I've been wearing moccasins for maybe
five or six years now, ever since I started running (and trying to
live) barefoot. And the types I've used have all been from the
company Minnetonka—the most readily available, in stores and now
you can order them from their website.
Moccasins, or the models I wear, are
'zero-drop' at the heel, soft and comfortable, and the leather
generally hides odor. I don't wear socks with them, not even in a
Michigan Winter, where they generally kept my feet warm (I now live
in Oregon and Arizona, so cold isn't an issue so much).
Minnetonka
does offer a type of hardcore cold weather moccasin-boot, the Pug Boot, in the
style of what Inuits and other northern tribes use. Leather on the
outside and rabbit fur lining, with plastic soles. Super warm. I wore
them with just my bare feet in Michigan blizzards and felt fine,
even when the rest of me was freezing!
One thing I love about moccasins is how
easily they slip on and off, more so than even any model huarache I
have. Once they get stretched out and form to your feet, you can slip
feet in and out without even having to reach down with you hands. So,
for example, if I'm going to go hang out in a cafe and write and
read, I may actually opt for my mocs versus my huaraches, simply
because I know I'll be able to slip them off quickly and
conveniently, and even a little discreetly too. And if I need to get
up for something, so as not to freak out non-barefoot-friendly
people, I can slip them on quick.
The biggest advantage of moccasins is
that they are fashionable, yet still comfortable. A couple years ago,
in Michigan, they even seemed to be somewhat 'cool'—at least with
my young female students. And I've been told my female friends who
are way more conscious about these things than I am that they look
fine for a night out on the town, in jeans and a dressier shirt for
guys. And, I think they offer a slight air of eccentricity. Perhaps.
But the main thing for me is comfort.
People do use moccasins, and especially
Minnetonkas, for other things. Some use them as slippers around the
house, and in fact I did have a student ask once, in class, “Why
are you wearing slippers?” And you can buy versions that have
flannel or wool linings.
Some hunters like to wear them out in
the woods, to be quieter. Which, you know, makes sense. They're what
the natives of Turtle Island (at least in the northern climes) have
been hunting in for hundreds, if not thousands, of years.
There are two kinds of Minnetonka
moccasins I use and recommend. The first are the more commonly found
in stores, and offer the double layer sole. These are the kind most
often used as slippers. Note: there is a version with only one layer
of sole, and though comfortable (like, feels almost barefoot) if
wearing out on pavement in city, the bottom is going to wear through
pretty quick. The double layer version may feel a little too cushy at
first, but it'll mash down. Note too that these layers, these soles
are of soft leather, and will get wet and soggy in any kind of wet
weather.
For wet weather, I would recommend
getting Minnetonkas that offer some kind of hard plastic sole. Women
have more options here, as far as bottoms that are zero drop on the
heel. For men, Minnetonka only offers one brand that is true zero
drop, the Classic Moc. I did try one other kind for a couple years, the Double Bottom Hardsole, which look more like Docksiders, with a slightly raised heel,
and they were ok, and even looked more 'normal' or acceptable, though
one big problems is the inner lining was not soft leather, and
therefore didn't absorb foot odor.
But the Classic Mocs do a good job of keeping
the feet up off of wet pavement. The soles are a little high,
all-around, and stiff, and if there are puddles, the leather can
still get wet. Note: bought new, Minnetonka puts a leather heel
insert inside that actually raises the heel a little. The inserts are
just glued in, and I pulled mine out. This may have cause in bottoms
to wear out quicker, and the inserts might just mash down after a
short while, and off more shoe life. The next pair I buy I may keep
them in for a while to see how they feel.
I did experiment with running in my
moccasins. Not the dressier ones, but the soft-soled kind. And, they
do work really well in cold weather for keeping the feets warm, even
on snowy trails. They only problem was, again, they got wet, and the
soft soles are kinda too soft, and wore out very quickly. On dry
terrain they might last longer, though for that I'd just use some
form of huarache sandal. But, if Minnetonka, or someone, could pair
their basic double-layer moccasin with some kind of rubber or Vibram
sole, that might be a nice cold weather running shoe.
Unfortunately, Minnetonka doesn't offer
any moccasins with hard leather soles. That might be ideal both for
wet pavement, and even for trail running. I have seen moccasins like
this, one of my students in Jackson, Michigan wore some one time. I
asked her about them, and she said that she bought them on her
reservation nearby, but I didn't actually get the name brand, nor
even which reservation. But they exist. [If you know what these are,
please let me know down in the comments section!]
I'd recommend trying them on in-person
at a store. Moccasins, being leather, tend to run smaller in sizes,
but they will eventually stretch. Get them snug. Also: whenever I get
a new pair, for some reason they chafe on my heels for a while. It's
good, they're designed that way, to curve in and grip the heels. But
fear not, just ease into wearing them and soon they'll be comfy. Like
wearing slippers but out and about.
