Tahura Boots Review | Indonesia’s Rugged Refinement

Tahura is a small, bespoke footwear brand based in Bandung, Indonesia, founded in 2010 by Akbar Ali Shohibul Kutub (also known as Abay).

Abay runs a small workshop of eight people, who are able to finish forty to sixty pairs of boots — from hand-lasting to hand-welting — per month. (This is roughly the same size and output of one of Indonesia’s best known brands, Sagara Bootmaker.)

The Altilis is an iconic MTO (made-to-order) service boot with a rugged and refined look typical of the service boot archetype, which are largely modeled after World War 2 military boots. 

Abay’s boot designs are sought-after locally and internationally for his famous hand stitched welting that pulls off a remarkable 9 stitches per inch (SPI), a high SPI that borders on bespoke quality. His signature rose gold welt stitch have made him recognizable in the space, and his attention to detail has earned him profound respect in the boot community. Abay has a portfolio of original designs but modifications can be made upon request. 

Turnaround time for a pair of unmodified boots will generally take 3 months, and you need to order through his Instagram DMs or the Whatsapp number in the account’s bio.

What follows is a discussion of the boots that I ordered, but keep in mind that neither this nor any of his other boots are “off the rack” here: your boots will be made with the leather and specs that you desire. 

My Boots’ Specs

• Model: Altilis Brogue Cap Toe  
• Upper: Maryam T.Morro horsebutt TPR (thermoplastic resin) 
• Lining: fully lined  
• Eyelet: 9 antique brass hardware
• Construction: Norwegian construction (split storm welt 2-row stitch) 
• Outsole: Dr. Sole #1220 SuperGrip Full Soles 
• Welt color: antique brown  
• Midsole: veg tan single midsole 
• Edge color: antique red brown  
• Welt stitch color: rose gold  
• Toebox: structured toe box 
• Heels: block heels 
• Price: 530 USD 

My Leather

Let me start with the Maryam T.Morro horsebutt TPR uppers, which come from Maryam Tannery in Tuscany, Italy. If you know a thing or two about quality boots, you know that this tannery has become synonymous with vegetable tanned horsebutt leather. Indeed, when Stridewise Editor-in-Chief Nick visited Indonesian workshops, all of them noted that Maryam’s natural, veg tan horsebutt was among their highest selling uppers.

If you want to learn more about Maryam’s natural horsebutt, check out Nick’s Sagara boots review. That’s not what these Tahura boots use. These uppers have an aniline finish showing off their natural grain and beauty, and you can indeed perceive the honeycomb-like pattern of wrinkles that horsebutt (and Maryam) are known for. Close examination will reveal some spidery veins in the vamp and side panels as well, but they’re not so obvious that they dress down the look.  

More noteworthy is the “TPR” finish, which stands for thermoplastic resin. This gives the hide a stunning, shell cordovan-esque appearance. Shell cordovan, for the uninitiated, is an extremely expensive and durable material that can only be made from a small strip at the base of a horse’s tail. Maryam’s TPR leather is about as close as you get to shell cordovan at roughly ⅓rd the cost.  

Maryam’s TPR leather is about as close as you can get to shell cordovan at roughly one third the cost.  

“Maryam horsebutt is pretty resilient, but the finish does much better when lasted by hand,” says Stridewise Expert Ticho Blanco. “You see issues arising in factory settings where they heat up the leather to expedite certain processes. Tahura will do everything by hand and you will avoid any issues like that.” 

Construction 

Tahura utilizes hand-welted Norwegian construction in split storm welt 2-row stitch, featuring 180° in the inner row and 360° in the outer row. 

Tahura is famous for having one of the highest stitches per inch. My Altilis boots have 9 SPI with Abay’s signature rose gold stitch, all done by hand for a very refined look. 

For context, all other factory-made boot brands I own only feature 4 to 5 stitches per inch. Other bespoke shoemakers average 8 to 10 SPI. 

Tahura Last and Fit

• You’ll send foot tracings to get the most accurate fit

I use 10 D in Tahura, Sagara, Oak Street, and Thursday. But Tahura (and Sagara) used tracings that I printed out from White’s and looks like this, scanned it with my printer, so the measurements are more molded to my foot

Abay used this to modify the last to the shape of my foot, molding it to my foot and making it fit like a glove. Altering the last is a very notable service that Tahura offers and it’ll be especially great for anyone with hard to fit feet or issues like bunions.

My Altilis boots gently hug my toes and heels with no pinching, making for a very comfortable fit. Arch support is dramatic, another somewhat rare feature for heritage boots.

The almond-shaped toe is beautifully shaped, complementing the overall aesthetic of the boot. The narrowness of the waist going to the heel counter is also round and very sexy.  (There’s just no other word for it, okay?)

MTO Experience

• Boots arrived two months after ordering
• Tahura doesn’t have a website, you need to DM them on Whatsapp

Abay is accommodating and reachable. I paid in full in November 2023 and received my boots around the last week of January. I was pleasantly surprised when Abay added a rolled top shaft and half-gusseted tongue as a bonus. 

My Altilis boots are very well-made and Abay’s craftsmanship is apparent. I tried to convey in my photos that the stitching, construction, and assembly are very cleanly made and well-polished.

As an added observation, please make sure to ask a friend for assistance in tracing and measuring your foot. You can also search online for a foot-measuring guide to capture the exact measurements of the ball of feet, instep, etc. 

Do not underestimate how crucial exact foot tracing is, because your Tahura boots will serve you for years to come. 

How They Wore

I provided Abay with my exact foot measurements for a custom fit. Whether I stay standing or walk for an extended period, there is no heel slip and my toes do not hit the toe box. If you haven’t experienced a custom fitting boot before, you can’t imagine the difference between this and a generic size.

Tahura’s arch support is also the most dramatic I have experienced in all the boots I own. I can walk comfortably and naturally with no break-in required. The Maryam horsebutt has molded well into the shape of my foot even though it’s a famously stiff leather. I can confidently say that it has a perfect custom fit. 

The honeycombs and spider veins will show with more wear and I observed that they developed a sugary break and roll on the vamp. Even with regular use, the finish did not fade, one of the best reasons to get a hand-lasted pair of boots.

Brush them down regularly with a horsehair brush and aopply Venetian shoe cream every six months or when the leather feels dry.  

Wrapping Up

Tahura’s boots, from the fine details to construction and assembly, are well thought out and will serve their purpose every step of the way. If you are interested in getting your own Tahura boots, feel free to reach out to Abay on Instagram.