Bond’s most useful footwear is rarely the dressiest. For the meeting with Mr White in Spectre, Daniel Craig’s Bond wears a boot: black calf, plain at the toe, set on a heavy rubber sole. The Crockett & Jones Radnor was conceived as a Goodyear-welted version of the Snowdon, and it is, in our view, one of the most sensible things Bond has put on his feet.
In the film
Bond wears the Radnor in black calf in Spectre (2015), in the Austria sequence in which he meets Mr White at his cabin. Crockett & Jones itself marks the boot’s appearance in the film as a landmark for last 228.
The details of the Crockett & Jones Radnor
A plain front. There is no toecap and no brogueing, so the upper is one clean sweep of leather. It reads as a working boot rather than a dress one, which is why it sits so easily under trousers of almost any weight.
A Commando sole. Crockett & Jones describes the sole as heavy-duty Commando rubber. The rugged tread suits a boot meant for weather, and gives it a squared-off, purposeful stance.
Goodyear welted. The Radnor was conceived as a Goodyear-welted take on the Snowdon, which is built using Veldtschoen construction. The welt means the sole can be replaced by a cobbler rather than the boot thrown away.
Last 228. Crockett & Jones ties the Radnor’s Spectre appearance to last 228, the shape it says cemented itself in the company’s legacy in 2015. The last is the form a boot is built around, so fit matters more than anything: try a pair before committing.
Black calf. A smooth, dark calf takes polish well and shows scuffs less than a pale leather. It is the smartest finish a boot of this shape can have.
Wearing it now
The honest news first: the black calf Radnor appears to be out of production, so the exact boot from the film is found second-hand or as old stock, and our button runs an eBay search for it. We would not overpay for it, and we would check the size and the condition of the sole before buying. The shape is easy to find in spirit.
How to wear it. The Radnor suits dark denim, wool trousers, a roll-neck or a field jacket. Black calf makes it smarter than a brown rough-out boot and quite at home beneath charcoal flannel in winter. Trousers with a clean, straight leg and a little break let the boot show.
The nearest alternative. A close relative, the Radnor 4, is a plain-front derby boot on a Ridgeway rubber sole with a storm welt, made in other leathers such as rough-out suede. It is a sibling rather than the film boot, and availability varies by retailer. The Snowdon is the other obvious route to the same look.
Care. Brush after wearing, use a good cream and wax polish on the calf, and keep cedar trees in the boots between wears. See more in our shoes selection, or read about Daniel Craig in the role.
In the same spirit
These are alternatives, not the boot from the scene with Mr White. For a black calf boot with the same practical outlook, see the Crockett & Jones Camberley Black Calf Boot, a double-buckle monk-strap boot on a Dainite rubber sole: a different boot from the same maker, in the same leather. The Radnor 4 and the Snowdon, described above, are the nearer cousins in shape.
Specifications
| Style | Plain-front derby boot |
|---|---|
| Leather | Black calf |
| Sole | Commando rubber |
| Construction | Goodyear welted |
| Last | 228 |
| Film | Spectre (2015) |
| Status | Appears to be out of production; second-hand only |
| Price | £460 at launch in September 2015, as reported at the time; not a current RRP |
Further details on the maker’s current boots are at Crockett & Jones.
Questions
Did Bond wear the Crockett & Jones Radnor in Spectre?
Yes. Bond wears the Radnor in black calf during the meeting with Mr White at his cabin in Austria. Crockett & Jones also credits the boot’s appearance in the film as a landmark for last 228.
Is the Crockett & Jones Radnor still made?
It appears not. Our research indicates the maker no longer produces the black calf Radnor, so look to the second-hand market.
What is the difference between the Radnor and the Snowdon?
The Radnor was inspired as a Goodyear-welted version of the popular Snowdon, which is built with Veldtschoen construction. The difference lies in how the sole is attached to the boot.
What is the Radnor 4?
It is a related plain-front derby boot from Crockett & Jones, made on a Ridgeway rubber sole with a storm welt. It is not the exact boot from Spectre, but it shares the same sturdy, plain-fronted shape.
For more on what Bond wears, browse our guide to the films.
