Astronaut Boot

The boot takes its name from the original Hawkins Astronaut, worn by the Mercury Seven astronauts in 1961 and later adopted as part of the uniform for British subcultural groups including Mods and Skinheads throughout the 1960s.

In 1961, seven American astronauts collectively known as the Mercury Seven were photographed wearing boots manufactured by GT Hawkins Ltd before their trip into space. GT Hawkins Ltd, a Northamptonshire factory founded in 1850 by George Thomas Hawkins, produced the boots that combined the factory name with the astronaut group to create the "Hawkins Astronaut" title.

The boot style maintained its popularity throughout the 1960s and became part of the uniform for subcultural groups like the Mods and Skinheads. In 1995, the GT Hawkins factory closed after 120 years of trading, leaving brands to develop adaptations of the original design.

Solovair's Goodyear welted Astronaut boot pays homage to the original Hawkins style, manufactured by NPS Shoes, which has been producing footwear in Wollaston, Northamptonshire since 1881.

The Astronaut Boot features Solovair's Goodyear welt construction, which makes the boots resoleable. The construction involves stitching a welt strip to the upper and insole using a Goodyear welting machine, then stitching the sole directly onto the welt rather than the upper. This method allows the boots to be stripped back and resoled repeatedly.

The manufacturing process requires over 200 highly skilled processes performed by craftsmen at the NPS factory in Wollaston. Each pair takes between 12 to 16 weeks to handmake and finish. The boots feature leather and synthetic lining with a soft suspension rubber outsole that includes a wood shank for rigidity.

According to Solovair, the leather is sourced from European tanneries and is thicker and more robust than comparable products. The boots include more foam padding under the heel and less under the toe. The essential stitch that binds the upper to the rubber sole is functional, serving a structural purpose in the construction.

The Astronaut Boot is manufactured using the 493 last, which offers a round toe shape with a standard fit and slimmer profile around the feet compared to the 409 last used on Derby boots. The 493 last features a shallower toe box than the 409 last. According to Solovair, their Goodyear welted footwear runs larger than most brands, and they recommend either going half a size smaller than typically worn or purchasing cushioned socks for a regular size.

The boot is available in six-eye and 11-eye configurations with multiple leather finishes including Hi-Shine, Greasy, Greasy Grain, Rub-Off, and Crazy Horse. Color options include Black, Oxblood, Brown, Burgundy, and Gaucho.

The Greasy Black leather variant begins to mold to the foot and ankle immediately, offering an easier break-in period compared to similar boots. The boots feature glossier leather, better arch support, improved stability, and maintain their shape better over time due to the rubber outsole with wood shank construction.

Well Dressed Dad describes Solovair boots as comparable to "Dr Martens that we don't have to break in, the leather is soft and the soles extremely comfortable," considering them "an absolute bargain" in the heritage footwear market.

The Astronaut Boot is manufactured by NPS Shoes (Northamptonshire Productive Society), founded in 1881 by 11 men who created a workers cooperative in the village of Wollaston. The company immediately won contracts to supply boots to the British Army. By 1899, NPS had grown to 80 employees and moved to a purpose-built factory on South Street, which they still occupy today after extensions in 1907 and 1951.

From 1959, NPS produced the Dr Martens range of shoes under license, adding the Solovair name to the company—"Sole-of-air" referring to the air-cushioned sole technology. NPS continued to make footwear under license until the mid-1990s called "Dr Martens made by Solovair." The company registered the name Solovair in 1994.

Around 2000, NPS faced potential closure but was purchased in 2006 by Ivor Tilley, who preserved both the employment and the accumulated skills of local villagers. The factory continues to manufacture for multiple brands including Gripfast, George Cox, Vegetarian Shoes, Grinders, and Tredair, while producing Solovair boots using the same lasts and machines used to create the original Dr. Martens suspension soles in the UK.