Exploring The Adventure Loafer
Meeting #27: The year-round cousin to the Ivy classic
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When conceptualising the categories for the club’s revamped shoe wardrobe formula, a new addition was that of the rugged transitional leather. This spot would be filled by either a lug-sole boat shoe, or a chunky loafer. It is the latter which shall be the subject for today’s meeting.
I find myself regularly reiterating this, but the beef roll penny is the quintessential Ivy shoe, painfully iconic. It is, however, in its Blake-stitched and leather soled glory, somewhat limited in its suited terrain and weather conditions. For those who live in more changeable climates, another option is perhaps needed, enter the adventure loafer.
What are we talking about?
I’ll firstly say that “adventure loafer” is a term I’ve appropriated from a couple of brands it is not a widely accepted term. What I’m ultimately referring to though, is a loafer which can handle a mild to moderate amount of off-roading and definitely a sudden rainstorm. As such we’re looking for Goodyear welted, and with some sort of grippy rubber or PVC sole. The want for something a touch more rugged, in order to fulfil its role in the wider shoe wardrobe, also suggests that this sole should be on the chunkier side.
What we arrive at is a selection of PVC, Vibram, and other lug soles, matched to an array of uppers in varying silhouettes. Where the club usually differentiates between beef-roll and slim loafers, in this instance both are considered together; with a heavier sole the overall silhouette of the upper is less consequential in determining the perception of the shoe on the rugged-to-dressy spectrum (on which all leather footwear can be placed).
Ideally we’re looking to strike a balance on that spectrum, something which still appears dressy enough to appeal to a classic Ivy look, but can handle a light trail stroll, and perhaps even gels with a more heavy-duty look. In the case of low, warm weather, preppy shoes, we can plot this as a line with something like a 3-eye lug boat shoe at one end (Let’s take the Sebago Ranger), and a slim, leather sole penny loafer at the other (the JM Weston 180 in this case)
Modern Ivy
Perhaps another appeal here is one of modernity. The chunky loafer is not a particularly pedigreed option in the Ivy canon, but it is very popular in wider culture today. Big punk-inspired loafers like the Doc Adrian are ubiquitous. Being able to ride on this trend a little, whilst still leaning towards more understated and therefore timeless silhouettes, is perhaps desirable.
As such we gain another criteria to look for when picking out options, modern understatement, which need not be in direct contention with ruggedness. (We’re going to lean on penny loafers as a result, tassels and horsebits just lose a little of that slick modernity.)
So, we’re looking for welted, chunky soled, penny loafers that toe the lines between rugged and dressy; and modern and classic.
Colour wise, I think the best move is to lean towards the environment in which one spends more time, so country-dwellers would lean towards a lighter brown, and city slickers perhaps a darker brown or black. Of course this is merely a suggestion and preference/ consideration of other footwear is a far greater influence.
With major points established, allow us to look at some options.
Examples
Paraboot Reims
A quintessential example of what we’re looking at; with the beefroll and moc toe it leans more rugged, and also more ivy. Sometimes I feel as though the club sounds a little like a Paraboot fan page, but these are probably the best expression of this style in the mid-to-high price bracket.
Paraboot’s rubber sole isn’t quite a lug, but still hits the spot for off-roading capability and rugged appeal. For a far slimmer, but still waterproof option Para also have the Adonis, but it doesn’t really fit the bill for the adventuring purposes.
Rancourt Blue Isle Weltline
Sitting on a slimmer Vibram sole, with a moc toe but no beef-roll, the Rancourt offering sits pretty much dead centre on our ruggedness spectrum.
We’re in the high price category here, they’re shell cordovan so it’s to be expected, also worth considering they’re limited edition and only available in black.
Cheaney Howard GV
Full Vibram lug here, but with a much slimmer upper, keeping them towards the dressier end. The full grain low-shine finish does lend a pleasant ruggedness in a manner that suggests this shoe was considered as a more outdoorsy option.
The dark whiskey finish is nice to have as an option too, where some other browns on this list lean a little too light.
Solovair Penny
The first of two PVC soled options, which affords more of an urban look. The Solovair offering sits far towards dressy with the slim upper, and high-shine and gaucho finishes.
These ooze modernity, the balance of the slimmer last with a heavier sole especially. If the modern look is what one is seeking, these are easily one of the best options. The PVC sole rather than a lug has a little more understated cool factor too.
Doc Marten Made in England Penton
The second PVC option, modern Docs don’t usually make the cut in my listings but in this case it’s nice to contrast the Solovairs to a PVC loafer with a beef-roll. Combined with DM’s exaggerated last, these somewhat look like an Ivy classic loafer that’s been inflated.
The two-tone brown is a nice look here, especially for leaning more rugged, black is obviously classic.
These are a nice pick to have a bit more of a nod to Ivy tradition, with the modernity of the PVC sole.
Horatio Dartmouth Adventure
The shoe from which I originally pinched the “adventure” moniker from, Horatio remain the new kid on the block, but reviews seem to be good and they are far more affordable than some others listed, whilst still sitting on a Vibram sole.
They, like Cheaney, opt for a grain finish to further cement a sense of ruggedness, but keep a slender upper to contrast this.
BS&W Vibram Ellis
Very similar in concept to the Cheaney and Horatio, through far more exaggerated. They sport a taller, more stout looking upper, and the soles extend way beyond the silhouette of the shoe, as such they have a more of a sense of being a high-fashion loafer, which makes sense for Blackstock & Weber.
We get pebble grain again here, with the option for tiger-print suede vamps if you fancy, or a reddish chestnut brown. Overall perhaps the most out-going expressions of the idea.
Regal Shoe Co. GTX
Whilst in name they sound like a rally car or piece of computer hardware, the GTX here stands for Gore-Tex which possibly makes these the most adventurous of any example on this list. In practice, any one of these can handle day-to-day puddles and the like, the inclusion of the hype beast favourite here is more like a sense of adventure being stitched between the outer and lining.
Conclusions
So with each of these presented, we can plot them along our ruggedness scale and compare.
The Paras sit furthest towards rugged with their heavy silhouette and beef-roll, with the Solovairs furthest to dressy being slimmer and with the more urban PVC soles. Each of the others slot somewhere in-between.
As per my shoe wardrobe philosophy, these sit in the same space as a boat shoe, ultimately for myself, and I imagine for many, they will be a companion to that classic-of-classics, for purposes of colour variety perhaps. Any option presented above will fulfil that role very nicely. Likewise, if you are looking for one loafer to rule them all, you’ll be far better off, practically, picking from this list than from an array of Blake-stitched beef-rolls.
As always, other suggestions, or discourse at-large, are not only welcome but encouraged.
Prep Club adjourned, I’ll see you soon.
There are also some nice ones from Rhodes, but I think they only come in brown. I picked them up in the spring. https://huckberry.com/store/rhodes/category/p/80729-ashby-loafer-w-lug-sole