If you take the classic Red Wing 875 and elevated every aspect of the boot, then you will get the Jakkrabbits Moc Toe Boot. Both models share a lot of superficial similarities but once examined under close inspection, they are very different: different leather for the uppers, different construction methods, and different internal components. Spoiler … Read more
Could the world’s best Chelsea boot be Indonesian? I finally got my hands on one of the top contenders and filmed an unboxing for you — perhaps you could help me decide. Indonesia is an absolute hotbed of leather goods — even if most people don’t know it. Due in part to the nation’s history … Read more
Engineer boots are having a moment in the sun. Anyone who’s anyone in the boot world is rocking these throwbacks from the civil war. 11 inch shafts, high heel stack with a woodsman heel, buckle on the vamp and collar and shit-ton of attitude. Where to begin? Or rather, where did I begin? It’s April … Read more
North America, Europe, and Japan offer some of the best boots money can buy, but the most revered brands from these countries can easily cost over $500 for a pair of boots and often, particularly in the case of Japanese boots, over $1,000. But if you haven’t heard yet, Indonesian boots are making a splash … Read more
Full disclosure: I’m actually a massive cheapskate. I spent all of my twenties as a student, intern, volunteer, or broke journalist and at this point, penny pinching is just in my DNA. I own some expensive boots now, sure. But for a long time, I was laboring under this delusion that you just can’t get … Read more
Santalum is an Indonesian boot company based in the West Javan capital of Bandung, which is basically Asia’s unofficial boot headquarters. A lot of people find it surprising that Indonesia is mentioned so often as a boot hub, but there are a ton of brands there like Junkard, Winson, Jalan Sriwijaya, Txture, and Sagara which … Read more
Here’s a little fact about me: I am pretty obsessed with Indonesia. I live in New York City but I grew up in Australia, where Indonesia is our largest neighboring country and our relationship with them has always been really fascinating to me. If you’re American, try imagining if Mexico had ten times your population … Read more
Anyone who has spent a lot of time reading about the world’s best boots has no doubt come across one exceptional country over and over again: Indonesia. We know about American, Italian, French, and Dutch bootmakers, but when looking for boot hubs outside of Europe and the U.S., Indonesia consistently appears at the top of … Read more
A lot of people like their formal clothing handmade in Italy or France, but many guys who have swung by Bangkok or Hoi An to pick up a tailor-made suit have trouble telling the difference. The same goes for boots, but finding the right shoemaker can be a little tougher for men with discerning tastes. … Read more