Palladium: Conquer Your Environment

Here’s to the explorers. The pioneers. Those who tread the path less travelled, forging the way ahead for others to follow. Here’s to adventures, near or far. To those who search further, deeper, higher. From exploring the concrete corridors of our urban jungles to scaling granite monoliths on the border between land and sea – no matter where your adventures take you, it’s your feet that carry you there.

This has been the drive behind our enduring collaboration with Palladium; creating rugged, waterproof boots built with recycled materials that have less impact on the planet.

For those in the know, Palladium will need no introduction. The brand is synonymous with urban underground culture and has become known as the boot of choice for photographers working in the field, with their rugged and durable footwear.

What you might not know is that Palladium first came into existence making aeroplane tyres, way back in the 1920s. Experts in rubber manufacturing, they were well placed for the boom in aerial exploration during the early 20th century and their tyres accompanied an entire generation of aviation pioneers who were filling in parts of the map that still had dragons and sea monsters drawn on them.

After the second world war, elite special forces like the French Foreign Legion drew thousands of new recruits and needed a uniform that was as tough as its members. Being a legionnaire meant walking, crawling, climbing, running – tackling, surviving and navigating some of the world’s most hostile environments. Palladium answered the call by creating a lightweight but durable boot that would perform in the harsh conditions endured by the Legion, using their expertise in rubber manufacturing to create the soles and pairing them with a hardy canvas upper. Thus, the first Palladium boots were born.

The boots quickly became recognised for the quality of their manufacturing and resistance to the elements, making them firm favourites with explorers and adventurers. In 1960 the French-Polish volcanologist and explorer Haroun Tazieff was attempting to get further into the crater of active volcanoes than anyone had ever attempted. His boots? Palladium of course.

The boots Palladium were making were no longer just for the military. The 60s saw a boom in both the disposable income of families and more leisure time in which to spend it. Hiking and camping experienced an explosion in popularity and the company’s demographic shifted once again, focussing more on families who wanted to escape the city and reconnect with nature, needing sturdy footwear to tackle those new environments.

Always thinking ahead and pioneering change, the 70s and 80s saw Palladium evolve yet again. From sporting activities like basketball and tennis to underground counter cultures and the spirit of protest, Palladium became the footwear of choice for young activists, musicians, artists and those expressing their difference. Whether it was their classic boots, loved for their durability on the streets or their new sports range proving their speed on the feet of protesters outfoxing the police, Palladium had become ‘cool’.

But the brand never lost that connection to the environment which had formed its ethos, and in 1991 they created one of the first sustainable shoes on the market. Built with a durable organic cotton canvas this update to their original Pallabrousse boots was a game changer. The move was decades ahead of the rest of the industry in attitude, and echoed the environmental values of the brand.

Fast forward to today and Palladium are globally recognised as a leader in sustainable footwear. Since our founding in 2003 Finisterre has stood for durable, sustainable product – built to connect people to the sea and enable their adventures. With such well aligned values our collaboration with Palladium was really a no brainer.

Back for a second season after selling out in under a week last year, our waterproof Pallatrooper Hikers are designed to handle any terrain and any environment – from urban exploration to roaming the coast. Built with recycled materials throughout, without compromising on performance, Palladium have helped us build our most ruggled footwear to date.

The spirit of adventure is a rare spark, to be celebrated, nurtured, championed. We’ve built this collection to protect the feet that carry you on those adventures.

Venture forth, and conquer your environment.