Footwear to go with our jackets

[Ayeteael]

Alden snuff.

 

[lina]

Chippewas, about four years in:

 

[Downunder G Man]

Lucchese Ropers in sueded Hippo today.These are a 100% guaranteed "dry day" boot. Don't fancy damp roadgrime on them. They are actually very "sturdy" , way more so than all my "calf" and "Goat" members of the fleet !
Last pic is them in action at the Indian Ocean ( used in other threads SORRY !)

 

[Ayeteael]

Indys.

 

[lina]

Indys.
View attachment 274235

Always liked the look of those black Indy boots. And not ones you see around much.

 

[Turnip]

Dainite Town Boots

 

[dannyk]

Dainite Town Boots

May have asked you this before....if so sorry! haha. Whats your analysis on Aero boots? Im always looking at them. From a distance I feel like they are great deal for the money...not to high....would you agree?

 

[Turnip]

Hmmm...what they’re for sure in my opinion is: Solid...solid leather, solid craftsmanship, solid finish, on par with Red Wings I would say.

What they are not from my point of view is: Fancy, no high end finishing, some rough edges here and there, I would say the pix in their shop are quite honest.

What they do: Fit me very comfortable from first hour on, what is most important to me. No breaking in necessary, though they get pretty quickly nice used optics.

For me they’re worth the money.

 

[dannyk]

Hmmm...what they’re for sure in my opinion is: Solid...solid leather, solid craftsmanship, solid finish, on par with Red Wings I would say.

What they are not from my point of view is: Fancy, no high end finishing, some rough edges here and there, I would say the pix in their shop are quite honest.

What they do: Fit me very comfortable from first hour on, what is most important to me. No breaking in necessary, though they get pretty quickly a nice used optics.

For me they’re worth the money.

About what I figured. Like I was thinking for the money probably a good *** deal. I wouldnt expect much more out of them. Thanks for the honest and detailed assessment.

 

[Dredgen Yor]

If we need jackets in this thread to keep it in outerwear, here ya go.

Some pics of me trying to match my boots with my jackets as well as possible:

Legendary save.

 

[Harris HTM]

Yesterday I received my latest pair of boots, Trickers in Kudu. I've never handled kudu leather and I was expecting a supple soft pair; when I got it out of the box I was surprised at how thick, stiff and sturdy the leather is. The character of this leather is really unique.
Today I put them on, and walked half an hour. Usually a new pair of boots makes my feet hurt; this pair however is among the most comfortable brand new boots I've ever tried, except for suede and CXL. The leather started immediately becoming softer. I have no idea how they will break in and age.
Oh, my size was the last pair left so I got them for less than 300bp.
In the photo's combined with my badalassi teamster I also wore today.

 

[MoFo]

Red Wing 8011 Munson Ranger

 

[Edward]

Good colour match.

BReaking in this pair of tobacco badalassi monkey boots from junkard company out of Indonesia.

View attachment 272825

View attachment 272826

Nice. It amuses me how the term monkey-boot has really stuck from the originals and onwards, yet I cannot for the life of me find an explanation for the name anywhere.... maybe it was to do with the mix of close-fit and very grippy sole design, thus giving the agilitiy of monkey feet? For years I thought it was due to the characteristic 'M' stitched on the sides of the dominant brand in the UK, but seeing pictures of period originals that seems to have been a design choice of that brand alone, not something original to the Czech boot. Their origin is a matter of dispute - not everyone buys the "WW2 Czechoslovakian army" story owing to the shift from producing Czechoslovakian-design military equipment to German-designs, though it does at least seem that Czechslovakia was indeed the source origin of the boots, at least those that made it to the UK. Over here, there were very much a sixties Mod-into-Skinhead thing, worn by punks in the late seventies and then skinheads again in the eighties. What intrigues me is how the monkey boot then travelled the Atlantic to the punk and ******** scenes of the 80s and skate kids in the 90s; the lace-to-toe design there of course having a long pedigree with designs by Chippewa and such that - as I understand it - go back to the thirties at least.

I have a pair of CATs I got on sale years ago in a lace to toe design, and I've come to really enjoy it. I'm tempted by a pair of the 'original' Grafters monkey boots (still made in the same factory, still only GBP35) for walking the dog in the wet (those grippy, tractor-style soles....). The Chippewa lace to toe boots look amazing, though the dressier sole option from ModShoes also appeals for a dressier style for the office....

Good blog, btw, on the fashion evolution of the monkey boot from a British perspective here, even if it doesn't have much to say about their use on the UK 70s punk scene (a lot of things now thought of as skinhead overlapped with punk - boots and Harrington jackets especially): https://creaseslikeknives.wordpress...don, who was,Grafters monkey boots look today.

Dainite Town Boots

Very nice.

May have asked you this before....if so sorry! haha. Whats your analysis on Aero boots? Im always looking at them. From a distance I feel like they are great deal for the money...not to high....would you agree?

Hmmm...what they’re for sure in my opinion is: Solid...solid leather, solid craftsmanship, solid finish, on par with Red Wings I would say.

What they are not from my point of view is: Fancy, no high end finishing, some rough edges here and there, I would say the pix in their shop are quite honest.

What they do: Fit me very comfortable from first hour on, what is most important to me. No breaking in necessary, though they get pretty quickly nice used optics.

For me they’re worth the money.

Fair analysis. I have the same, except mine are in brown, and leather soled. As a general rule, I find Dainite soles are a bit more hard-wearing than the leather, though with most leather soled shoes I fairly quickly have my cobbler add a rubber over-sole, just a thin, stick-on layer, to prevent excess wear. The quality comparison to the RedWings is fair. I have similar boots from William Lennon and Sanders, and RedWing Iron Rangers. The RWs are comparable quality to the Aeros, though I would say that the Aero is more of a dressier boot. I wouldn't be afraid of getting it mucky, but if I was taking the dog out for a Winter walk in the park, I reach for the RedWings rather than the Aeros. The Aeros are cracking for about town and the office; if you want a slightly more casual option, go for the Jarrow boots. The best way to put it, I think, is that whereas the RWs & the Jarrows are the sorts of boot you might wear to go and work in the factory, the Town boot is perhaps more what you'd expect the foreman to wear overseeing the floor. (That said, the Jarrows are a touch more refined than the IRs, more like RW's gentleman traveller or the Alden Indy boot in that sense.)

The Aero Town boots I have also compare favourably to my Sanders and William Lennon. THe WLs have the advantage of customisation (mine are based on their B9 ww1 Tommy boot, but in shiny black leather with a triple thickness sole, really solid), but they can take some time; the Aero is a great to-go boot, immediately ready. I'm in the process of clearing out a lot of shoes, under the Direction of a Higher Power (the wife). I did manage to amass seventy odd pairs (apart form a few hidden in the office) over the years, so now it's time to cut that way back, keep only the really good stuff, and then build up again with stuff I'll wear and less doubling. On the 'buy' list is definitely a pair of Jarrow boots in cordovan. The Jarrows are a touch chunkier by design. The really nice thing about them - knowing someone who has worn a pair long term - is how they mould to the foot. The basic shape doesn't look that special in the photos (they're actually instantly much nicer in person), but the way they evolve and develop that lovely, vintage-style heel shape and so on is very nice indeed.

I'm also always on the lookout for Aero doing a pair of nice, American-style engineer boots. Based on my experience with owning the town boots and having handled the Jarrows, I am of the opinion that Aero could produce something very nice that could match Wesco levels if specc'ed right. Course, Aero know whether they have a market for that, but I have my fingers crossed...

 

[Harris HTM]

Good colour match.



Nice. It amuses me how the term monkey-boot has really stuck from the originals and onwards, yet I cannot for the life of me find an explanation for the name anywhere.... maybe it was to do with the mix of close-fit and very grippy sole design, thus giving the agilitiy of monkey feet? For years I thought it was due to the characteristic 'M' stitched on the sides of the dominant brand in the UK, but seeing pictures of period originals that seems to have been a design choice of that brand alone, not something original to the Czech boot. Their origin is a matter of dispute - not everyone buys the "WW2 Czechoslovakian army" story owing to the shift from producing Czechoslovakian-design military equipment to German-designs, though it does at least seem that Czechslovakia was indeed the source origin of the boots, at least those that made it to the UK. Over here, there were very much a sixties Mod-into-Skinhead thing, worn by punks in the late seventies and then skinheads again in the eighties. What intrigues me is how the monkey boot then travelled the Atlantic to the punk and ******** scenes of the 80s and skate kids in the 90s; the lace-to-toe design there of course having a long pedigree with designs by Chippewa and such that - as I understand it - go back to the thirties at least.

I have a pair of CATs I got on sale years ago in a lace to toe design, and I've come to really enjoy it. I'm tempted by a pair of the 'original' Grafters monkey boots (still made in the same factory, still only GBP35) for walking the dog in the wet (those grippy, tractor-style soles....). The Chippewa lace to toe boots look amazing, though the dressier sole option from ModShoes also appeals for a dressier style for the office....

Good blog, btw, on the fashion evolution of the monkey boot from a British perspective here, even if it doesn't have much to say about their use on the UK 70s punk scene (a lot of things now thought of as skinhead overlapped with punk - boots and Harrington jackets especially): https://creaseslikeknives.wordpress.com/2017/12/26/do-the-monkey-eastern-bloc-boots-for-east-end-kids/#:~:text=In Poland, people colloquially called,they were originally made for”.&text=Alan from London, who was,Grafters monkey boots look today.



Very nice.




Fair analysis. I have the same, except mine are in brown, and leather soled. As a general rule, I find Dainite soles are a bit more hard-wearing than the leather, though with most leather soled shoes I fairly quickly have my cobbler add a rubber over-sole, just a thin, stick-on layer, to prevent excess wear. The quality comparison to the RedWings is fair. I have similar boots from William Lennon and Sanders, and RedWing Iron Rangers. The RWs are comparable quality to the Aeros, though I would say that the Aero is more of a dressier boot. I wouldn't be afraid of getting it mucky, but if I was taking the dog out for a Winter walk in the park, I reach for the RedWings rather than the Aeros. The Aeros are cracking for about town and the office; if you want a slightly more casual option, go for the Jarrow boots. The best way to put it, I think, is that whereas the RWs & the Jarrows are the sorts of boot you might wear to go and work in the factory, the Town boot is perhaps more what you'd expect the foreman to wear overseeing the floor. (That said, the Jarrows are a touch more refined than the IRs, more like RW's gentleman traveller or the Alden Indy boot in that sense.)

The Aero Town boots I have also compare favourably to my Sanders and William Lennon. THe WLs have the advantage of customisation (mine are based on their B9 ww1 Tommy boot, but in shiny black leather with a triple thickness sole, really solid), but they can take some time; the Aero is a great to-go boot, immediately ready. I'm in the process of clearing out a lot of shoes, under the Direction of a Higher Power (the wife). I did manage to amass seventy odd pairs (apart form a few hidden in the office) over the years, so now it's time to cut that way back, keep only the really good stuff, and then build up again with stuff I'll wear and less doubling. On the 'buy' list is definitely a pair of Jarrow boots in cordovan. The Jarrows are a touch chunkier by design. The really nice thing about them - knowing someone who has worn a pair long term - is how they mould to the foot. The basic shape doesn't look that special in the photos (they're actually instantly much nicer in person), but the way they evolve and develop that lovely, vintage-style heel shape and so on is very nice indeed.

I'm also always on the lookout for Aero doing a pair of nice, American-style engineer boots. Based on my experience with owning the town boots and having handled the Jarrows, I am of the opinion that Aero could produce something very nice that could match Wesco levels if specc'ed right. Course, Aero know whether they have a market for that, but I have my fingers crossed...

I guess I'm the only one with a slightly different opinion about the Jarrow boots. The leather is great, supple and thick horween cxl, no breaking in required, they are really well made (I think it is NPS that makes them). I had to replace the leather soles in mine within a year, this hasn't happened to me with ecen much cheaper shoes/boots. I wouldn't use them as workboots (William Lennons are 10 times sturdier), and for dress boots I think you can find better boots at similar price ranges.

 

[Tom71]

Good colour match.



Nice. It amuses me how the term monkey-boot has really stuck from the originals and onwards, yet I cannot for the life of me find an explanation for the name anywhere.... maybe it was to do with the mix of close-fit and very grippy sole design, thus giving the agilitiy of monkey feet? For years I thought it was due to the characteristic 'M' stitched on the sides of the dominant brand in the UK, but seeing pictures of period originals that seems to have been a design choice of that brand alone, not something original to the Czech boot. Their origin is a matter of dispute - not everyone buys the "WW2 Czechoslovakian army" story owing to the shift from producing Czechoslovakian-design military equipment to German-designs, though it does at least seem that Czechslovakia was indeed the source origin of the boots, at least those that made it to the UK. Over here, there were very much a sixties Mod-into-Skinhead thing, worn by punks in the late seventies and then skinheads again in the eighties. What intrigues me is how the monkey boot then travelled the Atlantic to the punk and ******** scenes of the 80s and skate kids in the 90s; the lace-to-toe design there of course having a long pedigree with designs by Chippewa and such that - as I understand it - go back to the thirties at least.

I have a pair of CATs I got on sale years ago in a lace to toe design, and I've come to really enjoy it. I'm tempted by a pair of the 'original' Grafters monkey boots (still made in the same factory, still only GBP35) for walking the dog in the wet (those grippy, tractor-style soles....). The Chippewa lace to toe boots look amazing, though the dressier sole option from ModShoes also appeals for a dressier style for the office....

Good blog, btw, on the fashion evolution of the monkey boot from a British perspective here, even if it doesn't have much to say about their use on the UK 70s punk scene (a lot of things now thought of as skinhead overlapped with punk - boots and Harrington jackets especially): https://creaseslikeknives.wordpress.com/2017/12/26/do-the-monkey-eastern-bloc-boots-for-east-end-kids/#:~:text=In Poland, people colloquially called,they were originally made for”.&text=Alan from London, who was,Grafters monkey boots look today.



Very nice.




Fair analysis. I have the same, except mine are in brown, and leather soled. As a general rule, I find Dainite soles are a bit more hard-wearing than the leather, though with most leather soled shoes I fairly quickly have my cobbler add a rubber over-sole, just a thin, stick-on layer, to prevent excess wear. The quality comparison to the RedWings is fair. I have similar boots from William Lennon and Sanders, and RedWing Iron Rangers. The RWs are comparable quality to the Aeros, though I would say that the Aero is more of a dressier boot. I wouldn't be afraid of getting it mucky, but if I was taking the dog out for a Winter walk in the park, I reach for the RedWings rather than the Aeros. The Aeros are cracking for about town and the office; if you want a slightly more casual option, go for the Jarrow boots. The best way to put it, I think, is that whereas the RWs & the Jarrows are the sorts of boot you might wear to go and work in the factory, the Town boot is perhaps more what you'd expect the foreman to wear overseeing the floor. (That said, the Jarrows are a touch more refined than the IRs, more like RW's gentleman traveller or the Alden Indy boot in that sense.)

The Aero Town boots I have also compare favourably to my Sanders and William Lennon. THe WLs have the advantage of customisation (mine are based on their B9 ww1 Tommy boot, but in shiny black leather with a triple thickness sole, really solid), but they can take some time; the Aero is a great to-go boot, immediately ready. I'm in the process of clearing out a lot of shoes, under the Direction of a Higher Power (the wife). I did manage to amass seventy odd pairs (apart form a few hidden in the office) over the years, so now it's time to cut that way back, keep only the really good stuff, and then build up again with stuff I'll wear and less doubling. On the 'buy' list is definitely a pair of Jarrow boots in cordovan. The Jarrows are a touch chunkier by design. The really nice thing about them - knowing someone who has worn a pair long term - is how they mould to the foot. The basic shape doesn't look that special in the photos (they're actually instantly much nicer in person), but the way they evolve and develop that lovely, vintage-style heel shape and so on is very nice indeed.

I'm also always on the lookout for Aero doing a pair of nice, American-style engineer boots. Based on my experience with owning the town boots and having handled the Jarrows, I am of the opinion that Aero could produce something very nice that could match Wesco levels if specc'ed right. Course, Aero know whether they have a market for that, but I have my fingers crossed...

Edward, not sure I can add much to your as always very thorough analysis. As for the term "Monkey Boot", the explanation I was given was purely that the sole was so "non-slippery" that you can actually climb the trees like a monkey...

 

[Tom71]

I guess I'm the only one with a slightly different opinion about the Jarrow boots. The leather is great, supple and thick horween cxl, no breaking in required, they are really well made (I think it is NPS that makes them). I had to replace the leather soles in mine within a year, this hasn't happened to me with ecen much cheaper shoes/boots. I wouldn't use them as workboots (William Lennons are 10 times sturdier), and for dress boots I think you can find better boots at similar price ranges.

I would like to second that (only for the Jarrow Marchers; don´t have any other Aero´s): What makes them stand out, is the leather (2-3mm Horween CXL). Construction is fine. In terms of design or "appeal": The don´t stand out, that´s for sure.

Viberg, William Lennon and Dundas are more robustly made but easily 2-3 times the price (WL´s are very good value for Money, but if you want Horween leather, they upcharge you). On the "Looks" front, I have received compliments on a few of my boots, but nobody ever so much as even saw the Jarrows...

 

[Ayeteael]

I used to shy away from suede bc I mistakenly believed I had to baby it, but now I’m all in. It doesn’t develop character like traditional leather, but it’s incredibly low maintenance and so comfortable. No polishing required, ever. Just a little brushing and occasional waterproofing spray.

 

[Harris HTM]

but easily 2-3 times the price (WL´s are very good value for Money, but if you want Horween leather, they upcharge you)

I agree - except for the price. I own 3 pairs of WL's, the one of them made from horween cxl. I just checked my old emails (september 2016):
107F field boot
10 eyelet leg height
Horween leather - No.8 Chromexcel
Full Vibram commando rubber sole
Total cost incl. postage to the NL: 216,9 pounds.
I guess now the prices are higher but probably more near 1.50 times the Aero price.

 

[Harris HTM]

I used to shy away from suede bc I mistakenly believed I had to baby it, but now I’m all in. It doesn’t develop character like traditional leather, but it’s incredibly low maintenance and so comfortable. No polishing required, ever. Just a little brushing and occasional waterproofing spray.
View attachment 275600

Absolutely. I was eyeing the Alden Indy in snuff suede but Alden's are extremely expensive in the EU. I found, however, a pair of Crockett and Jones chukka's in snuff suede with a big discount (sometimes being small and wearing a small size in a country of big fella's is an advantage) and I'm really enjoying them.

 

[Ayeteael]

Absolutely. I was eyeing the Alden Indy in snuff suede but Alden's are extremely expensive in the EU. I found, however, a pair of Crockett and Jones chukka's in snuff suede with a big discount (sometimes being small and wearing a small size in a country of big fella's is an advantage) and I'm really enjoying them.

That's awesome. I've had the inverse experience. I long wanted a pair of C&J Marlows and Conistons, but there are few stockists in the states (unless you want RL branded ones) and sizing is tricky. Alden is a worthy American cousin to the fine Northampton makers.