Monkey Boot

The Monkey Boot draws its name from a boot style that originated in Czechoslovakia during the 1940s and 1950s, originally designed as military footwear before transitioning to civilian use in the 1960s. The style became associated with British youth subcultures including mods and skinheads during the late 1960s, characterized by its distinctive tractor tire design sole and robust leather construction.

The Jakkrabbits Monkey Boot features multiple construction options. The handwelted Goodyear with 270° Veldtschoen Construction uses a welt that wraps 270 degrees around the boot. The 270° Storm Welt Construction and 360° Storm Welt Construction provide varying levels of water resistance and durability. All configurations are built on the Mandrill Last.

Hardware includes brass eyelets with speed hooks, with some models featuring nickel eyelets. The seven-inch height is measured from the heel to the top of the boot shaft.

Upper leather options include Badalassi Carlo smooth leather, Horween Chamois, Shinki Hikaku teacore horsehide, Horween Chromexcel, and Heritage Oil Tanned Roughout. Outsole options include Vibram 9105 Gloxi Cut Vi-Lite Wedges in white, Vibram 4337 Christy Morflex Wedges in white, Dr. Sole 1220 Supergrip Full Sole in black, and Jakkrabbits Warrens Sole in black.

Pricing varies depending on specific leather and configuration choices, with a base price of $510.00. The made-to-order model allows customers to select their preferred combination of leather, construction method, and sole option.

Monkey boots originated in Czechoslovakia, with the earliest iterations appearing during the 1940s and 1950s as military footwear. Production was dominated by the Bata corporation, which controlled virtually all Czech shoe manufacturing and became the world's largest boot exporter by the 1930s. After Nazi invasion in 1938, military production ceased. Following World War II, the Communist regime nationalized Bata and divided operations into state companies including Svit and Cebo.

Early Czechoslovak producers included Svit, Cebo, Marlone, and Zuch. Czech exporters Cebo and Svit became notable makers from the homeland of the monkey boot. Zuch was a Polish manufacturer that also began producing the style. These manufacturers produced boots for both domestic use and export markets, with domestic boots labeled as "pionýrky" for young pioneers.

Grafters became the most archetypal brand, originally produced in Czechoslovakia before British importers rebranded them. The Grafters brand emerged when W Marlow & Sons Footwear Ltd of Leicester rebranded Marlone boots starting around 1969. Grafters continues producing monkey boots from the exact same factory they were produced in during the 1960s, with the original article number M430BT unchanged for over 50 years.

Monkey boots became available to the general public in the 1960s. Two primary Eastern Bloc brands entered the UK market in the early 1960s: Cebo boots from Czechoslovakia and Zuch boots from Poland. Initially affordable and available in many sizes, they appealed to women and children before gaining traction with mod subcultures.

During 1967 through 1969, the boots reached peak popularity during the transition from hard mod culture to skinhead culture, worn with jungle greens and other mod styling. Monkey boots became a staple of skinhead fashion, serving as an iconic element of this subculture's aesthetic during the late 1960s and beyond. Music legends Pete Townshend and Paul Weller wore monkey boots, cementing their status within mod culture.

The boots remained popular through the 1970s, even serving as school uniform in certain areas and worn by police officers. In the late 1960s, they were gradually relegated to status as girls' boots as Dr. Martens dominated skinhead fashion, though some regional variations persisted in Newcastle and Dundee. A brief revival occurred in 1978 during mod revival and 2 Tone ska movements.

In the 1980s United States, the Los Angeles hardcore punk scene created renewed demand through NaNa shop in Santa Monica, with skate culture subsequently adopting them.

Traditional monkey boots feature a distinctive tractor tire design sole with teeth-like edge patterns. Construction emphasizes thick leather and robust rubber soles designed for durability. Traditional leather construction appeared in oxblood red or black, with leather trim around the ankle and bright stitching in M-shape patterns. Yellow laces and stitching appeared on oxblood variants, while black versions featured all-black components.

Early Marlone boots featured "Made in Czechoslovakia" stamps inside the tongue and were notorious for leaving black marks on floors. Original boots featured minimal leather and retailed for approximately 36 shillings and 9 pence, roughly £1.83 in modern equivalent. The boots become more comfortable and loyal once broken in.

Jakkrabbits operates a workshop in Indonesia producing boots through hand-welted construction methods. The Indonesian bootmaking industry is located in Bandung's Cibaduyut region, where the industry traces its origins to Dutch colonial influence. Indonesian makers primarily use hand-welted construction techniques.

Entry-level hand-welted boots start around €170 to €230, with premium pieces reaching €550 and above. Notable Indonesian makers include Fortuna and Jalan Sriwijaya, which offer hand-welted shoes starting at €170, Onderhoud starting at €230, Txture starting at €185, Sagara at €200 and above, Santalum, Junkard at €210, and Winson Shoemaker at €550.

Indonesian bootmakers use both domestic Indonesian calf leather and imported European and American hides from tanneries. Indonesian footwear offers exceptional value positioning compared to European competitors, combining traditional hand-welted construction methods with competitive pricing.