FAQ
Draft v1 · 2026-08-10 · Answers marked PENDING are unlocked only after the final wear-test sample passes. Do not fill them in on intuition.
Frequently asked questions
Is this a pre-order?
Right now it is a free reservation. You give us your email and your size, we take no payment, and you get first access when the Founding Batch opens. The paid Founding Batch opens only after the final sample passes wear testing.
Why are you selling a boot that is not finished?
We are not. We are asking who wants one, and in what size. Founding Batch 001 is 200 pairs and the size split is decided by what the reservation list tells us. Reserving costs you nothing and it is the only reason we will make the right sizes.
When will Keystone ship?
PENDING. We publish a shipping window when there is a confirmed production schedule behind it, and not before. Anyone who gives you a date before the sample is approved is guessing.
Can I cancel?
Yes, at any time, at any stage, right up to dispatch. A reservation costs nothing to leave. A deposit is refunded in full. See the Cancellation Policy.
How does the deposit work?
If we use a deposit structure, it is small, it is fully refundable, and the balance is only charged after the sample passes, production is confirmed, and you have been given a shipping window in writing.
What if my size is wrong?
Founding Batch buyers get free two-way size exchange for 90 days, subject to stock. If we do not have your size, you get a full refund.
What is the fit like? Should I size up or down?
PENDING. The final sample is unlined, which changes the internal volume and how the heel is held, so nothing we learned from the earlier sample carries over. We will publish a sizing recommendation when we have measured it on real feet — including the parts that are inconvenient for us.
Is Keystone waterproof?
No. It is not built as a waterproof boot and we make no waterproof claim. The leather is a waxed, oil-impregnated full-grain pull-up, which handles weather well; that is not the same as waterproof, and we will not blur the two.
Is it a safety boot?
No. There is no safety toe and no safety certification. It is not personal protective equipment and should not be used where certified safety footwear is required.
How is it built?
Stitchdown construction, Vibram 132K Montagna outsole, brown Crazy Horse full-grain pull-up leather, Texon insole board, replaceable PU rebound footbed, YKK side zip, standard US last in D width.
Can it be resoled?
Yes — it is a stitchdown boot, so any cobbler who works with stitchdown can resole it. To be clear about what that does and does not mean: we are stating a fact about the construction. Crantaiger does not yet run its own repair programme, and we are not going to promise one we have not built.
Why does the leather change colour where it bends?
That is what pull-up leather does. The oils move when the leather flexes, so it lightens at the crease and darkens again when you work it back with your hand or a little warmth. It is not damage and it is not a defect — it is the reason a worn pair looks better than a new one. A care card ships with every pair.
How does the outsole handle smooth indoor floors?
The Vibram 132K Montagna is a mountain lug pattern. It is excellent on gravel, broken ground, wet grass and mud, and it is not the sharpest tool on polished indoor concrete or a wet retail floor. No deep lug is. We would rather tell you that here.
How much does it weigh? How tall is the shaft?
PENDING — both are measured on the final sample and published as measurements, not estimates.
Where is it made?
Made in China, at a factory we selected for stitchdown capability specifically.
Will there be other colours?
Founding Batch 001 is brown Crazy Horse only. One colour, one width, one boot — a company at our stage that launches six variants is guessing with money it does not have. Other colourways come after we know what the first 200 pairs taught us.
How will I hear about production?
By email, and only when something has actually happened: sample approved, production started, shipping window set, boots dispatched. We would rather send four emails you read than twenty you delete.
Do you ship outside the US?
PENDING — Founding Batch 001 is a US launch. See the Shipping Policy.