Hunting boots for Northern Limpopo province South Africa

tractormanmike

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Looking for input on good quiet boots for buffalo/sable hunting in SA that wont break the bank.. I need a wide boot and good ankle support( probably an 8 inch high boot). Danner sells a tactical boot that I am considering. It is the Danner Tachyon Coyote. Has anyone used this boot or something similar. I need something with a fairly soft sole that gives good arch support. This will primarily be spot and stalk hunting.

any input or recommendations would be appreciated.
 
I bought Kennetrek hiking boots--the mid-rise--and they are very comfortable. I wore them on two hunts in the Limpopo province of SA on the Limpopo River border with Botswana. Did lots of spot and stalk walking and the Kennetrek boots were great. Check out their website. Easy to order and if they don't fit, return them and they will send another size. There are many different styles to choose from.
 
I own some Cabelas brand designed by Miendl they’re were not expensive online in Australia and have arch / ankle support.
I have the Courteney boots (handmade) from Bulawayo in Africa, they are claimed to be quiet but honestly need good inner soles for arches . The trade off is a tough leather boot with natural rubber sole. African sporting creations is your online retailer.
The best walking boots I’ve had are Ecco they have arch support and are comfortable from the start but I dont see them being a tough hunting boot.
I too like the ankle support. My experience with Courteney posted here is I bought the Selous and they were tight and I wanted higher cut. I ordered the Patrol and they were a generous fit same size. I wore in the Selous and wore them to and in Africa travelling light.
My Selous are heavier leather I don’t know if that is standard as it’s their higher model or because they are handmade and material matched at the time. The shorter boot is heavier overall
I heard of people ordering Selous in a a Patrol height. That’s would be my ideal now my Selous fit right with a good insole.
I find tractor tread picks up small rocks , maybe the cleat sole option would be sufficient.
Courteney are probably $400 but they should last a long time. It depends on what you feel is justified in price. I can’t afford a Buffalo hunt but I have boots to wear for local hunting and walking.
 
While in Limpopo the wife and I hunted in Rocky S2V boots.
Hers are Coyote Brown and mine are Sage Green.
Very comfortable and quiet.
I wear them daily.

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I'm not sure what would break the bank, but I'm sure Russells would have a boot that would meet your needs.
 
I bought and wore the Danner USMC Rat GoreTex boots on my hunt back in June. Found them to be extremely comfortable, good foot bed and ankle support, and have held up well. I wear them for work boots in the woods etc when I’m not hunting. The boots gave me plenty of support when we were hiking up the hills and mountain sides. I would highly recommend them and would recommend Danner across the board. I wear Danners tactical line of boots on a daily basis for work as I’m Law Enforcement officer. Haven’t tried the tachyons yet though.

I found the Rat boots on eBay for much cheaper compared to box stores and Danners website.
 
Not to derail the thread, but for those that have spent the money on the Courteneys, how do you like them and what makes them worth it over the $150-200 options many people use?
 
I have three pair and sent my Russel’s to good will. I like a bit of room in a boot that will be worn for miles. I have worn mine for very very many miles. They are ideal for dry rolling terrain - in other words they are neither a mountain or wet terrain boot. For mountains I have Kennetrek or Meindl; for swamps I use Muck, Dubarry, or Le Chameau. Courtney’s are perfect for Southern Africa. That said, if their expense is an issue, any well broken in hiking boot that fits is fine.
 
I ran the Irish Setter 8" Vaprtrek in the Limpopo last summer and they were great. I also probably had 150 miles or more on those boots before we left. That said our PH ran a pair of steel toe Caterpillar no lace work boots. His response was they fit great and were very comfortable for his foot, he was also very used to wearing them as when he wasn't hunting he was in the coal mine wearing the same boot everyday. It comes down to a good broke in boot that fits your foot like a glove!

Justin
 
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Another vote for Courteney boots and African sporting creations.
Courtney boots work great down to about 30 degrees F, but are definitely not for cold weather.
They are very well built boots but not stiff like a mountain hiking boot.
I have both the Selous and the Patrol.
 
I bought and wore the Danner USMC Rat GoreTex boots on my hunt back in June. Found them to be extremely comfortable, good foot bed and ankle support, and have held up well...

I found the Rat boots on eBay for much cheaper compared to box stores and Danners website.

If you don't want to spend $$$ on Russells then I'd definitely recommend these. Very comfortable though heavier than Russells.I alternated between them and Russells in Africa. BTW, they are on sale on Danner site.

https://www.danner.com/men/military/usmc-rat-8-mojave-st.html
 

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Courteney. Expensive but worth it. You’ll have a cool momento of your hunt that will last many years. You can even get them cheaper in RSA and they don’t really require much break in. That said, the folks at African Sporting Creations are nice to deal with.
 
When I finally get to Africa, I will wear redwing 608s. I wear them all day, every day. I have a pair of rubber boots for when its really muddy or deep snow.
 
If you have normal width feet check out the MACV-1 from Goruck. This is a veteran owned company that specializes in high quality packs and footwear. This boot is well recieved by outdoor, military and LEO communities.

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Love my Russell Moccasin. Wore them in Limpopo and Botswana last year and perfect. 7 hour stalk and track and no foot fatigue. In the mud, in the rocks, in the thornbush they worked like a charm and did their job-protected my feet/ankles and provided quiet and comfortable means to do it all. Often they have some in stock, sale price. In life you get what you pay for-wouldn't use Wolf ammo on DG hunt.
 
I gained a pair of Danners for work a couple years back and found out their idea of wide wasn't so wide. Gave up on them. They may have changed with this model so try them on before buying or order them from a place that will exchange if they don't. Me, I'm a fan of Russels, but they are pricey.
 
I too have a wide foot. The wife and I both wear keen targee ii mid boots. They come in wide sizes. They are waterproof and they also come in a tall version for more ankle support. For us it’s slip them on and they are broken in. And they don’t break the bank!!
 
Comfort and quiet trump name brand and style every day. Find a boot with as non-aggressive sole as possible, and find one that makes you smile when you put it on. Sore feet on a dream hunt could ruin the trip of a lifetime. I tried on over 50 pair of boots until I found the Keen Targhee mid height hikers. I wore them in the upmost comfort the entire trip, 10 days, hiking 10+miles a day, in the loose sand of Limpopo. They are just as much a pleasure to wear now, a year and a half after the hunt, as they were on the hunt. I wear them every day.
 

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