Craft, Culture, and the Adventures Good Boots Take You On

Greetings from Krabi.

I got up before sunrise, jumped on the bike, and rode a few hours for a cup of coffee on the beach. I’m sipping it now, looking out over the Andaman Sea. Worth the early start.

We’ve got three new reads on the Naang Blog this week. One looks at cushioning and long-term comfort in boots. The other two are my ride from Bangkok to Surat Thani on an overpacked Guerrilla 450 and our holiday gift guide for boot lovers. We’re down to our last two merino beanies, and I’ve included a reminder about our upcoming Black Friday sale.

Two stories caught my eye this week. The Dakar Rally is heading back to Africa, and a roundup of spooky hikes includes a trail into an Appalachian ghost town. I’ve also got a photo of the three pairs of Naangs I brought to Surat Thani for the next few months of exploring. Back in the workshop, a pair of black Winnfield uppers is ready for solid brass eyelets.

Let’s get into it.

-dana

From the Naang Blog

We’ve got three new articles on the Naang Blog this week. First up, we look at how the trend toward thicker, softer soles has made its way from running shoes into boots. A cushioned boot can feel great when you first pull it on. How does it feel after a full day on your feet? We dig into what the research says about cushioning and foot strength, then look at how foam and leather footbeds change as you wear them.

I also wrote about my ride from Bangkok to Surat Thani on my Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450. I overpacked the bike and had a few hiccups along the way, but it was a fun ride south. I’ve now got a base in Surat Thani for the next few months.

Rounding out the week is our Boot Lovers’ Holiday Gift Guide. We picked out boot care gear, travel essentials, and a few everyday carry favorites. If the boot lover on your list already has a favorite pair, you’ll still find plenty of ideas.

You’ll find all three articles below. Knowledge is power. Enjoy the reads.

Two Merino Wool Beanies Left

Last week we put five hand-knit merino wool beanies in the shop. Three have already found homes. Thanks for the support!

We’ve got two left, each with a hand-embroidered label. Worldwide shipping is still free. If you’ve had your eye on one, now’s the time to grab it.

Black Friday Sale

Black Friday Sale this year is 25% off all orders and a FREE stacked leather handle boot horn with every boot order. The same starts on Novermber 27th and ends on November 30th

USE CODE BLKFRI

The Dakar Rally Heads Back to Africa

I look forward to the Dakar Rally every year; for me, it’s the equivalent of the Super Bowl of adventure riding. A massive update to the course is that this year, due to regional instability, they are moving back to Africa.

The 2027 Dakar Rally is moving from Saudi Arabia to Portugal and Morocco. It’ll be the first time the Dakar has raced on African soil since 2007. The move is only for one year, with Saudi Arabia set to host the rally’s 50th edition in 2028.

The route starts in Portugal’s Algarve. After the first stage, riders and crews will head to the port for an overnight crossing to Nador, Morocco. From there, they’ll race south through the desert before turning north along the Atlantic coast to finish in Marrakech. That’s 7,824 kilometers in all.

Read the FIA’s full announcement

A Ghost Town at the End of the Trail

Halloween may be over, but I’d still lace up my boots for the hike into Lost Cove. It’s an abandoned mountain town on the North Carolina–Tennessee line, and you can only get there on foot.

I read about this hike in GearJunkie this week. When writer Katie Richter made the hike, she spotted a rusted roof through the trees. Farther along, she found the stone steps to the old church and chimneys still standing where the houses are gone.

Lost Cove is one of five places Richter covers. Another hike, in Washington’s Olympic National Forest, leads to the wreckage of a B-17 that crashed in a blizzard in 1952. Pieces of the wings are still there on the forest floor. A couple of the other trips will take more than a pair of boots, including a kayak paddle through the remains of a World War I fleet on the Potomac.

If you are near any of these and looking for some fun late-season hikes, they seem like fun ones to get after.

Explore all five sites on GearJunkie

In the Workshop

This week’s photo shows a pair of black Winnfield uppers just before we press in the solid brass eyelets. I love the way the brass stands out against the black leather. It’s a slick look.

Naang Boots in The Wild

I may have overpacked the Guerrilla for the ride down from Bangkok, but I’m glad all three pairs of Naangs made the trip. Here’s the full lineup with me in Surat Thani.

I’ve got a few months to explore southern Thailand. Whether that means a day on the bike, a hike, or just pulling on a pair of boots to see what’s down the road, I’m looking forward to it.

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