Safari boots and brands !!!

[STARCHEDUPDAD]

What brands and types of boots are y’all wearing out in SA???

 

[HoosierHunter]

Jim Green Rangers. Bought them for the safari and they have turned into nearly an everyday boot for me.

 

[MontanaPat]

I would advise to just make sure whatever boots you use they should be all leather. My first trip in RSA I used some lighter weight hiking boots I had that were part leather and part fabric. We got into some grass with tiny needle like tops that penetrated right through those boots and made it very painful to walk. Could hardly brush them off that night or get out of my socks, lesson learned!

 

[Adam Stevens]

Own both Jim green barefoots and courteney selous. Love them both

 

[Sika98k]

I have been very fond of Courteney boots up til now. I feel they are pricing themselves out of the market. My PH’s this year were wearing JimGreen boots . I picked up a pair in Safari Outdoors in Pretoria. They are pretty comfortable and I wear them as an everyday boot at work.

 

[zephyr]

Courtney's Jim Greens neither fit my Fat Feet

 

[pilar]

I wear Jim green, my brother wears his moc toe redwing or thoughgood work boots

 

[Hunt anything]

I wear 11 year old Courtney Selous with sole inserts, they don’t have any arch support to speak of. They are comfortable, I even wear them on the plane to save space in the suitcase.

 

[mdwest]

Safari boots custom made by James Leddy Boots..

Their safari boot is only marginally more than a set of Courteneys, and they are bespoke.. made for your specific feet, to your design (you can tell Al (the Zimbabwean boot maker) what sole you want, whether you want a more rounded or squared toe, how high or low of a heel you want, etc.. and you can use your own leather from one of your hunts (mine were made from my cape buff hide), or he has a wide variety of african exotic leathers to choose from..

Our Breath-Taking Boots | James Leddy Boots Abilene, Texas

jamesleddyabilene.com

 

[Bill J H]

Jim Green African Rangers here…but…those Leddy boots look interesting. My dad had a couple pair of M.L. Leddy boots when I was a kid; maybe he was kin to Jim Leddy.

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

Courtney Safari model for me, wear a pair for work and everyday wear also. I own 6 pair now. Tried Jim Green and never found a pair that fit my wide foot comfortable enough to keep. All depends on your foot

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Courteney Jamesons, the high ankle ones and with ripple soles. So much more comfortable than my Courteney Safaris and it makes it even easier to wear ankle puttees. Then there is absolutely no ingress af sand which sometimes happens when you wear gaiters over a low boot.
I always put plantar fasciitis orthotics into my Courteneys, now they are really cushioned.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Like this:

 

[Datchew]

Ill second using leather vs fabric.
Things are stabby over there.

I ran some lowa renegade gtx mid boots. Slightly heavier sole than I wanted but I welcomed the protection. And I can run in them.

My Leatherman micro became a gift to my pH (he was impressed by its high quality tweezers) after we spent an afternoon stop to help him pull a thorn out of the bottom of his foot that went right through his Jim greens.

But the greens have a natural rubber sole that is helpful if you have trouble walking quietly.

 

[Hunt anything]

The only time I’ve worn anything other than leather was in the Zambezi delta in Mozambique, I wore Keens water shoes and Rocky boots with a mix of leather and nylon so the water could drain out.

 

[Rare Breed]

Like this:
View attachment 710912

Looks like a Westley Richards shirt?

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Looks like a Westley Richards shirt?

Yes indeed. The WR shorts are great too, not wearing them in that photo though. That was last week at Mhara River Camp in Mana Pools. I have never seen so many buffalo in one place, some prize old bulls amongst them.

 

[fourfive8]

Have 3 pair of Courteney boots- 1 Selous and 2 Safari. Have paid average of 200 USD per pair. Purchased as new and as low mileage used.

Make sure they fit and break them in before using them for hunt. They are ideal for my use hunting in common, hot dry African conditions including trekking long distance over hard scrabble or sand.

Ankle support and arch support are counter-intuitive, IMO, for best results. Correct width at toe and especially at heel are more important than the illusion of ankle or arch support. Full width, fairly flat sole is also important. Try to walk long distance of at least a few miles, in scrabble mountains or gentle slopes of soft sand, either one, in stiff boots with complete ankle support as is so often recommended…. then report back

 

[STARCHEDUPDAD]

Have 3 pair of Courteney boots- 1 Selous and 2 Safari. Have paid average of 200 USD per pair. Purchased as new and as low mileage used.

Make sure they fit and break them in before using them for hunt. They are ideal for my use hunting in common, hot dry African conditions including trekking long distance over hard scrabble or sand.

Ankle support and arch support are counter-intuitive, IMO, for best results. Correct width at toe and especially at heel are more important than the illusion of ankle or arch support. Full width, fairly flat sole is also important. Try to walk long distance of at least a few miles, in scrabble mountains or gentle slopes of soft sand, either one, in stiff boots with complete ankle support as is so often recommended…. then report back

Where did you purchase these at ?

 

[Adipose]

I enjoy having different boots and have quite a few depending on where I am hunting. The weather, is it rock or sand, support for miles a day or xtra quiet for stalks etc. It all plays a part weather its the mud in Maine or the red beach sand of South Africa.
Over the past 12 months I picked 5 boots that I chose to compare for my safari this year which I leave for in a couple days. I have used Courtneys before and that is what I wore last year. They are Very good, but I wanted something better. Zamberlain was just to much boot for what I felt wearing them this summer. Great boots, fantastic support but I felt was better for Alaska than Africa.

I am surprised how many people really liked the Jim Green boots. I can say the price is attractive, but I felt like I was wearing a cheaper knock off of the courtneys, I could feel the seams they were to wide with the least amount of support of all the boots I tested this year. They had the Africa look and thats it. The boot that was my second choice for this year was the Danner Recurve Moc Toe. Ok what a great boot overall. Great support with a fairly flat sole and heel which I like in sand. Cool in the summer and I could walk and hike all day in them. I really like these boots and yes, we make some great boots here in the United States.

My first choice for this year was The Gokey Simba Safari Boot. I tested and wore both the Simba and also The Chui Safari Boot. The only big difference between the two was the Chui has a leather upper lining behind the green cloth where the simba does not making it a bit lighter, form fitting to your shin and cooler. these boots are just for me by far above anything else I wore and all the boots were great ( well maybe not the Jim Greens). I also have A couple pairs of their Mocs and usually have one with me for around camp and the fire at night. Gokey Simba Safari wins for me in 2025!

I also have been testing the Shadow Hunter boot by Gokey. Although I am not taking these to Africa this year, they remind me of the old Ring Mocs we used to get in Maine years ago except with laces for a better fit and I think are going to be amazing for stalking whitetails.