Neil Armstrong Apollo 11 Boot Prototype
With a whole flurry of new gear collaborations, it appears that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration is back in vogue with some American-made gear. And while getting your hands on NASA-approved goods is certainly pretty cool, it will never compare to acquiring the stuff that the organization actually developed for space travel, like this genuine Apollo 11 A7L Prototype boot made for the first man on the Moon, Neil Armstrong.
While this particular boot did not, in fact, touch the lunar surface, it is quite genuine, having been made by the International Latex Corporation in Dover, Delaware — the same company that helped make NASA’s early space suits. It boasts a construction of light blue silicone (with the familiar tread from Armstrong’s “one small step”) and mylar — though it is missing large parts of the exterior. Accompanied by a letter of authenticity from ILC historian, Bill Ayrey, this significant piece of NASA gear — complete with a stitched Beta fabric tag marked “Armstrong” — just sold at auction for a grand total of $49,000.
