What boots are PH's wearing these days?

[ch_FM77]

Does anyone know how the Jim Green Barefoot Rangers fare with thorns?

 

[DLSJR]

Alan Vincent typically hunts in Palladium canvas boots. Much like a Converse all-star but heavier construction with a more substantial sole that is very quiet. They’re great for warm weather hunting.

 

[IA1865]

I will add that I have some Field Ethos/Jim Green Vellies in cape buffalo hide and am not very happy with them. They are a bit different then normal Jim Green boots though. Different toe box. Whatever it is, I am not a fan.

I have these as well and took them to the eastern cape in January. Not the right boot for the terrain I was in but I've liked them in the TX hill country well enough for summer / fall ranch activities. Definitely make sure to waterproof them as they will soak through in morning dew.

 

[Hunt anything]

When I was hunting the Zambezi delta in Mozambique they wore Keen water shoes or old style Converse All Star tennis shoes. We were constantly in and out of water so nothing leather.

In the NW and Limpopo provinces of South Africa they have worn mostly Courtney Selous and in the EC they wore more of a ankle high Kennetrec style boot.

 

[VertigoBE]

It was a difficult acquisition... those ladies really didnt want to give them up.. no matter how many dollars I slipped them...

View attachment 644065

Yeah I'm sure you couldn't understand why everything else came off, but the boots stayed on!

 

[ch_FM77]

I have these as well and took them to the eastern cape in January. Not the right boot for the terrain I was in but I've liked them in the TX hill country well enough for summer / fall ranch activities. Definitely make sure to waterproof them as they will soak through in morning dew.

Thank you. Good to know. Curious though, socks or no socks with them? I know traditional vellies are worn without. Maybe I need to break them in with no socks. Want to like them. Field ethos and Jim Green are both great companies.

 

[Rare Breed]

@spike.t says all the Takeri guys wear these..

View attachment 643823

can’t stop laughing

 

[PeteG]

Wikdebees from rsa have a good shoe. Relatively light compared to Courtney’s.
5 years on my first pair and they’re comfortable as anything

 

[KTMpilot]

I myself wear Courteneys, but amongst other PG PH colleagues I would not say that Courteneys are in the majority (for people earning and paying in ZAR, the price of Courteneys is too high for most guys I would say). Red Back slip-on's and Wildebees boots are probably in the majority, some guys with Jim Green's.

 

[KTMpilot]

My PH in Namibia had an ankle height leather boot with an orange sole. I kept meaning to ask him what they were but never remembered to when we got back to the truck. I just kept noticing how much quieter they were than mine. Wish I could figure it out.

Wear whatever you're comfortable in. Heck I almost wore my converse. True minimalist footwear.

Heritage Bloem (Orange Sole)

Heritage Bloem (Orange Sole) Our Heritage Veldskoen was our first and remains our most popular product range. Reimagined with our signature colourful Veldskoen soles and our streamlined design, they remain, in essence, everything a traditional South African pair of Veldskoen should be; tough...

www.veldskoen.com

 

[mdwest]

Heritage Bloem (Orange Sole)

Heritage Bloem (Orange Sole) Our Heritage Veldskoen was our first and remains our most popular product range. Reimagined with our signature colourful Veldskoen soles and our streamlined design, they remain, in essence, everything a traditional South African pair of Veldskoen should be; tough...

www.veldskoen.com

For $37.50 USD thats a good looking boot.. I might would consider getting a pair just to wear casually (as opposed to hunting in them)..

 

[Art Lambart II]

I was in the Easten Cape in July and asked the 10 PHs in camp if any of them owned / used Courteney boots. Only own of them owned a pair but he didn't wear them any more because the were not comfortable. Most all of the PHs in camp wore some type of Keen style boot or shoe, they felt the Courteneys where to expensive and not as comfortable as modern footwear.

 

[baxterb]

For $37.50 USD thats a good looking boot.. I might would consider getting a pair just to wear casually (as opposed to hunting in them)..

Geez…that’s a good sale. They are 180$ USD via their US site!!

 

[Schmidty]

I have a pair of Jim Green Ranger Bar

Does anyone know how the Jim Green Barefoot Rangers fare with thorns?

I have those exact boots in Buffalo Hide. I purchased them for a buffalo hunt this coming June. I do not have any experience with them in Africa or thorns in Africa yet. I have hunted with them here in Minnesota on a spot and stalk hunt in the woods with ridges and ravines. Probably not a traditional boot choice for that style of hunting but I wanted to get them broken in. I wore them for an entire day and not sure how many steps or miles I put on that day but it was a significant amount. I feel they performed well in the terrain, mud, thickets, and thorn brush with no problems. I would say the sole cushioning was lacking for that style of hunting. I have since placed some cushion sole inserts in the boots but I suspect on flat ground in the brush of South Africa the sole cushion won't be as needed.

 

[Andrew62]

I've worn Oboz brand hikers many times on my African hunts, they are found at Sportsman's Warehouse, I have 3 pairs of those. What I would stress is quality wool socks, I use Warrior Socks made from alpaca wool.

 

[CJW]

Heritage Bloem (Orange Sole)

Heritage Bloem (Orange Sole) Our Heritage Veldskoen was our first and remains our most popular product range. Reimagined with our signature colourful Veldskoen soles and our streamlined design, they remain, in essence, everything a traditional South African pair of Veldskoen should be; tough...

www.veldskoen.com

I'm not convinced those are the ones but they do make some nice looking footwear.

I wish I would have asked him.

 

[meigsbucks]

In Zim, my PH wore a river shoe and in Namibia the PH wore Courtney’s.