Tibet / China · Leatherwork / Feltwork / Footwear
པ་བུ (Pabu)
The Tibetan pabu (པ་བུ) are the traditional felt boots worn across the Tibetan plateau in conditions ranging from monastery courtyards to high-altitude herding — the primary footwear of the world's highest inhabited region (4,000-5,000m). Unlike the Mongolian gutuls (CRAFT-0606) which are riding-calibrated, the pabu are walking-calibrated — the thick felt sole is engineered to insulate from frozen ground while maintaining contact sensitivity on rocky terrain. The defining technical knowledge is the sole layering sequence: pabu soles use three layers of felt of different densities — bottom layer hardest (ground contact), middle layer softest (insulation), top layer medium (foot contact). The density sequence is assessed by the snap test: each felt layer snapped sharply — correct density sounds distinct from its neighbors.
Risk level: Critically Endangered · Component of Tibetan traditional culture inscriptions; Tibet national heritage
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