Price: $220
Why Buy?
The Meermin Loafer in Unlined Softcalf offers extreme comfort in a business formal package.
Why Avoid?
The Meermin Loafer in Unlined Softcalf might be too minimal for some and doesn’t offer much support.
Specs:
| Model | Penny Loafer |
| Height | Low |
| Size | 115.UK / 12.5US |
| Weight | |
| Materials | Leather / Rubber |
| Construction | Goodyear Welt |
| Country of Origin | China |
History
Goodyear welting is something that has been thrown around so much as a positive that people in the footwear space often don’t talk about the tradeoffs. Sure, the durability of goodyear welt is well established, but the difficult break in and heavy weight are simply just tacked on without a debate on if it’s worth it.
This is especially true of brands that focus on value. In fact, check nearly any Meermin review over the last 10 years – including on this very site – and you’ll see some variation of the reviewer describing the tough break in.
This year, when Meermin was offering their summer focused line up, they wanted to go in a different direction. Comfort was at the forefront of what they are offering, even going so far as to trade some of that goodyear welt durability to address those comfort concerns. They even went as far as to change the shape compared to older models.
Did Meermin hit the mark? Let’s dive in and find out.
Disclaimer: Meermin provided this pair of Unlined Loafers for the purpose of review, however this review is not sponsored. All thoughts below are true to my own opinion and Meermin was not given the chance to see this review before it went live.
Looks
Upper
The Meermin Loafer in Unlined Softcalf looks relaxed and broken in from day one. And that’s on purpose.
The pair of Meermin Loafers in Unlined Softcalf come in a slightly tumbled black leather. I’ve recently really come around to black penny loafers, however if you want something more classic you can also find these in an even more versatile brown.
The uppers feature a classic penny loafer pattern – a strap with decorative opening, a hand-sewn toe box, and a simple line of stitching along the heel. This has been a go-to in menswear for longer than anyone reading this website has been alive.
What has changed is the casual nature of the upper. As you can guess by the name, the Unlined Softcalf Loafer is going to look broken in from day one. Not only is the leather unstructured, both the toe and heel stiffeners were softened for this pair.
When Meermin says unstructured, they mean it. This might be the softest structured shoe I own. You can easily collapse the entire upper flat with only a small bit of pressure.
That more casual look isn’t going to be for everyone, but if you find the lack of structure unappealing you can find a lined version as well.
Mid- and Outsole
The bottom half of this Meermin Penny Loafer comes in what Meermin calls their “City Rubber” outsole. What that means is a black outsole with slight texture on the heel and ball of your foot.
While you do lose that great closed-channel outsole you find on most Meermin loafers, in return this outsole will offer better grip, better weather protection, and more durability. Though I am admittedly a certified leather sole hater.
Unfortunately, one of the shoes does have a small amount of exposed welt stitching. Considering it’s under the arch of your foot, though, nobody will notice when you’re wearing them.
Summary
The Meermin Loafer in Unlined Softcalf has managed to perfectly thread the difference between comfortable shoe and formal workwear. While we will talk about the comfort a bit later, from a style perspective these will realistically fit in almost anywhere short of something like a job interview.
In the couple of weeks I’ve had these, I’ve worn them multiple times with charcoal business suits and they fit in perfectly. Though, it should be noted they are still the very slim European silhouette. Maybe don’t pair these with your J Press sack suit.
Fit & Comfort
Fit
The Meermin Loafer in Unlined Softcalf uses the more modern Nova last compared to the Ron they use on their more traditional penny loafers. I believe this is a big upgrade – the wider area for the forefoot means this will fit way more people. Even better, the soft upper is flexible and accommodating.
Still, they do run quite small. I got these in a size 11.5UK, or 12.5 US. This is a half-size up from my standard dress shoe and loafer size. Even then they felt slightly small out of the box. With some wear they loosened up slightly, but if I went true to size they would have been far too small.
Comfort
As advertised, the Meermin Loafer in Unlined Softcalf are an extremely comfortable pair of shoes. If it were not for the heel, they would genuinely feel like slippers underfoot.
The upper is soft, alleviating pressure points, and flexible, preventing any area from rubbing your foot. Underfoot, the Goodyear Flex system that Meermin selected for this pair might actually be too soft. With its sneaker-like squish, someone solely used to traditional dress shoes might find them a bit disconcerting to wear around the office. For guys who spent decades wearing firm midsoles, the softness of these feels slightly out of place.
The heel does keep them a bit from being a pure comfort king. There is less padding there in general, and the lack of structure means your foot slides forward as you wear the shoe.
Still, those don’t detract enough from a great overall package to raise any concerns. If I have to walk long distances while in a suit, these will be one of the first pairs I reach for.
Materials & Construction
Materials
When crafting these Meermin Loafers in Unlined Softcalf, it was clear Meermin wanted to offer maximum comfort.
The upper comes in their relatively new “Softcalf.” While they are a bit vague on exactly how they achieve it, this is calf leather that has been treated to add a significant amount of stretch and softness. Does it have that taut, tight grain and look calf is known for? Absolutely not. Is it still entirely professional and offers major comfort benefits? Absolutely.
Moving down, the materials are about as classic as you can get, though again with a bit of a twist. The veg tanned leather insole has also been treated like the upper and offers a spring and rebound effect. Under that insole, the cork layer has been thinned out to better allow for flexibility.
Finishing everything off, Meermin’s City Rubber outsole splits softness and durability right down the middle without overly prioritizing either direction.
Overall, these materials are excellent for the purpose of the shoe. Sure, the softer upper and thinner construction do trade comfort for a bit of durability, however this isn’t Meermin trying to pull a fast one. In fact, they have no less than 7 different styles of penny loafer available with slightly different make ups.
Construction
Meermin identifies these Loafers in Unlined Softcalf as “Flex Goodyear Welted,” though the core construction is still a traditional Goodyear welt. That means the upper is stitched to a leather welt running around the perimeter of the shoe, which is then attached to the outsole. The major benefit is durability – once the outsole wears down, it can be replaced multiple times without damaging the upper itself.
Traditionally, the downside to this construction is stiffness. Most Goodyear welted loafers require a fairly lengthy break in because of the multiple layers of leather, cork, and reinforcement underfoot.
This pair clearly tries to soften those tradeoffs. The thinner cork layer, flexible leather, softer heel structure, and rubber outsole all work together to make the shoe feel dramatically less rigid than most welted loafers. It doesn’t fully replicate something like a Blake stitched loafer, which loses several of these extra components, but for a Goodyear welted shoe the flexibility is genuinely impressive.
It is worth flagging for those who care, while the brand name is Meermin Mallorca, the shoes are produced in China.
Pricing & Value
The Meermin Loafers in Unlined Softcalf come in at a price of $220, a slight discount from their mainline loafer’s cost of $230.
That price is extremely hard to beat. In a world where most entry level goodyear welted loafers are rapidly approaching $400, I’m not sure how Meermin does it.
You might be able to point to the Chinese manufacturing as a reason for the cost advantage, but Grant Stone is now $412 for their traveler loafer.
There really is no comparison when it comes to value.
Who is the Meermin Loafer in Unlined Softcalf For?
Meermin advertises this loafer as being comfortable and affordable. My honest take? They were not lying.
This loafer is for you if you’re looking for a comfortable, affordable loafer for things like weddings, work, or elevated outfits when you want to stand out.
This loafer probably isn’t for you if you want something more casual, or wear fuller cuts that might class with the European aesthetic.
