An Iconic Brand Harkens to NASA’s Moon Landing with an Out-of-This-World Boot

Celebrating Caterpillar’s 100th anniversary, this footwear honors the brand’s integral involvement in the Apollo 11 mission.

Cat Footwear Centennial Apollo 11 Boot footpring on lunar surface

By Sean Tirman

Published June 13, 2025

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Updated June 13, 2025

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Cat Inc., colloquially known as Caterpillar, is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. While the brand is perhaps best known for its heavy machinery — dozers, backhoes, excavators, generators and so forth — the brand also has a healthy catalog of footwear, including everything from work boots to casual lifestyle sneakers.

As a part of its centennial celebration, the brand has launched a trio of boots inspired by the brand’s extensive history. However, the most interesting of the three is undoubtedly the Cat Footwear Centennial Apollo 11 Boot, which honors the brand’s inexorable, essential connection to the 1969 moon landing.

Cat Footwear Centennial Apollo 11 Boot on the lunar surface with Earth in the background — The Centennial Apollo 11 Boot looks like it was pulled right off a genuine astronaut suit.

The Eagle has landed

At first glance, you might think this boot is nothing more than a fun reference to a significant point in human history — one Caterpillar happened to be around for. But there’s a far deeper connection between the brand and the Apollo 11 moon landing.

The Apollo 11 Lunar Module, called the Eagle (or LM-5), had a communications system that kept the astronauts aboard — Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins — in contact with Earth. Ten Cat Inc. generators powered that communications system.

Caterpillar was instrumental in the success of NASA’s most famous mission.

That means Caterpillar was instrumental in the success of NASA’s most famous mission. As such, this boot is more than just a cute tribute; it’s a design that honors the intrepidness of everyone involved in getting American astronauts to (and from) Earth’s primary satellite.

Without Caterpillar’s reliable technology, those three astronauts might not have gone to the moon, or at least we wouldn’t have been able to stay in contact with them, increasing the risks of the mission a hundredfold.

Cat Footwear Centennial Apollo 11 Boot toe cap closeup — The boot’s thick rubberized toe cap adds extra protection and durability.

Moon boots, literally

The footwear’s construction isn’t a gimmick, either. While they’re clearly a bit cheeky in their styling, these boots are still very much legit. For instance, the stacked, rubberized outsole is thick, but is still lightweight (even by Earth gravity standards).

Furthermore, it extends up the heel and over the toe cap, adding extra durability where it’s needed and adding further to the spacesuit-inspired styling. Plus, down underneath, you’ll find thick, grippy all-terrain treads inspired by the brand’s heavy machinery.

Cat Footwear Centennial Apollo 11 Boot outsole tread — Caterpillar’s heavy machinery inspired the boots’ thick, grippy outsole.

Furthermore, the upper is puffy and insulated, helping to keep the wearer’s feet warm, even out of the atmosphere (probably … but maybe don’t test this claim). It’s also equipped with a bungee-style lacing system and a velcro strap for a simple, secure fit every time you put them on.

Finally, the whole boot has been brushed to give it a dusty appearance, just like the moon boots worn by the real moon-stomping astronauts. Finishing touches include a commemorative woven patch and a removable hangtag.

Cat Footwear Centennial Apollo 11 Boot on lunar surface — The boots’ thick outsole pairs surprisingly well with their insulated puffer upper.

Available now

The Cat Footwear Centennial Apollo 11 boot, alongside the rest of the Centennial Collection, is available on the brand’s site now for $150. However, some sizes have already sold out.