Looking for a pair of camp moccasins? Here are our favorite options, each with distinct qualities and looks.
Looking for a pair of camp moccasins? Check out our 15 best camp mocs, each with distinct qualities and looks to represent different personal styles and priorities.
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What are camp mocs?
Camp moccasins are one of the most truly American fashion pieces. They’re also one of the few styles that have made their way through every subculture in the US.
Creative types and Bohemians in the 60s enjoy the down-to-earth Native American-inspired look, while urban professionals have been known to opt for camp mocs for weekend wear. After all, they’re interchangeable with boat shoes and as convenient as the weekday loafer.
Camp Mocs vs. Boat Shoes
Camp mocs feature one single row of lacing and a perfectly flat outsole, unlike boat shoes. A classic moc’s laces come together in the front on a bare lip, unlike laceless loafers which have a saddle across the lip.
It’s a simple, and therefore versatile shoe. Still, our 15 best camp mocs here represent several styles, a wide range of brand types, at all price points.
Quick Take
Here are our top three recommendations from the list:
Read on for more info and the complete list…
15 Best Camp Moccasins for Men
Here they are, in no particular order!
Minnetonka Classic Mocs
As a brand, Minnetonka has been around since 1946 and they’re proud of their American heritage. Their Native American-inspired moccasins were always their most popular item, and today, moccasins are their focus.
The best-selling Minnetonka Classic Moc is an excellent budget option. Convenient and comfortable, it doesn’t need to be broken in, and it features a lightweight gum rubber sole that literally adds a spring to your step.
This sole is pretty thin though, so it tucks under the shoe, visually hiding the hint of athletic-like features. I think this gives the shoe a more authentic earthy vibe.
The upper has a thin and long shape, and the suede feels and looks buttery. Minnetonka also uses an environmentally-friendly Dominican Republic tannery.
L.L. Bean Signature Jackman Camp Mocs
It’s only natural that Maine-based L.L. Bean serves up their own camp moc.
They’re a classic recreational wear company that’s been tending to the New England set since 1912. Appropriately, their hand sewn Jackman Camp Mocs are lined with comfortable smooth leather in case you wanted to wear them like boat shoes sans socks.
On the outside, the full-grain leather uppers are small-granule pebbled, for a rugged but classic look.
In the tradition of L.L. Bean, you could probably pull off wearing this with smart casual outfits. Another unique quality is that the rubber outsole features an indent in the back middle. This gives your feet a sort of air pocket for extra comfort and agility.
Quoddy Canoe Shoe
Another Yankee staple, Maine shoemakers, Quoddy, use good old American ingenuity to offer high-quality made-to-orders, which are the heart of their business. Their Canoe Shoe is similar to the L.L. Bean Jackmans in that they sport classic moc features, from the granulated leather to the single-row lacing.
Quoddy offers a more bespoke approach though. You can choose from eight different uppers, including their lively Horween Cavalier Navy and the classic Chromexcel Brown. From there, you can choose the color of the camp sole, the upper threading, the rawhide lace, and even the hardware.
Gunmetal looks industrial, while bright brass and white add poppy accents.
For about $20 less, you can buy an in-stock Canoe Shoe. They definitely offer a higher quality of leather than L.L Bean, and also a stronger sole. I think it’s the personalization factor that makes Quoddy special.
Rancourt Westbrook Driving Moc
Can’t choose between a driving shoe and a camp moc? Rancourt & Co, based in (you guessed it) Maine, have an excellent slip-on offering called the Westbrook Driving Moc.
The properness of the Westbrook’s studded outsole, taken from the driving shoe side, looks appropriate with its shinier non-pebbled upper. It’s constructed with naturally burnished-looking Chromexcel leather. Because of this, they start out with a more formal tone than the average moccasin.
However, they’ll look more distinguished as you wear them since Chromexcel is durable and ages well. The Westbrooks feature a traditional rubber dotted driving sole, antique-looking hardware, and all of the shoes are hand sewn in Maine.
Maine Moccasin Camp Moccasin
At the time of this writing, Maine Moccasin looks like they’re on a hiatus.
Hopefully they’ll be back up soon, and if you dig a little, you can still find their shoes at second hand resources (tip: if you can’t find “Maine Moccasin” brand shoes, try “Maine Mountain Moccasin”). Regardless, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention their Camp Moc.
Maine Moccasin is incredibly discerning when it comes to choosing materials. Their camp shoe comes in a rich oiled-up dark leather variation, paired with a red outsole, then accented with antique eyelets dotted on the collar.
The red is an expressive but not completely off-script touch, resulting in an effective balance of fun and classic. If you’re really lucky, you might even find Maine Mountain’s Waxed Flesh variation of their Camp Moc. Similar to the red sole version, formal and rugged qualities are perfectly balanced.
This guy has a saddle over the tongue, similar to a dressy penny loafer, and the laces slip in and out of clean, hardwareless holes throughout. Regardless, the matte, waxed body leans more into an informal practical aesthetic.
Yuketen Canoe Moc
Repping the West Coast, Yuketen is a California-based company that started in 1989 with a full focus on moccasins. While they’ve since expanded, moccasins are still heavily emphasized. This specific Canoe Moc we’re focusing on is incredibly unique.
It has a sort of barebones, borderline deconstructed look. The hand-cut, hand-lasted, and hand-stitched shoe sports a bare collar and no hardware. They basically designed the shoe to look how it feels: Easy and comfortable.
This is high-quality footwear though. It’s made of Chromapek leather, which is known for its heavy weight, durability, and ability to age like fine wine. The bottom unit features six layers of leather and rubber. These layers partner with the arch supported memory foam insole for strategic comfort.
If you like a folky authentic moc look that doesn’t ditch the luxurious creature comforts, Yuketen’s Canoe Moc is an excellent choice.
Oak Street Bootmakers Camp Moc
Oak Street Bootmakers is one of the newer shoe companies on the list. Based in Chicago, it was started by George Vlagos, a son of a cobbler, in 2010.
Oak Street builds all of the footwear quintessentials with a sophisticated touch, and their camp moc is no different. The shoe is based on the classic 555 Last, which is known for its comfortable medium width.
Instead of a text-book generic result though, Vlagos uses that cobbler magic to give the Oak Street Camp Moc a slightly slimmer-looking silhouette. It’s still a casual shoe, but it has the sophistication of a dress loafer.
It’s much more comfortable than a dress loafer of course, thanks to its Brazilian rubber sole, chosen for its lightweight properties. If you want to go for a rougher look, the Roughout variation has a heavily-napped suede construction and tan desert-like colorway.
Sperry Gold Cup Camp Moccasin
While L.L. Bean gets the hikers and hunters of New England’s preppy set, Sperry is loved by the Northeast’s sailors and boat club group. Not all of the shoes that come from this Massachusetts-based brand are made in the USA, but these Gold Cup Moccasins are premium limited editions.
They’re hand sewn and assembled in Maine, and built with premium US leathers from Horween and the Tasman Group. Since there’s so much human hand involved with these pieces, each shoe is just a little different.
The Gold Cups sport a relaxed and furrowed look. The soles are visibly extra thick, for a style that looks as comfortable as it actually is. The natural latex outsoles are soft and cushioned, and offer excellent traction. You don’t want to slip off your boat, after all!
Eastland Made in Maine USA Yarmouth
Eastland is a family-owned business based in Freeport, Maine, currently run by the third generation. The Yarmouth is hand made by artisans right in the Pine Tree State, using Horween leather, also tanned in the US, with hand rubbed finishes.
What makes the Yarmouth distinct is that it’s as classic as it gets, exceedingly understated, and therefore unmatched in versatility. The leather isn’t too shiny, it’s not pebbled or gradated, it’s just standard high-quality full-grain leather.
Most people know the Eastland brand, and the Yarmouth model, based on their cheaper subline which is popular on Amazon. The Eastland Made in Maine is significantly better quality than that line, but its budget moc isn’t bad for it’s price. Which is why it’s our next choice.
Eastland Yarmouth
As with many diffusion lines from high-end brands, this cheaper Eastland Yarmouth benefits from being under the umbrella of a more premium group. It’s still handsewn, though not in Maine.
The sole boasts a super comfortable memory foam exclusive to Eastland, as well as a shock absorbing and famously bendy outsole.
So why the Eastland Yarmouth over the other budget pick, Minnetonka? Eastland is often slightly cheaper, but more than that, you very well may just prefer the style. It’s not as long-looking as Minnetonka’s Classic Moc.
The Yarmouth actually has a great squared-off look that isn’t too duck-like. Another difference is the upper stitching is a thinner thread, instead of a three-dimensional twine. If you prefer a camp moc that borders on boat shoes, the Yarmouth is a better option.
Russell Moccasin Sheepskin-lined Moc
Since 1898, Wisconsin-based Russell Moccasin Co. has been building handcrafted mocs for the outdoorsy. You know you can trust a Midwestern company when it comes to cold-weather moccasins, which is why the Russell Sheepskin-lined Moc is so popular.
A combination of durable deerskin and luxurious sheepskin, the lining is warm and soft. Sheepskin even draws moisture from your skin, so you don’t have to worry about getting sweaty or overheated.
The unique design features a tongue saddle where the laces tuck into, from the sides, before coming out through the center of the saddle, where the lace ends are then tied. Its sole is also sewn over the upper.
This bullhide sole is so pliable, it molds perfectly to your feet. It can be worn inside or outside, and it’s fully resoleable making this moc a great investment.
Alden Cape Cod Collection Camp Moc
The Alden Shoe Company is probably as OG as it gets when it comes to moccasins. It was founded in Massachusetts by Charles Alden in 1884, and is the only New England bootmaker still around from that time.
They have one Camp Moc in their Cape Cod collection. Like the brand itself, their lush suede Camp Mocc is understated, classy, and timeless.
The shape is sophisticatedly nuanced, curving ever so slightly around the ball of the foot, with a thinner shoe lace instead of the traditional rugged rawhide. Depending on your office culture, you might get away with pairing this with a professional outfit at work.
You can find authorized retailers on their company website, and they also have a shop on Madison Avenue in New York and in Boston. The brand is a bit of an insider favorite in the Ivy League legacy set.
Red Wing Weekender Camp Moccasin
American heritage brand Red Wing is better known for their heavy-duty boots. Their Weekender Camp Moccasin is the “summer” version of their popular Weekender Canvas Boot.
It features the trademark Red Wing moc toe, but stops short of your ankles for a mocassin fit and silhouette.
Overall, this shoe is a full-on three-way hybrid: Moc boot, camp moc, and boat shoe, but with an almost-formal tapered toe. It boasts topnotch materials though, including oiled nubuck leather and delicately lugged vibram soles, all made in the USA
Cole Haan Gunnison Driver
Functionally, the Cole Haan Gunnison is basically just a driving shoe with a moc-style upper. It’s rounder and more robust than the Rancourt Westbrook, the other driver-moc fusion on the list. This makes the Cole Haans more casual. It features hand-stitched construction with antique brass outlets.
Subjectively, I prefer the style of the Rancourt, but these shoes are so incredibly comfortable, and reviewers agree. It’s something I noticed immediately upon trying them on at the store.
In fact, I can take hours-long walks in them, and when I get home, I don’t even feel like taking them off. They have excellent cushioning on the sides and balls of my feet.
Town View Leather Moccasins
Town View Leather, based in Dexter Maine, is as indie as it gets. They’re not included in any big name roundups, but people have a lot to say about them on forums and very home-made YouTube videos. However, fans of this tiny outfit absolutely love them.
They’re made by a husband and wife team; he worked in hand-made shoe-making for 22 years prior to starting the business.
Town View Leather makes good shoes. The sewing is clean, the prices are fair, and the style is straightforward and versatile. The top grain leather isn’t as thick as the material on the luxury picks on this list, but I’d say they’re on par with the similarly-priced moccasins.
The deerskin lining is super supple though. Plus, there’s the authentic mom-and-pop Maine moccasin charm. And, it’s something you can support and be a part of without breaking the bank.
Which Camp Mocs Will You Choose?
Camp mocs are considered a must-have in men’s rotations. I think this is especially true if you tend to lean into the casual side of style, which I do.
Plus, it’s always good to have an easy-on option when you’re racing out the door, or something comfortable to change into at the office when you’re just sitting at your desk or not taking client meetings. And despite the fact camp moccasins do denote a specific style, there’s so much variation under that umbrella.
Questions? Comments? Leave them below!
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