RANCOURT & Co. Shoes - Made in Maine

[Mint Forest]

I got quoted at $335 for the 5-eye boot that I'm working out the details for. I had assumed the price was because of different leather/sole, but yeah, that works out to a $50 increase.

On another note, does anyone on here have shoes from both Oak Street Bootmakers and Rancourt? Did you go with the same size for both, or do Rancourt's run a little smaller?

Raphaelargus on page 107 did a comparison of Rancourt, OSB, and Quoddy's moc shoe sizing. From his comparison, Rancourt and OSB's length is pretty much the same, with Rancourt being a teeny bit longer. But the biggest difference is the width. Rancourt's is more tight compared to OSB's moc in the toe box to vamp.

I have OSB trail oxford in size 7D and rancourt in size 7D (left shoe). I agree with what he said about the width. I found OSB to be roomy in width but rancourt's shoe was more tight all around. I didn't really notice much about the length though because of the width difference. It might be that D width from OSB would be roughly like a E width from Rancourts.

 

[rydenfan]



Espresso beefroll penny

I bet they will look great! What are the rest of the details: stitching, sole, etc. I almost went espresso beefroll but went with the ranger moc instead. They may even be shipping tomorrow...

 

[rydenfan]



I got quoted at $335 for the 5-eye boot that I'm working out the details for. I had assumed the price was because of different leather/sole, but yeah, that works out to a $50 increase.

On another note, does anyone on here have shoes from both Oak Street Bootmakers and Rancourt? Did you go with the same size for both, or do Rancourt's run a little smaller?

I am an 8D in the Camp Boot from OSB and an 8D in the Beefroll loafer from Rancourt

 

[DC Office Hack]



I am an 8D in the Camp Boot from OSB and an 8D in the Beefroll loafer from Rancourt

How comfy is that camp boot for doing lots of walking?

 

[rydenfan]

How comfy is that camp boot for doing lots of walking?

Very! I love it and find it to be one of my most comfortable pair of shoes. I dont do a lot of hiking or anything like that but for a day in the office or walking around a city or something I am very happy with it. I have the navy camp boot and love the color as well.

 

[DC Office Hack]



Very! I love it and find it to be one of my most comfortable pair of shoes. I dont do a lot of hiking or anything like that but for a day in the office or walking around a city or something I am very happy with it. I have the navy camp boot and love the color as well.

Good to know. I'm not surprised that they're super comfy for an average day, just as most of these moc-type shoes are. I just wonder if for real tramping about (not necessarily hiking, but imagine a day spent walking, probably an urban setting), one needs the greater structure of something like a work boot.

If I had the bucks, I'd pretty much snap up everything Rancourt and OSB made. I don't, so instead I wring my hands over getting precisely the best thing for a particular requirement.

 

[grendel]

So I thought I'd check how much things will cost, and it looks like there's a little bump, but not necessarily $50. Here's the stuff I asked about:




Quote:
Here's what they said:




Quote:
Since the Venetian with the regular sole is $210 w/ brown cxl, it looks like there's a $40 bump there.

The #8 shell beefroll is $510 on the site, so that's $50 more, but it also involves adding a welt which is more work.

 

[DC Office Hack]

Honestly, if I could afford $510 shoes, I could afford $560. The price bumps seem appropriate.

 

[grendel]

Interesting... Just this morning the price of the brown CXL venetians went from $210 to $220

While I agree that the bump for the beefrolls isn't out of line, a $50 bump on shoes in the $200-250 range is significant when the cost of materials and labor isn't going up. The no-cost custom order was one of Rancourt's biggest advantages, IMO. You can see from the original comment on this that it will affect orders, and it makes me less likely to want to experiment as well and more likely to just look at the stock versions they have, which aren't always my favorite compared to designs from other companies.

That said, even with the MTO surcharge they're often as cheap or cheaper than their competitors, but it certainly cuts into that advantage from my perspective, especially hearing here that Quoddy does custom orders for no extra charge.

 

[ComfortablyDumb]

Does anyone have any pictures of worn (a few months) ranger mocs in natural chromexcel? I just ordered a pair and I'm interested to see what they'll look like after some wear.

 

[rydenfan]



Does anyone have any pictures of worn (a few months) ranger mocs in natural chromexcel? I just ordered a pair and I'm interested to see what they'll look like after some wear.

Not exactly the same but here are some Natural CXL Beefrolls after a year

 

[FrankCowperwood]

I think a lot of what natural CXL looks like depends on how it starts out, and there's some variation to that. There have been a lot of photos of natural CXL from Alden on that thread recently. Not necessarily the same thing, but check the gallery there. I think there's been some on the Epaulet thread, from Carmina this time. But all Horween CXL.

 

[ComfortablyDumb]

Great, thanks to both of you.

 

[P Hudson]



Honestly, if I could afford $510 shoes, I could afford $560. The price bumps seem appropriate.

Without meaning to get personal, I feel compelled to reply. What someone can afford is beside the point. Would that be true of all your purchases--the price goes up 10 per cent, but so what, you can afford it, so the price bump seems appropriate? At what point does that band stretch to the breaking point? Surely if someone can afford $510 shoes, he has a lot of money to spend on discretionary items, so why not say that he can afford $800 shoes. I can afford $510 shoes, and if my bank account was lightened over night by $1000 or even $10,000 it wouldn't do me any personal harm. But I don't buy $500 shoes because I'll get more satisfaction out of doing something else with that money. Add 10 per cent and you've guaranteed that I won't even be tempted.

The same thing goes for $210 shoes and an increase of c. 25 per cent. I have a pair of Rancourt camp mocs that cost me $210 + iirc another $45 to ship to Australia. So if the cost goes up by $50, making it over $300 per pair for CXL, I won't be buying them. This is disappointing to me because I've been meaning to place an order for the Chili Latigo ranger mocs, but with the RHL sole. Sounds like that sole, which Rancourt had told me won't add to the price of the shoe, is now going to push the cost--due to a customisation fee--up towards $400 by the time I get them here. For that money, I'll wait till I'm in the US and look at shell Aldens or Allen Edmonds. The difference from Rancourt at $210 to Alden at $550 or so is enough to sell me on the former. The difference from $400 for Rancourts to $550 or even $600 is not enough to swing me toward the Rancourts: in fact, at that price I'm definitely going elsewhere. Timberlands at $75 (or less on Amazon) and shell Aldens at $600 both appeal to me a lot more than Rancourts Rangers in the $300s.

 

[PhiPsi32]

Supply and demand. Rancourt will set and raise their prices as long as people keep buying. As the prices increase, some buyers will drop out. But if the brand remains desirable, other buyers will enter the market. Ultimately, to the individual customer, the shoes are worth whatever one is willing to pay. I think the dissatisfaction comes into play when the desire to purchase is strong but the appetite for the price point is weak. That is to say, I really want this but I don't want to pay that much.