RANCOURT & Co. Shoes - Made in Maine

[KPDarb]

Another day at the office, salt mines, or whatever you want to call it but I am working on breaking-in and stretching my new Pinch Penny loafers. The reason I think I might need a wider size is that one can already see the sides bulging out in the toe box of both shoes. And that is exactly where my foot "flares" and why Ronnie from Moulded Shoe (aka Alden dealer with the most in-stock shoes on the Mofified last) said I am a perfect candidate for the Modified last. Too bad I visited him after I purchased these shoes.

View attachment 1580398


The imprint from my toes is over the stitching and up onto the sidewall of the shoes

View attachment 1580417 View attachment 1580418

I wouldnt over scrutinize the imprints of your feet. I'm willing to bet that if you inspected all the members shoes, regardless of fit (good or bad), will have these markings. Your unlined CXL will stretch more than you expect especially a handsewn. Unless they're brutally uncomfortable after some wear and you're in pain, they're probably going to be fine. As a person with wht i refer too as flipper feet, unlined handsewn shoes rarely give me problems.

All in all, i'd say unless theyre painful to wear, keep wearing them and let the CXL settle. You might be surprised

Rancourt Clymer 2.0 from last week.

A bit torn on whether I’ll keep these or not. They look lovely, of course, but in my efforts to downsize Rancourt ranger mocs are now the only footwear I have more than 1 pair of. Sure the Clymer and Baxter Essex have plenty of different details, but the pattern and last are the same.

View attachment 1580436 View attachment 1580437 View attachment 1580438

Love these. Really struggling with whether to get some cool shell rangers or another pair of beefroll....

There are a number of things to consider, but I'm curious how long it may have been since you previously owned/wore a pair of genuine handsewn loafers, and were they an unlined leather with similar characteristics to Chromexcel (stuffed full of oils, waxes, greases)? I ask because I know you've worn a lot of welted shoes and it's possible you might be bringing welted calfskin fit comparisons/expectations to a handsewn cowhide conversation, where (respectfully) they don't necessarily apply...

Welted shoes are very structured and with a few exceptions the best fit is the initial fit because welted shoes don't do much stretching. Yes, they soften and form to the foot slowly over time, but there's not significant stretching. Some of that is the structure and foundation created from the construction. And likely most of your welted shoes are fully lined calfskin. Calfskin is a tighter grain structure, and when combined with a full lining it doesn't stretch much, so again you want those to fit almost perfect straight out of the box. Your unlined handsewn CXL loafer is not that animal (literally and figuratively). And the soles on your welted shoes are likely more rigid with less bounce than the sole on your Rancourt loafer.

Now consider handsewn construction - handsewns literally wrap around your foot, and by design you want them too. Consider the most simple moccasin you can imagine - it should fit you like a glove initially. It should fit the sides of your foot more closely than a welted shoe should, and your toes should come closer to the end of the shoe, especially if you want to avoid the potential slip of a loafer. You essentially purchased this simple shoe, but with a soft rubber sole attached to the bottom. And this shoe does not have welted structure, it has almost no structure comparatively, so your foot is going to slide and move wear it wants to. With the shape and lean of your particular foot, you'll slide over the edge, and that's normal.

Now, consider if you had a larger size. Your foot would be held in place even less, and so it would still slide to that outer edge - maybe more so. It'd change almost nothing except some less restrictive fit initially. But that would ultimately lead to more excessive stretching down the road, and less stability, which potentially causes more issues.

Lastly, you and I have basically the same foot. These are my Rancourt camp mocs (albeit in Buckaroo leather) that I've had about 10 years now (still the original sole!). I got them TTS and wore them comfortably for a little while until they stretched so much I had to add an insole. And they continued to stretch so much I had to add a thicker insole. And they continued to stretch so much further that I finally added a cushioned insole so thick (it was gifted to me) that I'd never been able to use it in any of my shoes previously. They now fit great with socks on... and are still sloppy barefoot. I've been considering a replacement pair at some point because these are getting damn worn now, but no way am I going TTS again. That being said, I don't think the CXL will stretch quite as much as the Buckaroo, but they will still stretch a fair amount.

Spoiler: MY RANCOURTS

View attachment 1580619
View attachment 1580620
View attachment 1580621
They just keep stretching...

Final thought - if your shoes are so damn tight that you couldn't dream of continuing to wear them, yes it's possible Rancourt made a mistake and used a smaller last but stamped them as the size you bought, but that happens almost never. As mentioned previously, you could have them stretched, you could also have Rancourt ease them out a little bit by placing a larger last (whatever size you think would be the improvement) into your shoes and letting them sit awhile, or live with them as your feet are going to stretch those shoes eventually to the size they need to be.

Good luck!

Such a great write up, Brett. Thanks for this!

 

[mdubs]

Thursday. Rancourt Espresso Shell Cordovan Penny Pinch Loafers.

-Mike

 

[FatTuesday]

Weekend wear

 

[mdubs]

Those are looking superb FatTuesday, but I am completely biased!

-Mike

 

[CMT1]

Caramel Reads for the first time in a long time. Too long!

I've been on a mule/slipper kick these past pandemic months and it was great to finally break these out!

I hope everyone has a great Sunday, as always.

 

[mdubs]

Caramel Reads for the first time in a long time. Too long!

I've been on a mule/slipper kick these past pandemic months and it was great to finally break these out!

I hope everyone has a great Sunday, as always.

Dang @CMT1 those are looking just magnificent! Those have gotten to such a lovely shade! Congrats and congrats on your new place! Looking great with those amazing PBJs!

-Mike

 

[CMT1]

Mike my man, thanks so much. I really hope all is well down in SD! Aside from all the lovely new allergies we're discovering in a much more rural area, trading Silicon Valley for Wine Country has been a great play so far.

The PBJs are crazy. Easily the coolest texture and character of any pants I own, and by far. I can't wait for them to release their next AI-series denim to see what they come up with this time.

 

[mdubs]

Mike my man, thanks so much. I really hope all is well down in SD! Aside from all the lovely new allergies we're discovering in a much more rural area, trading Silicon Valley for Wine Country has been a great play so far.

The PBJs are crazy. Easily the coolest texture and character of any pants I own, and by far. I can't wait for them to release their next AI-series denim to see what they come up with this time.

My pleasure good sir! We are doing very well down here, just got my wife a new car yesterday after like 3 weeks of nearly continuously searching for a car for her trying to narrow down what she wanted. I am sorry to hear about your allergies! You have my compassion there, as a fellow allergy sufferer.

Yes, their AI-series are amazing. I hesitated on those and now sort of regret it, but heck, it was another pair of Shell that I could get!

-Mike

 

[CMT1]

Haha that's always the quandary, isn't it. How much shell are you giving up when buying [article x]?

Congrats on the new car and being done with it! From what I have seen of friends' recent purchases, the general buying experience hasn't gotten any less sucky in the pandemic.

 

[mdubs]

Haha that's always the quandary, isn't it. How much shell are you giving up when buying [article x]?

Congrats on the new car and being done with it! From what I have seen of friends' recent purchases, the general buying experience hasn't gotten any less sucky in the pandemic.

LoL, yeah, it is definitely the quandary! But trousers/denim are key to showcasing the Shell! Having the nicest Shells in the world can be ruined by a truly horrible companion...

Thanks, yeah, although I love cars, shopping for cars, when you are intent on buying one can be a royal pain and yes - once you pick a car, it always baffles me that it takes like 3-4 hours to finish the negotiations and "check out". Especially when your wife wants to read every word on every contract that they put in front of you...

-Mike

 

[NYCTechNerd]

... once you pick a car, it always baffles me that it takes like 3-4 hours to finish the negotiations and "check out". Especially when your wife wants to read every word on every contract that they put in front of you...

-Mike

I have become the car buying guru in my family having helped purchase for my mother, brother, mother-in-law, sister-in-law, and nephew all in the 18 months prior to covid. The conversation is always some version of this:

Salesperson: How may I help you today?
Me: We want to buy a car and we need to be out of here in less than 1 hour.
Salesperson: That will be difficult due to all the paperwork.
Me: Those are the conditions. If you cannot agree to them we will leave now.
Salesperson: We will do our best.
Me: That is not good enough. Look at your watch and talk to your sales manger now because if you cannot get us out of here with a new car in less than 60 minutes that simply means you do not want to sell us a car. So, do you, or do you not, want the quickest and easiest car sale of your week?

They always agree but do not always meet the time limit. Out of the 5 mentioned above, we walked out on two. The salespersons were amazed that we actually did it and both followed us into the parking lot begging us to stay which we did not do in both cases. In one case the sales manager called the next day and agreed to offer us another $500 off to come back and promised to have us out in 15 minutes which we did and he met his promise. In the other case, the salesperson called us back to ask why we did not stay since "we were so close" so we told that person we made it clear that our time was as valuable as the price/discount on the car and he did not take us seriously. He asked us to come back but refused any further discount or a promise to get us out quickly so we just said no thank you. We bought the car from a competitor later that week for less money and were out in less than an hour.

I hate the car buying process so I try to set boundaries, control the negotiations, and walk out at the 60 minute mark which more often than not has been less painful for me and we ultimately get the best price since they know we are serious. No offense, but I could not imagine being in a car dealership for 3-4 hours when the only purpose is to wear you down (the customer) so you will agree to almost anything.

To be fair, even with a few attorneys in my family, I do not read the contract boiler plate as the dealer will never change it and much of it is regulated by the state. I only review the "filled-in" sections related to the deal. I start a countdown timer on my iPhone and leave it on the salesperson's desk for all to see. I also refuse to go the "Business Office" or Sales Manager's office by politely stating that we are comfortable where we are and if they need to discuss anything with us they can come out to the showroom floor and meet with us which makes them less likely to try anything since every other customer can see and hear what they are tying to pull over on us. Again, control the environment and negotiations.

 

[ajd578]

I have become the car buying guru in my family having helped purchase for my mother, brother, mother-in-law, sister-in-law, and nephew all in the 18 months prior to covid. The conversation is always some version of this:

Salesperson: How may I help you today?
Me: We want to buy a car and we need to be out of here in less than 1 hour.
Salesperson: That will be difficult due to all the paperwork.
Me: Those are the conditions. If you cannot agree to them we will leave now.
Salesperson: We will do our best.
Me: That is not good enough. Look at your watch and talk to your sales manger now because if you cannot get us out of here with a new car in less than 60 minutes that simply means you do not want to sell us a car. So, do you, or do you not, want the quickest and easiest car sale of your week?

They always agree but do not always meet the time limit. Out of the 5 mentioned above, we walked out on two. The salespersons were amazed that we actually did it and both followed us into the parking lot begging us to stay which we did not do in both cases. In one case the sales manager called the next day and agreed to offer us another $500 off to come back and promised to have us out in 15 minutes which we did and he met his promise. In the other case, the salesperson called us back to ask why we did not stay since "we were so close" so we told that person we made it clear that our time was as valuable as the price/discount on the car and he did not take us seriously. He asked us to come back but refused any further discount or a promise to get us out quickly so we just said no thank you. We bought the car from a competitor later that week for less money and were out in less than an hour.

I hate the car buying process so I try to set boundaries, control the negotiations, and walk out at the 60 minute mark which more often than not has been less painful for me and we ultimately get the best price since they know we are serious. No offense, but I could not imagine being in a car dealership for 3-4 hours when the only purpose is to wear you down (the customer) so you will agree to almost anything.

To be fair, even with a few attorneys in my family, I do not read the contract boiler plate as the dealer will never change it and much of it is regulated by the state. I only review the "filled-in" sections related to the deal. I start a countdown timer on my iPhone and leave it on the salesperson's desk for all to see. I also refuse to go the "Business Office" or Sales Manager's office by politely stating that we are comfortable where we are and if they need to discuss anything with us they can come out to the showroom floor and meet with us which makes them less likely to try anything since every other customer can see and hear what they are tying to pull over on us. Again, control the environment and negotiations.

I haven't bought a car recently (10 years car-free next April!), but I also prefer to set rigid boundaries about negotiations. For example, when I'm selling something via Craigslist, I will only negotiate price beforehand via email/text. Once we meet, the buyer can buy, or not buy.

 

[NYCTechNerd]

I haven't bought a car recently (10 years car-free next April!), but I also prefer to set rigid boundaries about negotiations. For example, when I'm selling something via Craigslist, I will only negotiate price beforehand via email/text. Once we meet, the buyer can buy, or not buy.

Exactly. I ask for a cell phone number in my listing because I have often found that people want to go back and forth in 10+ emails which I have no patience for with a stranger. I call, we talk for less than 5 minutes, agree on a price, as well as meeting time and place, and then I am done. Life is too short to waste on tire kickers.

 

[NYCTechNerd]

In my experience CXL stretches about a width. I don't personally own any CXL loafers, but my lined CXL bluchers (Quoddy) and boots (several makers) are noticeably wider feeling broken in than new. From other threads, I believe you have nonstandard feet so only you know what will work.

I'll see if I can help. These are my opinions based upon my experience with Rancourt shoes. YMMV
I have narrow and low volume feet and several pairs of Rancourts, no slip ons.
I size a 11B on a Bannock. The 11B Rancourts fit somewhat snug in the width and heel, just about right. How they fit after break in depends on a few things.
CXL will stretch in width, probably 1 whole size. You will not see any stretch in length.
If CXL is lined, it will not stretch as much as unlined.
If other thicker leathers are used, such as Essex, Virginia and bison, they will be stiffer and will not stretch as much.

The recommendation to downsize 1/2 like from a 11B to a 10.5B for an unlined CXL is pretty typical and usually works if the sole is a flexible, camp or moc sole, (Unstructured shoe).
If you want to wear the shoes sockless only, buy tight and allow to stretch, can always sock up later if necessary but cannot shrink the stretch once it occurs.

For thicker leathers or shoes with more structured soles, stay at your Brannock size as the soles and leathers will change where the shoe flexes.

For me I have a 10.5B Ranger and Read Boat unlined CXL with camp soles and they fit me perfect without socks. I just got these through crowdfunding specifically to compare to my 11B's. I was surprised that they fit about the same in length as my 11B Rangers.

I have an 11B Ranger and Essex on Aspen soles that fit great without socks before they stretched. Now they fit well with socks but the bluchers touch when laced so I use tongue pads These are my most comfortable shoes.

At Rancourt's suggestion; I downsized to a 10.5B on a pair of Downeast (10oz leather) on RLH soles and on a pair Acadia in Bison. Both of these pair are too structured with the thicker leather and or soles and at 10.5, they flex in the wrong place causing them to be unwearable. I confirmed this with a pair of 11B Acadias' in CXL, crowdfunded. These fit perfectly with socks and are as comfortable as my 11B Rangers. They do have tongue pads.

Take away for me is:
Handsewn shoes will vary in fit in the same size and last based upon how tight they are lasted.( Different Cobblers)
You can expect the CXL to stretch a whole size in width.
Thicker leathers and stiffer soles add structure and you need to be very careful downsizing in length.
CXL shoes that are a bit tight in width will conform to your feet and feel like gloves once broken in.
Shoes that are too short should be exchanged.
Laced shoes can be cinched up if a bit loose, slip-on shoes cannot.

Purchasing custom ordered shoes via the internet requires patience and trust and sometimes the ability to accept a loss for your decisions.

Continue to wear your new Rancourt's if they are not too short or too painful as they will mold to your feet.
If in doubt, you can order a full priced pair in the next size and compare the two and exchange the ones that do not fit for the correct size. That way you would have two great fitting pairs of Rancourts, still at a bargain price. Their customer service is outstanding and they will work with you to get a good fit.

The idea is to support them so they can continue to offer outstanding stock and extraordinary custom options to folks like us. It would be a shame to see them close the doors.
In the end, I have tow pairs of Rancourts that don't fit. I consider that part of my investment in finding the right size combinations that do fit. That cost is less than a trip to their factory to try on what they have.

I hope this helps.

My advice to the both of you would be pretty much the same. Wear the shoes you have without socks for awhile. They will stretch quite a bit. When they get too big to wear without socks, wear socks.

@ShibuiC if they are really too tight for you to stand wearing without socks, I'd cram in a pair of shoe trees which fit other shoes which do fit you well into those and leave them in a closet for a week, then try them again.

I actually have 6 pairs of Rancourt made camp mocs. I hate counting shoes. It makes me feel like I have a problem. 3 of them are some sort of CXL. I find the camp mocs to fit me quite tightly when new fit true to brannock size. The unlined CXL ones certainly stretch a lot. I'd expect the same of unlined CXL penny loafers. I attempted to size down 1/2 on one pair. I managed to stretch them enough to wear them sometimes, but that pair is still tight on the top of my feet. I actually have a brand new pair and a 6 year old pair of the same material and size Gillman camp mocs. I bought the new pair so I'd have a nicer pair of the same when the other goes in for a resole. The size difference between those two pairs is now considerable though both are certainly still wearable. So the point of all this is that CXL stretches a lot and as long as the length is OK, you can probably make the width work.

I'm gonna respond too even though I don't even own anything by Rancourt (have tried a bunch though) but when I see a guy who not only is like the Dos Equis version of the most interesting poster on styleforum but who also lives so close to me I gotta help him out with whatever i can, right?

I picked up a pair of the Quoddy sport penny a while (but not too long) ago, which at least to me is pretty similar to your Rancourt. Quoddy gives the recommendation of a half size down from Brannock also. I'm a 7.5C, so half size down from Brannock basically doesn't mean **** to me, but whatever. I had previously bought the blucher moc in a 7D and it was damn perfect. It was like everything I expected out of AE's 114 last - it fit exactly like i wanted in length. Anyway, "sold" on the fit I went for the sport penny in a 7D also. Instantly did I realize the vamp on a penny loafer was infinitely tighter than the open-laced pattern on the blucher, enough so that with my high instep I was a little concerned that I wouldn't even be able to get them on. But I did, and I proceeded to wear them (uncomfortably) with medium to heavy weight socks. Those that know me may know my break-in methods are a little unorthodox, lol. After maybe like 3 full day wears, I will say the vamp definitely stretched some, the length did not stretch at all, and the width didn't really stretch much either. With super thin socks or no socks they're pretty comfortable, but anything other than that I can feel the vamp particularly on my right foot which has the higher instep.

Going back to your original issue, since these shoes are made of either CXL or cavalier, there's definitely going to be some stretch to it for sure. Sounds like instep is ok for you as is length...so I'd probably play this by ear. Personally I've never been able to go up a width to ameliorate the instep fit as (like you suggested) it destroys the heelcup fit and makes it too wide. I would give the pair you have the college try. If they turn out just too narrow, I'd go with the wider next time around. My guess is that both the D and E will work, each with their own pluses and minuses. I never thought of the sport penny as particularly narrow but I recently tried on and compared my AE super sport against the Quoddy sport penny (as I know people have commented that the Super Sport runs narrow) and the Quoddy (in a D) definitely felt narrower...Don't want to give you a run-around so hope this helps. Wish I could give you something more definite but unfortunately handsewn lasts can be tough.

NYC,
Get yourself some shoe trees and see if you can stretch the toe box a bit. If the shoe fits you in the heel area well, I would experiment on how to stretch the toe box. The CXL is very prone to stretching and will get more comfortable with more wears. I would just wear them more. Eventually they will mold to your feet.

I think if you had stuck with 10D (or if you exchange for 9.5E) you'd ultimately be in a shoe that's too big, either from the beginning or after they did a little stretching. I think you can definitely plan on your unlined chromexcel loafers stretching. I read (as you did I'm sure) all the recommendations of using shoe trees to assist with some stretch, or putting socks on the shoe trees, etc. What I would say is this... if you can wear them relatively comfortably for short periods of time they should continue to stretch. If they're not stretching fast enough, or you just simply want them to hurry up and fit already, stretching unlined Chromexcel is a simple task for a cobbler. He or she will put a proper wooden stretcher in the shoe, let it set for awhile, and you could probably get the shoes back in a day feeling significantly different.

Or if you want to forego the cobbler and handle it yourself you could do so with little investment. If so, buy some of that spray stuff they suggest too.

I see that area and yes your toes are touching and pushing outward. Ultimately, you will have a bit of overhang when broken in. The rest of the shoe will wrap around your foot. If you look at the sides of my shoes above, you can see where my toes push out. For me, I detest shoes loose in width and find them unwearable.

From your top down photo it is hard to tell how much your toes will hang over the edge. On some of the sole options, like the RLH, there is a mid-sole that is much wider than the leather shoe width so when your toe stretches out, it does not hang over the edge of the sole.

From a different perspective, I think these were a crowdfunded shoe for you. That being the case, consider this experience an investment. Don't over think it and wear the shoes all summer long then re-assess their fit when you order your next pair. This is a journey.

There are a number of things to consider, but I'm curious how long it may have been since you previously owned/wore a pair of genuine handsewn loafers, and were they an unlined leather with similar characteristics to Chromexcel (stuffed full of oils, waxes, greases)? I ask because I know you've worn a lot of welted shoes and it's possible you might be bringing welted calfskin fit comparisons/expectations to a handsewn cowhide conversation, where (respectfully) they don't necessarily apply...

Welted shoes are very structured and with a few exceptions the best fit is the initial fit because welted shoes don't do much stretching. Yes, they soften and form to the foot slowly over time, but there's not significant stretching. Some of that is the structure and foundation created from the construction. And likely most of your welted shoes are fully lined calfskin. Calfskin is a tighter grain structure, and when combined with a full lining it doesn't stretch much, so again you want those to fit almost perfect straight out of the box. Your unlined handsewn CXL loafer is not that animal (literally and figuratively). And the soles on your welted shoes are likely more rigid with less bounce than the sole on your Rancourt loafer.

Now consider handsewn construction - handsewns literally wrap around your foot, and by design you want them too. Consider the most simple moccasin you can imagine - it should fit you like a glove initially. It should fit the sides of your foot more closely than a welted shoe should, and your toes should come closer to the end of the shoe, especially if you want to avoid the potential slip of a loafer. You essentially purchased this simple shoe, but with a soft rubber sole attached to the bottom. And this shoe does not have welted structure, it has almost no structure comparatively, so your foot is going to slide and move where it wants to. With the shape and lean of your particular foot, you'll slide over the edge, and that's normal.

Now, consider if you had a larger size. Your foot would be held in place even less, and so it would still slide to that outer edge - maybe more so. It'd change almost nothing except some less restrictive fit initially. But that would ultimately lead to more excessive stretching down the road, and less stability, which potentially causes more issues.

Lastly, you and I have basically the same foot. These are my Rancourt camp mocs (albeit in Buckaroo leather) that I've had about 10 years now (still the original sole!). I got them TTS and wore them comfortably for a little while until they stretched so much I had to add an insole. And they continued to stretch so much I had to add a thicker insole. And they continued to stretch so much further that I finally added a cushioned insole so thick (it was gifted to me) that I'd never been able to use it in any of my shoes previously. They now fit great with socks on... and are still sloppy barefoot. I've been considering a replacement pair at some point because these are getting damn worn now, but no way am I going TTS again. That being said, I don't think the CXL will stretch quite as much as the Buckaroo, but they will still stretch a fair amount.

Spoiler: MY RANCOURTS

View attachment 1580619
View attachment 1580620
View attachment 1580621
They just keep stretching...

Final thought - if your shoes are so damn tight that you couldn't dream of continuing to wear them, yes it's possible Rancourt made a mistake and used a smaller last but stamped them as the size you bought, but that happens almost never. As mentioned previously, you could have them stretched, you could also have Rancourt ease them out a little bit by placing a larger last (whatever size you think would be the improvement) into your shoes and letting them sit awhile, or live with them as your feet are going to stretch those shoes eventually to the size they need to be.

Good luck!

I want to thank everyone for the information and insight regarding the pinch penny loafer, handsewn shoes, how much CXL will stretch, and related information because I have decided to keep them.

My wife was on vacation last week and that means long walks about every other day as a means to recover from a long run or bike ride the day before. We often walk several miles at a time but I could not manage more than 2 in my Rancourts; I need a softer sole and a shoe without stitching in the heel (see pic below) for these types of outings. I do not understand why makers do not cover up this type of seam with another piece of leather or suede. It is not just the Rancourts but rather any shoe I choose to wear must have a comfortable sole and no heel stitching when I know we are going to be out for a long day of walking.

The upside is that they are really breaking in, so much so, that I am glad I did not get them TTS. At this point, I would not even be able to wear them without socks they have stretched so much. I thought about getting a pair in a 1/2 size smaller than I currently have which would be a full size smaller them my Brannock but I am not even sure I could get them on to stretch and break them in they would be so small at the beginning.

This is a long way of saying that I am happy to have them, appreciate everyone's feedback, and will be using them for certain outings that do not include much walking (or at least not more than about 2 miles). They look great, feel good, and should pair nicely with my more casual wardrobe of mostly chinos and khakis (but not with the thin purple cycling socks I have been wearing while breaking them in).

 

[Luscombe]

I want to thank everyone for the information and insight regarding the pinch penny loafer, handsewn shoes, how much CXL will stretch, and related information because I have decided to keep them.

My wife was on vacation last week and that means long walks about every other each day as a means to recover from a long run or bike ride the day before. We often walk several miles at a time but I could not manage more than 2 in my Rancourts; I need a softer sole and a shoe without stitching in the heel (see pic below) for these types of outings. I do not understand why makers do not cover up this type of seam with another piece of leather or suede. It is not just the Rancourts but rather any shoe I choose to wear when I know we are going to be out for a long day of walking must have a comfortable sole and no heel stitching.

The upside is that they are really breaking in, so much so, that I am glad I did not get them TTS. At this point, I would not even be able to wear them without socks they have stretched so much. I thought about getting a pair in a 1/2 size smaller than I currently have which would be a full size smaller them my Brannock but I am not even sure I could get them on to stretch and break them in they would be so small at the beginning.

This is a long way of saying that I am happy to have them, appreciate everyone's feedback, and will be using them for certain outings that do not include much walking (or at least not more than about 2 miles). They look great, feel good, and should pair nicely with my more casual wardrobe of mostly chinos and khakis (but not with the thin purple cycling socks I have been wearing while breaking them in).

View attachment 1583851 View attachment 1583853

They are beginning to look like gloves or rather mittens, on your feet The heel issue will go away after time. I get worked up with shoe makers that put dis-similar materials in that heel area like padded collars that create a ridge and then blisters on your Achilles tendon. Now my shoes/boots area usually lined to prevent that.