The 2 Monkeys' new RANDONNÉE boots are inspired by the "outing boots" or "scout boots" that appeared in the United States in the early 20th century. This upper design, with each side made from a single piece of leather sewn at the toe and heel, and a leather part running from the lacing to the cap in the center, was used for baseball and football spikes from around 1880.
This was likely because there were no seams on the sides and the laces could be extended close to the toes, allowing for a snug fit.
Around 1910, sporty leather shoes (boots) with an outdoor image were developed by combining this design with a leather or thin rubber sole and using an oblique last, such as a Munson last, which conformed to the shape of the toes.
For the next approximately 20 years, many American shoe manufacturers produced these boots. The 2 Monkeys' RANDONNÉE is based on the design of that era, using an original last with a modified Munson last toe and made from approximately 3mm thick leather.
Despite the extremely thick leather, the boots are made from a single layer without lining, which allows them to conform well to the feet.
This "Tatsuno hand-waxed leather" is made by hill-dyeing tannin-tanned leather with added oil, and then infusing the grain with heated and melted wax using a large hand iron.
This leather is produced with considerable effort, taking 20-30 minutes of manual work to impregnate a single piece of leather with wax.
It has a supple texture and the transparency characteristic of full-aniline (dyed with only dye) leather. As it is worn, it develops deepening color shades and a tea core that emerges as the color fades,
resulting in a rich aging process.
Since we use double shoulder leather (from the left and right shoulders of a cow), which has a dense grain, tiger stripes may be present, but we hope you will enjoy them as a natural characteristic of the leather.
We offer two colors: "Gunmetal," a dark gray close to black that was commonly used for boots in early 20th century America, and a deep "Brown" (see separate page).
