I Think I've made a Discovery- Help From Japan Needed!

[SgtFang]

I was watching "Rodan" earlier, and as I was watching the scene where the guy is remembering seeing Rodan hatch in the cave, I couldn't help but notice he seemed to be wearing KLINGON boots! :confused

After pausing and zooming in, I saw they were knee high tabi shoes/ boots, but not the cheap crap you get in the flea market martial arts booths. These were very stoutly made, and looked to be made of thick leather, or maybe rubber coated to be water proof. (the character was a miner) All they needed to be Klingon boots was the quilted cuff at the top and the little horn at the top of the foot.

So I've been googling the last couple hours and it turns out tabi shoes are really popular with Japanese construction guys because you can really feel the ground you're walking on in them. They're especially popular with the "Tobis"- These guys appear to be the Samurai of construction workers who do all the really dangerous stuff. Their work clothes seem to be an almost surrealistic blend of traditional styles made with modern technologies and features. (Think kimonos with Goretex, and tabi boots with Sorbothane insoles and steel toes :eek)

The problem I'm running into is either everything I click on links back to the original article I found, or it's in Japanese and I can't navigate the site.

Here's the original article-

http://www.pingmag.jp/2006/01/18/construction-worker-fashion/


Can anyone help me out?

Thanks!

-Sarge

 

[SgtFang]

These are perfect, but they're too short. :confused

http://www.uni-work.co.jp/web/at/10006/index.html

-Sarge

 

[neosporing]

so you're looking for a knee-high 'construction grade' tabi-boot? Or are you looking for a specific brand?

I work with some japanese people, i can ask for you.

 

[SgtFang]

so you're looking for a knee-high 'construction grade' tabi-boot? Or are you looking for a specific brand?

I work with some japanese people, i can ask for you.

No specific brand yet, just knee high, black, leather or rubber coated. They would look a LOT like the one above, just taller.

There's a production shot showing Christopher Lloyd head to toe in his Kruge uniform against one of the buildings at Paramount where you can really see the tabi similarities, but I can't find it anywhere right now.

Also, I've known for years Paramount "did" make complete "hero" boots from scratch, with platform soles, big zippers up the insides etc., but I'm now positive the ones in STTMP and ST3 (maybe background boots?) were these tall tabis.

Thanks!

-Sarge

 

[Homicidal9]

i don't know if anyone is a fan of the show Ninja Warrior, but almost everyone of the contestants wear these very same boots...i doubt that helps very much...but ya never know...

Tommy

 

[Homicidal9]

http://stores.ebay.com/TABIS-ONLINE

 

[Onigiri]

Sorry Sarge,, the TMP boots and ST3 boots were custom. Later on in Next Gen and on riding boots without split toes were modified to resemble the other boots but the originals were custom. I was able to examine and original set of TMP boots in 1980 and I had in my possesion for a period of time John Larroquettes boots from ST3. Since then I have also had the opportunity to examine other boots used in teh movies and series and all were either complete custom (the movies) or modified riding boots. Definitley NOT Tabi. There was alsso a rumor going around for a while that the boots used in Planet of the Apes were being used as background boots but I have never found any substantiation to that.

No specific brand yet, just knee high, black, leather or rubber coated. They would look a LOT like the one above, just taller.

There's a production shot showing Christopher Lloyd head to toe in his Kruge uniform against one of the buildings at Paramount where you can really see the tabi similarities, but I can't find it anywhere right now.

Also, I've known for years Paramount "did" make complete "hero" boots from scratch, with platform soles, big zippers up the insides etc., but I'm now positive the ones in STTMP and ST3 (maybe background boots?) were these tall tabis.

Thanks!

-Sarge

 

[Rogue Studios]

Heck they look like Planet of the Apes shoes/boots too.

 

[phase pistol]

A planet where boots are worn by men? It's a MAD HOUSE! A MAAAAAAD HOUUUUUUSE!

Damn you all to hell. KTHXbye.

 

[shortimer52]

What toe do those boots split?:wacko

 

[SgtFang]

Sorry Sarge,, the TMP boots and ST3 boots were custom. Later on in Next Gen and on riding boots without split toes were modified to resemble the other boots but the originals were custom. I was able to examine and original set of TMP boots in 1980 and I had in my possesion for a period of time John Larroquettes boots from ST3. Since then I have also had the opportunity to examine other boots used in teh movies and series and all were either complete custom (the movies) or modified riding boots. Definitley NOT Tabi. There was alsso a rumor going around for a while that the boots used in Planet of the Apes were being used as background boots but I have never found any substantiation to that.

Don, having been able to compare original boots in person, were you able to notice any "evolution" in the foot portion? In the STTMP and the ST3 boots, the foot itself seems to have been a lot more streamlined than the boots seen in later movies/ series.

I first started noticing big differences in Trek 5 with Klaa and Vixis boots. That's where I first started noticing the foot getting bulkier and taller with the platform soles. Also, what looked simply like a split toe on the earlier ones, now started looking more like a formed leather "cloven hoof" on these and later versions. I did notice the rubber boot conversions on Toral in "Redemption 1 & 2", and Kahless and Kang's brown boots, but I didn't really count them.

I did get to see some boots that were supposedly made by "Willie" at Paramount on a couple big name fans back in the 90's but they were really bulky, and the toe part extended a full inch or more beyond their real toes, causing them to have kind of a duck waddle when they walked.:lol Also they had a HUGE bulky brass zipper going up the calves that I've never been able to spot on TV.

Do you have any pics of the original boots you could post? If nothing else, I still think these industrial Tabis would make one heck of a reasonable facsimile, for the costumers on a budget.

Thanks!

-Sarge

 

[SgtFang]

[BUMP]!

-Sarge

 

[runnriottt]

Knee high might be harder, as for most go to the top or the mid calf. Are you looking for a zippered or a more traditional clip style boot? Fully rubber or a blend?

I own two pair, a steel toe and a regular pair. I have worn Tabi from 14 years old, and love em. The split is for balance, as for most modern Japanese scaffolding workers use them. Not to hard to find, but I havent seen a knee high version.

Sarge, I live in Japan, and will be on the hunt for you. Do you have a pic of the costumed boot?

 

[Onigiri]

Sarge,
I may be able to dig up some pics of the boots we photographed in '80. They were definitely a built up toe even back then and had zippers on teh insides of the legs. The 'metal' armor on the sides was also made from leather and the toe horn was resin with a leather cover. The Laroquette boots were identical. Anyway, I found a link you might like...high top leather tabi in sizes up to 12.5

http://www.leathertabi.net/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=46

 

[SgtFang]

Sarge,
I may be able to dig up some pics of the boots we photographed in '80. They were definitely a built up toe even back then and had zippers on teh insides of the legs. The 'metal' armor on the sides was also made from leather and the toe horn was resin with a leather cover. The Laroquette boots were identical. Anyway, I found a link you might like...high top leather tabi in sizes up to 12.5

http://www.leathertabi.net/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=46

Oh wow! I think those would make one HELL of a reasonable facsimile for costumers on a budget! Quilt up some black vinyl for the cuff, add some leather strips to the sides and Zot! A person could even take them to a shoe repair place to have a platform sole added.

YouDaMan!

-Sarge