, at least, if you try, a warning pops up when you try to post telling you how long the thread has been inactive - other forums have such functions.


Why? If he would have started a whole new thread, people would be mad about that, too.

It's a Trad clothing forum - we just talk about the same things over and over anyway. Might as well use an old thread to do it. (So I guess you could say this is the rare situation where a low threadcount is a good thing?)


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## jimw (May 4, 2009)

Tilton said:


> I wish there was a rule where, if you don't have 100 posts, you can't post on topics older than 1 year. Or, at least, if you try, a warning pops up when you try to post telling you how long the thread has been inactive - other forums have such functions.


Hindsight being what it is, I should have followed proper posting etiquette with your forum. Maybe one day I'll hit 100 posts and then I can put on my big boy pants.

Jim


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## Eric W S (Jun 6, 2012)

BigTC said:


> Why? If he would have started a whole new thread, people would be mad about that, too.
> 
> It's a Trad clothing forum - we just talk about the same things over and over anyway. Might as well use an old thread to do it. (So I guess you could say this is the rare situation where a low threadcount is a good thing?)


Probably not. Most folks don't trash new threads. The gentle reminder to search or a link to the old thread is par for the course. Just bad nettiquette to necormance(sp) an old thread. You have 18 posts. Have we been that repetitive recently?


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## ArtVandalay (Apr 29, 2010)

I don't see the difference between replying and starting a new thread in this instance. If he had just resurrected an old post to say "I agree" or something like that, I can understand being peeved about it. But he was asking a legitimate question...


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## Tilton (Nov 27, 2011)

Well, yes and no. Yes, I appreciate adding to old threads when it is more relevant because it consolidates information and gives us a timeline to reference later on down the road. However, this is a two year old thread that is not about resoling LLB blucher mocs. Here's a one year old thread that is: 

See what I'm saying? I'm not trying to be a jerk at all, but one of the fly fishing fora I look at here and there (which does not get much traffic anymore) has a popup window that warns you that a thread is x months old and suggests using the search function to see if it is necessary to resurrect it, which I think is a very good function. Of course, if the need is not met elsewhere, one can simply click "Okay" and continue posting.


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## Corcovado (Nov 24, 2007)

I can only speak for myself but I read and post here primarily as a leisure activity, much of the pleasure of which comes from interacting with other people as opposed to merely accessing information. So in that respect I am happy to discuss blucher mocs any time, and in fact would like to mention that I just picked up a pair of Eastland "Falmouth" blucher mocs from www.onlineshoes.com during one of their 25% off sales. Mind you these are made in the dreaded China, but for casual summer shoes I think they are a great deal, and the fit for me is perfect.


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## Tilton (Nov 27, 2011)

Corcovado said:


> I can only speak for myself but I read and post here primarily as a leisure activity, much of the pleasure of which comes from interacting with other people as opposed to merely accessing information. So in that respect I am happy to discuss blucher mocs any time, and in fact would like to mention that I just picked up a pair of Eastland "Falmouth" blucher mocs from www.onlineshoes.com during one of their 25% off sales. Mind you these are made in the dreaded China, but for casual summer shoes I think they are a great deal, and the fit for me is perfect.


Well, on that note... After leaving a pair of Sebagos at the beach this summer, I found myself in the same shoes (thrifted, though still a recent model from China). Much better than bean blucher mocs, in my opinion. If they only last through October, it will be $8.50 well spent at this rate.


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## jimw (May 4, 2009)

Thom Browne's Schooldays said:


> I called Bean about getting an old pair of mine resoled, they don't do it anymore but gave me the name of a shoe repair place in maine that does, but they appear to have gone out of business.
> 
> Hope you find someone, I still have an old pair needing soles.


Thank you, Thom. In the end I just decided to bite the bullet and order a new pair. Perhaps I'll put the older pair away while I consider my options - maybe I should just take them to the local cobbler and see what he has to say.

Cheers,

Jim


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## frosejr (Mar 27, 2010)

BigTC said:


> Why? If he would have started a whole new thread, people would be mad about that, too.
> 
> It's a Trad clothing forum - we just talk about the same things over and over anyway. Might as well use an old thread to do it. (So I guess you could say this is the rare situation where a low threadcount is a good thing?)


+1, agree totally.


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## frosejr (Mar 27, 2010)

Eric W S said:


> Probably not. Most folks don't trash new threads. The gentle reminder to search or a link to the old thread is par for the course. Just bad nettiquette to necormance(sp) an old thread. You have 18 posts. Have we been that repetitive recently?


My recollection is that many newbies get a sometimes snide "we've covered that before, use the search function instead of starting a new thread" treatment. So bigTC is right, damned if you do, damned if you don't in this case.


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## WillBarrett (Feb 18, 2012)

My Topsiders I bought two summers ago have had the soles completely disintegrate, so I'm need of new casual footwear. Are the Bean options that bad in comparison with Sebago or Eastland?


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