Japanese brand Rolling Dub Trio dreams up a variety of boots and shoes that take cues from classic Americana, but eschew faithfulness to their vintage inspirations in favor of a bit of funkiness. Their products are reliably very well put together, with prices that tend to reflect the work and materials put into them.
Ok great! The only problem? They’re not the easiest to find Stateside outside of Standard & Strange and a few other retailers; that difficulty is compounded by RDT’s stubbornly long lead times.
While S&S has seen some footwear from RDT trickle in recently (including their first true collaboration with the brand), they’re proactively offering their customers a chance to see what’s on the horizon and to reserve their own pairs by offering up another pre-order opportunity. You may recall S&S just held a pre-order event this past autumn; this current pre-order, running through March 16th, features over a dozen unique makeups that weren’t available last time around.
Current lead times suggest that these pairs will arrive between late 2023 and Spring 2024, but if there’s something that’s catching your eye, it might be worthwhile reserving it now rather than taking a chance on the available inventory when they hit S&S’s shelves.
You can find all of these pre-order makeups (as well as some fancy RDT belts and backpacks) here. Below, we’ve got some highlights…
Coupen 7 Boot in Black Chromexcel: $650 (Pre-Order)
We’ve seen Coupens in either their Low or Mid-Cut variants that toe the line between boot and shoe; the Coupen 7 definitively says, “hello, yes, I am a boot now.” And apparently that doesn’t de-Coupen-ize them! Made on the CBT02 last, this Coupen bears seven sets of eyelets, hefty midsoles, and RDT’s signature fusion of cork and leather outsoles along with iron toe taps. The CXL receives an oil treatment at RDT’s factory (literally named The Boots Factory) to give the leather an extra bump of luster and softness.
Coupen Mid-Cut in Black Dressner: $600 (Pre-Order)
S&S is also offering some more of the classic 5-inch-tall Coupen Mid-Cut, including one in this rarely seen Horween leather known as Dressner—a full-grain, veg-tanned teacore leather that has a smooth hand and just a tiny bit of luster. This makeup is fully murdered-out with black hardware and edge dressing for a supremely badass boot-shoe look.
Colobus Monkey Boot in Black Vacchetta: $550 (Pre-Order)
We’re starting to see more and more wholecut monkey boots out there, and we can’t say we’re mad about it. Made with a Blake construction on RDT’s Navy last, the Colobus rides the border of slim monkey boot and old-school sneaker. It’s crafted in an unfinished Italian cowhide that will be quite soft and comfortable out of the box.
Griffin Jodhpur in Brown Horsebutt: $1000 (Pre-Order)
Much like the plain-toe lace-up Griffin, the Griffin Jodhpur is built to a six-inch height on a Munson last. The classic sophisticated look of a jodhpur, paired with an eye-catching logger heel and some sturdy Italian horsebutt.
Casper Side-zip in Tobacco Oiled Suede: $800 (Pre-Order)
The Casper mashes together the round toe of a work boot (courtesy of the CBT02 last) with a laceless sidezip construction. This model comes in an oiled suede that is likely to provide some extra resistance to the elements.
Stan Chelsea in Black Oiled Suede: $600 (Pre-Order)
If you’re thinking about a laceless boot but sidezips aren’t really your bag, there’s also the Stan Chelsea, built on the same CBT02 last, and featuring an identical 360 flat welt and hybrid leather/cork soles with iron toe taps.
Loro Western Boot in Black Horsebutt: $1100 (Pre-Order)
The Loro feels a bit like a roper boot through the lens of a Pacific Northwest bootmaker—a subtle Western pattern built on a modified Munson last and paired with a double-row stitchdown construction, topy’d leather sole, and Quabaug heels with a logger shape. Just might be the coolest of the pre-order bunch.