All About Monkey Boots – From The Eastern Bloc To East London

Highlighting a subcultural icon that has traversed the sands of time while improving with wear - the Monkey Boot.

Ben Keefe

With the constant talk about Americana and US-inspired heritage wear, I’d say it’s about time to skip across the pond to highlight a subcultural icon that has traversed the sands of time while managing to look better and better the longer it carries on. We’re talking about the Monkey Boot.

Thought to have been first created in Czechoslovakia as military footwear, the Monkey Boot found its way to London’s East End and became a cult classic amongst skinheads and other subcultures. Nowadays, it’s produced by some of the finest bootmakers in the land, and high-quality pairs regularly show up on our radar. With this in mind, we thought it was about time we took a closer look at the history and social context of monkey boots, as well as who is making the best quality monkey boots today.

What Is A Monkey Boot?

A monkey boot is a leather lace-to-toe boot, typically ankle-height and coming with a chunky and robust sole. Many monkey boots have a gull-like ‘M’ stitched onto the side.

History Of The Monkey Boot

If you’re in the US, the phrase ‘monkey boot’ may mean nothing more than a boot for a cute little pet monkey. But for Europeans, this phrase goes much deeper than that. Thought to have been first created in Czechoslovakia as military footwear, the Monkey boot served its country proudly—that is, until Nazi Germany took over, dissolved the Czech military, and likely stopped the distribution and production of said boots.

It is theorized that the pre-war stockpile was eventually liquidated after WWII throughout the continent, including surplus stores in Britain, a place that, like the US, subverted the drab functionality of military garb and made it their own. This was the catalyst for making people go bananas.

Mixing elements of the high-top trainer, work boot, and hiking boot, with a little desert boot thrown in for good measure, the package may look like it was always meant to be, but there is a lot that goes into making this style unique. They were durable, easy to throw on and off, and went with just about anything in your wardrobe; it was a style too good to refuse for the East End kids who wanted to stand out from the Dr. Marten’s 1460-wearing crowd.

From kids and teens,  guys and gals, to mods and skinheads, the Monkey boot began infiltrating society through uniforms, cheaper alternatives to popular competitors like her aforementioned Dr. Martens, and durable exclamation points to outfits that served as a personal expression as much as a statement to the world.

Although written and recorded in 2010, Ska/Rocksteady Artist King Hammond’s “Monkey Boots” Captures just how prevalent the style was in skinhead culture.

Like other types of boots throughout history, no one company had a monopoly on the Monkey boot. That’s why there were so many nuances in the model depending on the maker and even the country of origin. Czech exporters Cebo and Svit were notable makers from the homeland of the Monkey Boot, but a Polish manufacturer called Zuch also began producing the style, which was heavily imported by British vendors after the style became popular in London.

The most notable maker, though, was Grafters. Arguably the archetypal Monkey Boot, Grafters were made in the Czech Republic before they were branded ‘Grafters’ by British importers. They were produced in the Czech Republic until the late 2010s/early 2020s, when production was moved to India.

Who Is Making Them Today?

Although not as popular as during their peak, the heritage of monkey boots is alive and well and the style has seen a spike in popularity in the last 5 years. From brands like Grafters that have lived through the original hype to higher-quality brands like George Cox and Solovair, the original style is still represented in today’s market. Even Dr. Marten’s has gotten in on the action by releasing their Church Monkey Boot, inspired by their original lace-to-toe styles.

Just as there are examples that stay true to the founding boots of yesteryear, there are some elevated examples with world-class construction from a range of makers in our wheelhouse, including Tricker’s, Unmarked, John Lofgren, and more. The following options are all built with high-quality leather and welted construction that allows them to be re-soled if ever required:

Tricker’s

Trickers x Division Road Super Monkey Boots 5402 – Morflex – Espresso & Natural CXL, $685 from Division Road.

Tricker’s x Division Road Super Monkey Boot – 5402 – Morflex – CF Stead Snuff Suede, available for $675 from Division Road.

Women’s Tricker’s x Division Road Super Monkey Boot – Horween Black & Natural CXL, available for $745 from Division Road.

John Lofgren

John Lofgren LK-013 Black Ops Monkey Boots Shinki Hikaku Shell Cordovan, available for $1,650 from Brooklyn Clothing.

Craft & Glory

Craft & Glory Explorer Monkey Boot, available for $235 from Craft & Glory.

Unmarked

Unmarked SF-01 Boots, available for $450 from Unmarked.

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