Alaskan Boot Brand XTRATUF Step Into European Market

XTRATUF’s Ankle Day Boot is popular in the UK – the company is already a success within the USA’s fishing community – and the brand is looking to take steps into the European market. We spoke with Marketing Executive, Milly Pestell to see what was next to for XTRATUF, and how they were tailoring their popular seafaring products to land-based user.

As an all-American company that is well respected in the fishing community can you give us a brief history of the company.
We can’t tell the story of XTRATUF without also talking of Alaska. 50 years ago, a brown boot arrived in Alaska – a boot as rugged and real as the people who lived and worked there. Those brown boots were XTRATUFs and those that wore them were exactly that – extra tough. Worn by fishermen on the world’s deadliest seas, their XTRATUF boots kept them safe, dry and moving forward, one sure step at a time.

Fishing folk travelled to Alaska for the season and when they left, took their XTRATUF boots with them – spreading XTRATUF across the rest of the United States and beyond. Now, it is easy to overlook the fact that for much of its existence, XTRATUF was perhaps the best kept secret in fishing. These days, our boots are worn by generations of families – from fishermen to explorers, kayakers to snowboarders, surfers to brewers – and everyone in between.

As XTRATUF lands on UK shores, we’re safe in the knowledge that these boots don’t only talk the talk, they walk the walk. XTRATUF – it’s way more than a boot, it’s a way of life.

Women’s Ankle Deck Boot (ADB)

Please tell us about the key products in your current line.
Legacy is our hero style, dubbed the Alaskan sneaker. This silhouette works for consumers that are working on the water in a commercial capacity. Our best-selling style here in the UK is the Ankle Deck Boot, affectionately known as the ‘ADB’. The reason this style works way beyond the boat is because it’s 100% waterproof and incredibly comfortable. Our Deck Boots have been crafted specifically for sport, outdoor enthusiasts, and recreational fishermen. Anglers are athletes, and like any athlete, they need the best footwear to help them perform at a high level. Handcrafted from natural rubber, we have created a lightweight design with the same high traction chevron outsole found in our Legacy boots. This performance ankle deck boot is ideal for any on the water athlete looking for protection with slip-on-and-go styling. Our latest introduction the Après Fish is designed to provide comfort and safety in transitioning out of a long day in XTRATUF boots, the Après Fish is a one-piece slide made completely of BIO LITE, a low-compression, high-performance EVA foam that delivers superior impact absorption and support. The Après Fish is non-marking and has an SRC rated slip-resistant outsole, gripping the deck or floor’s surface for sure footing. BIO LITE is eco-friendlier than many other injection molded foams in the market, so consumers can feel as good about wearing them as their feet will in them.

What made the company take a leap into taking on board the English surfer Andrew “Cotty” Cotton to become part of XTRATUF’s pro-team over approaching someone like Kelly Slater or Mick Fanning?
XTRATUF is built for a community of doers. The community we have built are people who push boundaries, who find extreme conditions exhilarating and who throw themselves into life without boundaries. Whether that’s a fisherman on a trawler boat in the harshest and most dangerous seas known to man, or those who throw themselves down the steepest of mountains, XTRATUF enables them to perform at their highest level. XTRATUF’s heart and soul is born from a desire to enable those ‘Doers’ to keep moving, keep working and keep performing. We love Cotty’s journey of plumber to professional surfer and his connection and affinity to XTRATUF. We are inspired by his journey coming back to surfing after breaking his back on the 100-foot wave… and this determination, grit and endurance is what aligns with XTRATUF. Authenticity is incredibly important to us, and Cotty loves the product and brand heritage, so it was a natural progression for him to come on board to support with elevating XTRATUF in the UK. Our PRO team offer us product feedback that ensures we bring to market the best-in-class product that aligns with the needs from our community.

From an overarching brand perspective, our PRO team is an integral part of XTRATUF, therefore regionalising this was an important part of our journey launching in the UK. We searched long and hard to find an ambassador that truly embodies what it means to be XTRATUF and are proud to have Cotty a part of the XTRATUF PRO team.

Men’s Apres Fish

With your strong online presence on social platforms and with the highly successful programme The Deadliest Catch, how will “Cotty” be promoted?
We like to see the Cotty PRO team inclusion as an authentic partnership than promotion as such. Cotty will be showcasing his favoured XTRATUF styles on his channels naturally, whilst going about his daily travels.

How did the company transition its footwear from the sea to land?
We are entirely guided by our XTRATUF community. We saw an influx of ‘Doers’ in the market wearing our product in multiple ways. It was a natural progression for us to develop and innovate with tech to provide a product that takes the strength of our on-sea collection and merge with the requirements on land.

The adventurous lifestyle is heavily promoted on your website, how will the company start to transition to more local consumer-based sales? Will that be by increasing online presence via a B2B or on a bricks-and-mortar basis?
We strive to offer an omni channel approach to our consumers. Enabling them to buy XTRATUF in a multitude of ways whilst offering an incredible shopping experience. We strive to have stockists that align to our brand values and understand the rich deep heritage of XTRATUF. We see huge value in working with independents in the surf and outdoor space to tell our story and aim to invest in these channels to elevate the brand growth and story telling. What in your repertoire do you feel keeps the rate of revenue ticking over in this current cost of living crises?
We enable those who live, work and play in the most challenging environments to perform at their highest level. Our footwear is born from a need, rather than a commodity… fishermen need our product to do their jobs. If they don’t have warm, dry and comfortable boots on their feet, they can’t earn money. Our brand is anchored in our core audience, and this is what keeps XTRATUF alive and our revenue ticking. Our consumer groups, Future Adopter and Core Plus are inspired by this way of life and invest in XTRATUF as they know the legitimacy and longevity of the product. With a challenging economic climate, consumers are investing in product they know will last, and we’re confident in our brand promise that XTRATUF can provide this.

Many brands deal with overstock by providing their customers with end of line discounts. Have you had to do this with your buyers?
We are very new to the market, therefore do not have end of line discounts. We are conscious of the current economic market and therefore support buyers with the necessary programs to help enable the strength of their retailers.

Do you plan on getting into the world of sponsorship given that your website actively promotes wanting to hear from people wanting to join your pro-team?
Currently, the PRO team role is to put our gear to the test and ensure we live up to our promise of providing gear for the most epic conditions. Our strapline is ‘there is no such thing as bad weather when you have the right gear’. We continue to strive to connect with individuals that embody what it means to be XTRATUF. And the expansion of this sponsorship method is part of our growth strategy.

Can you tell us how you’re planning to break into the European market.
We see the future of XTRATUF as being available in all areas of the globe and so expanding outside of the UK is part of our growth strategy. Our tactic would be to target the regions with a natural connection to the ocean. Finding the right partners before we move forward is of utmost importance to us; XTRATUF is a unique and special brand that requires the right distribution partner to launch it within those regions and nurture the brand DNA and distinction in the market.