Ahnu Chukka Analysis

In the ongoing effort to revitalize my shoe collection, since I became consciously aware of it, I have focused a good amount of attention on finding a decent chukka boot, or any low boot really.  Several aborted attempts have led to disappointment.

The Ahnu chukka seems like a keeper.

The Ahnu chukka exhibits a number of interesting features.  The first is the giant rubber rand.  Think of it as a bumper.  If I accidentally collide with an object, I will surely transmute the full force of the collision into potential energy shored up in the rubber rand.

The next is the upper material itself: waterproof yet supple leather, giving the shoe the look and feel of durability without sacrificing comfort.  The solid color dying of the leather with the subtle gray stitching blends the utility boot structure with skateboarders’ haute-couture.

The pull tab on the back is not going to tear off anytime soon, bolted as it is with rivets.  Notice also the added rubber fender that provides extra security from accidental heel bumps, and the molded contour of the sole that sneaks up into the arch of the foot, providing a snug athletic fit.

Yes, the front also has a rubber fender to protect from toe jams and to provide extra rebound from full-frontal collisions.

The shoelace eyelets are almost rectangular in shape, distributing the pulling force of the tightened shoelaces equally across as wide and flat a surface area as possible.  You physicists will understand that this provides maximum counter-force the way level ground provides the maximum equal and opposite force pushing up to cancel the downward vector of your weight.

On first glance, you may suspect the shoelaces are of the hiking boot variety – rigid and tough.  But these laces are, in fact, soft regular cotton laces, and are simply a striped nod to our fond nostalgia for those hiking boots we rarely have cause to wear.  The padded collar provides extra comfort and prevents ankle chaffing from the chukka.

The sole is no ordinary sole.  More reminiscent of thermal imaging or topographical maps, than something you regularly step on, this sole is a reminder that the Ahnu chukkha is not simply a shoe, it’s a lifestyle.