I already own the Ranger Moc in Natural Chromexcel with the camp sole, so getting another pair in Heritage Brown Chromexcel was admittedly a little redundant. I went with the Baxter sole this time, hoping the slightly burlier sole would offer a little more comfort and support for longer walks and travel.
My Natural Chromexcel Ranger Mocs have probably been my most-worn shoes ever. I’ve had them resoled and repaired over the years, but they’ve been incredibly trusty. They’re comfortable right out of the box and exceptionally versatile. They work just as well casually with shorts or jeans at a weekend barbecue as they do with clean chinos and a nice shirt at work. They’re obviously not dress shoes, but they bridge that gap between casual and slightly dressier settings remarkably well.
They’re also fantastic travel shoes. Chromexcel can take quite a bit of abuse, and it’s relatively low-maintenance: when the leather starts looking tired, a good cleaning and conditioning can bring it right back. Between the comfort, durability, craftsmanship and versatility, the Ranger Moc remains one of my favourite Rancourt models.
One detail I’m particularly happy to see on this Baxter version is some extra reinforcement at what has been the weak point on my older Ranger Mocs. At the junction where the moccasin seam meets the lacing panel, my older pair had a single row of reinforcing stitches. That’s eventually where the stitching failed and the leather itself became damaged. On this pair,…