JK Boots

Maker

About

JK Boots is a family-owned American boot manufacturer founded in 1994 in Spokane, Washington. The company specializes in handcrafted work boots for firefighters, loggers, welders, and farmers throughout the Pacific Northwest. Founded by Ukrainian immigrant John Khadzhi, JK Boots operates entirely in the United States and produces specialized footwear including wildland firefighting boots, work boots, and western boots through its JK Western brand.

The company gained recognition for its Fire Inlander model, which became the preferred choice among wildland firefighters, hotshots, and smoke jumpers. JK Boots maintains a family operation with John Khadzhi working alongside his sons in their Spokane facility, continuing the traditional bootmaking techniques he learned as an apprentice cobbler in Ukraine.

History

John Khadzhi, known as "JK," began his career as an apprentice cobbler in his teenage years in a small Ukrainian town. In 1994, while in his late twenties, Khadzhi moved to the United States from Ukraine with his family and the ambition to establish a boot business with his sons. He founded JK Boots in Spokane, Washington the same year.

Khadzhi raised his sons in Eastern Washington, teaching them traditional bootmaking techniques. The family business developed a reputation among firefighters, loggers, welders, and farmers throughout the Pacific Northwest. In November 2023, after months of planning, designing, and testing, the family founded JK Western, a subsidiary brand specializing in western and cowboy boots.

Manufacturing and construction

JK Boots handcrafts all footwear in their Spokane, Washington facility using American materials. The company employs stitchdown construction for durability and weather resistance. Each boot features 8-9 ounce oil-tanned leather sourced from the United States.

The construction process includes a thick oak-tanned leather heel counter and various Vibram sole configurations depending on the model. The Superduty line uses Vibram RedX soles, while the O.T. Bison models feature Vibram 132 Honey soles. All boots incorporate fire-ready materials and highest-grade American leather.

For specialized firefighting models, JK Boots uses NFPA-rated materials including technora threading with a melting point of 900 degrees Fahrenheit and NFPA-rated adhesives. These specifications meet the demands of wildland firefighting environments.

Product lines

Fire and work boots

The Fire Inlander serves as JK Boots' flagship firefighting model with NFPA-rated materials including technora threading and adhesives. The Superduty functions as an all-purpose work boot sharing identical construction but without fire rating specifications. A specialized variant, the Honey Fire Inlander, offers additional features for specific applications.

Caulk Logger

The Caulk Logger model features steel spikes for traction on challenging terrain and includes a 4-lift logger heel for balance. This model targets logging professionals working in treacherous conditions.

Additional models

JK Boots offers several other models including the O.T., 300, 300X, and Forefront lines. These models provide options across different price points and applications. Custom boots include a $150 build fee that applies to cancellations or returns.

JK Western

In November 2023, JK Boots launched JK Western as a separate brand for western and cowboy boots. The brand applies the same handcrafted construction methods developed for work boots to western footwear styles.