Minnetonka Moccasins ReReview

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.

My previous review of MinnetonkaMoccasins.

The Simple Moccasin: A Review

This winter I haven't been as hardcore about my barefoot running, for a couple reasons. One, I've moved to Jackson, which isn't as good as keeping their sidewalks clear. Also, the temps have been chillier, for a longer period. I can take the cold, as long as I'm not actually placing my feet in snow/slush at every step. That hasn't been possible. So, I have needed to go minimalist. I do have my VFF KSOs, but they are not good for holding heat at all. Ditto my huaraches. So, I decided to experiment with my moccasins. I'd originally bought them just to walk in, and as acceptable footwear at work. But, in line with the concept of huaraches as the traditional footwear for natives in the the desert, the moccasin is native to the Great Lakes region. Seems reasonable to try the footwear used here before white folks were even around.

The kind I have were made by Minnetonka, a Native-American owned company from Minnesota. They have many different models, but mine have a double layer of leather on the bottom. I also have a more dressier model with a regular plastic (I think, it's not rubber anyways) sole, that I wear to work, and which would not be conducive to running. But the leather sole is super comfortable. They actually put a thin foam cushion layer between the leather soles, which I didn't want, but after wearing them, it basically squished down quickly. Their basic model has only one layer of leather, but I suspected it would wear through too quick. This model, just with occasional walking, had lasted me about a year and a half, and had just started to from a hole in the outer sole. It was actually the fact that they were starting to wear down that made me feel ok with trying them out for running: I wouldn't be ruining a fresh pair.

My first try was on a particularly cold day, single digits, with a few inches of snow on the ground. I wouldn't have run barefoot, even if the nearby bike path was dry. But, with the moccasins, I could even add a sock layer. After layering up my body, I set out, heading for the trails in the nearby park, leery of running on pavement, thinking the leather would wear out pretty quickly, and also figuring that the woods would be the natural terrain for moccasins. And, I was correct.

The trails had snow, but it was too cold for the snow to even melt and get the leather wet. And, the leather held the heat surprisingly well. I was very warm. Not the best traction, but that was true of the KSOs and huaraches as well.

I have since that first day worn the moccasins for the colder days, which lately in Michigan has been most of the days, unfortunately. If the air get a little warmer, around freezing or above, the snow can clot in the holes in the soles (kind of like with cross country skis), so I switch to my KSOs, with Injinji socks. I do use the moccasins on pavement, though mostly the bike trail where I go still has a think layer of ice/snow.

Around New Year's, we had a stretch of above freezing weather, up into the 40s, and all the snow melted off. Then I went back, gleefully, to barefoot running, though unfortunately I'd lost my hobbit calluses, so that I wore them raw quickly.

My moccasins have gotten some wear. They get a little wet, and get poked, and maybe scrape on patches of pavement, but they're very comfortable, and warm. The best thing about them is the toes aren't separated like with VFFs, which I've never thought really added anything to my running experience. Ideally, there would be a version of the moccasin with a rubber sole, but I don't think Minnetonka expects anyone to run in them anymore. Price-wise, they're about $60. Less than the new minimalist footwear out there, but will wear out sooner. I wouldn't recommend them for running in warm weather (I'd rather be bare, or at least in huaraches), but for up north, during the winter months, they're actually kind of ideal. Also, very comfy for walking, if needed, and acceptable for work.

Here's the Minnetonka website. I don't think you can order direct, they seem to go through dealers only, but here in Michigan they're available lots of places. There are also other companies, and I've even found vegan moccasins.
http://minnetonkamoccasin.com/

John Yohe
www.johnyohe.com