Boondocker Boot

Each pair is crafted by Dennis Kieback from his small workshop in Kiel, with each pair receiving at least 50 hours of dedicated handwork.

The Boondocker Boot is built entirely by hand using traditional bootmaking techniques. Each pair receives at least 50 hours of dedicated work, with Kieback emphasizing craft details from making shoemaker wax to using traditional hand tools and finishing methods.

The construction process includes hand-lasting using traditional techniques without modern shortcuts. All work is done in a small workshop in Kiel, Germany, where Kieback maintains traditional methods.

The boot is built on the Spenlé Last, a German shoe last design. Sizing typically runs one size down from US Brannock measurements, with a Brannock 10D corresponding to Spenlé Last 9D.

The upper uses vegetable-tanned leather from Kobel tannery in Kellinghusen, Germany. Founded in 1877 by Hubertus Kobel after he returned from Quincy, USA, the tannery uses pit tanning to preserve leather, where hides are tanned in a water pit with plant extracts for several weeks. Traditional pit tanning for sole leather takes nine to 18 months, though modern barrel processes reduce this to a few weeks.

The vegetable-tanned leather receives unique properties and a strong pull-up effect through hot-stuffing, a process where oils and waxes are worked into the leather at elevated temperatures. The tannery produces the leather in pits or barrels, creating bridle and harness leather known for durability.

The sole uses Vibram Eton 2055 rubber, an 8mm studded sole that resembles traditional English studded soles. Made of soft rubber that allows for easy hand or machine stitching, the sole blends casual and formal styling and provides grip on smooth surfaces with more cushion compared to Dainite soles.

The Boondocker Boot features an unstructured toe design, allowing the leather to form naturally to the foot shape without internal reinforcement. The boot is built as a bespoke offering, with custom orders made to individual customer specifications.

All work is done in a small workshop in Kiel, Germany, where Kieback maintains traditional methods without compromise. The business also produces leather goods, bags, and boot care products alongside its bootmaking operations.