Moccasins have been used by people around the globe for eternity. They are always in trend and shall never go out of style. Everyone has their version of moccasins that they cherish. Some people like them as their beloved indoor slippers, while some people use them in place of a shoe when they step outside their house.
The hassle-free use has boiled down to one question that many people seek the answer to – Are moccasins shoes or slippers? Let us find out its answer!
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What are Moccasins?
In order to ensure everyone is on the same page, we first need to make it clear what exactly a moccasin is. A moccasin is heelless footwear and typically made from a single piece of soft leather with the sole brought up and attached to a piece of U-shaped leather on top of the foot.
The shape is designed to welcome your feet and wrap them around in a manner that the seam lines lay at the top. Moccasins can readily be used in hot and humid weather. They are extremely comfortable, breathable, and have a loose fit.
Moccasins are a pair of quick fixes when you have an errand to run & you are too lazy to wear your sneakers. Hence, moccasins can be used both formally and informally.
Traditionally, moccasins didn’t have a sole, but today, they come with either a soft sole or hard sole to ensure optimum comfort, making them ideal for everyday usage. Moccasins with a soft sole are used as slippers, while the moccasins with a hard sole can be readily used as an outdoor shoe. So, according to use, moccasins are both slippers and shoes.
When the Sole is Soft
Soft sole moccasins are used as slippers not only by men but by women and kids too. They are also known as house shoes or loafers. Just like you wear your slippers indoors or while walking on the grass of your backyard, soft sole moccasins are an excellent option for your trolls around the house. Owing to the fact that loafers feature a lightweight and soft leather sole, they won’t harm your house flooring at all.
You can also wear the soft sole moccasins outside the home as long as the weather conditions allow you. They are soft and feel extremely soothing when you place your feet inside them. Moccasins provide you with the benefit of slippers because of their casual use. You can combine them with all your informal outfits, including T-shirts, shorts, jeans, skirts, pajamas.
During winters, you can wear a pair of socks inside your moccasins. Moccasins can be used as slippers, but remember that they have poor traction. Some shoe manufacturers make use of heavy knitting and provide provisions to line moccasins by fur these days. It helps increase coziness and a feeling of warmth when you use the slipper inside your home.
When the Sole is Hard
As the name suggests, hard sole moccasins feature a hard sole. They are suitable for men and women and can be worn outside as well as inside your house. In order to make these moccasins ideal to be worn outside, the sole is usually made of rubber, crepe, or TPU material.
Just as the regular shoe sole is solid and robust, the hard sole moccasins are designed tough enough to stand up or walk on all types of terrains without worrying about sole deterioration. The hard sole moccasins are comfortable to wear and are an excellent option for maintaining foot health.
Moccasins maintain your flow of walking just like your favourite shoe would. Moccasins are a smidgen above sneakers in terms of formality and professional use. They are a bit sleeker than boat shoes but are similar in function.
Moccasins with hard soles can easily replace your regular shoes as they are an ideal choice for office and formal use. Not only the easy to slip-on and slip-off design of hard sole moccasins offers you an outstanding walking experience, but they also protect your feet from water, rocks, and injuries.
Driving Moccasins
Apart from hard sole moccasins and soft sole moccasins, driving moccasins is another type of moccasins that is highly popular among people who drive roadsters. The driving moccasins shield you from sharp cutting stones or your way and offer a strong grip.
Driving moccasins aren’t exactly hard-soled moccasins or soft-soled moccasins; they fall somewhere in the midst of the two. Keeping up the traditionality of original moccasins, the driving moccasins do not actually have a sole. Rather, they have a leather lining to keep up the comfort factor while ensuring the durability factor when driving.
This inclusion of leather design ensures practicality and comes from the Native-American tradition amid the local tribes. These moccasins were usually made from soft leather or deerskin. However, the modern-day driving moccasin benefits from the small tabs added to the sole’s bottom that brings in better grip.
As you drive, these tabs ensure ample friction between the pedals and feet while being flexible in the right way to help you move sharply. Apart from this, the driving moccasins are meant to withstand high heat for long driving hours with ample maneuverability and durability.
These driving moccasins could either be rubber dotted or come with separate pads. Rubber-Dotted moccasins feature uniform covering throughout the base with round, small rubber pads, whereas moccasins with separate pads have flat, larger rubber pads that are separated by small areas.
The bottom line
I hope that you have understood that you can use moccasins as your slippers as well as shoes. Although moccasins are one of the oldest shoe types, today, moccasins are an indispensable part of men’s fashion. Not only do these shoes go well with various outfits, but they impress you with their high level of comfort.
You can nearly use the moccasins on all kinds of occasions. You can use them while cleaning your house, cutting the grass on your lawn, or even while driving your sports car. We hope that this article has cleared all your queries and provide you with a reason to invest in the best men’s moccasins.
All the Best!
Also Read:
Best Slippers for Plantar Fasciitis
Brandon R. Katz is a registered professional nurse who has been instrumental in providing us with an informed opinion on the medical aspects of footwear. He graduated from NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and currently provides his services at a non-federal long-term care hospital in Brooklyn, NY.
Brandon proves to be the champion in the group of expert writers with his in-depth knowledge in foot health, how to take care of it adequately, and what shoes, socks, or insoles will be supreme for you. He has previously worked with hospitals where he has foreseen both inpatient and outpatient departments and has been a practicing nurse since 2009.
Brandon hails from Jersey City, NY, and has a loving family of four with a small popper called Rozo. His decision to become a nurse arises from the desire to be in the position of helping and rehabilitating people.
