JIM GREEN Men's African Ranger Boots Lace-Up Water Resistant Full Grain Leather Work or Hiking Boot

I purchased these boots in July 2024 with high expectations after learning about them from a YouTube channel named "Rose Anvil." What stood out to me was the story behind these boots, the use of quality materials & craftsmanship, durability & most importantly comfort. This is a boot that is used by African Rangers to protect wildlife from poachers. To me, a mainly city dwelling individual, I figured if it's good enough for a Ranger then it's definitely good enough for me.For sizing reference, I normally wear a US size 9.5 for sneakers and other boots, I chose the US size 9 for the African Rangers and it fits like a glove. Try wearing a half size down from what you normally wear and note that the boot will be a little more spacious after a break-in period.The first week of wearing this boot was brutal, I went into this purchase knowing that leather boots require a break-in period, the fresh leather needs to conform to your feet. I was very close to returning the boots as I had never experienced blisters on my heel from footwear previously. I recommend wearing a patch to protect your heel during the first 1-2 weeks. After a brief break which allowed my heels to recover, I gave this pair another chance and that is when everything changed for the better.I have used these boots daily and for a variety of environments. From the concrete jungle of the city and variety of terrains in the wilderness during my hikes. In each situation these boots kept me comfortable and confident to walk in any condition. The leather has its unique patina growing from my many miles that I have placed starting from July until my posting of this review in September, and as such is gaining character. I have received many compliments for my boots.Something of note is that the Fudge variation of this boot is a suede leather (As pictured in first image) , I wasn't aware of this and while it is a handsome look I personally prefer the more traditional darker tone smooth leather (As pictured in the third image). To achieve the desired look and to maintain these boots, I purchased the "JIM GREEN All Natural Leather Balm Footwear Care Kit for Leather Hiking Boots" which I applied after cleaning the boot with soap & water and a horse hairbrush. This balm was applied by finger and rubbed into the leather, which is a labor of love, however it smooths out the suede and gives it the classic darker brown leather look while also protecting the boot.After three months of heavy usage, the tread shows minimal wear. Due to the construction of this boot resoling in the distant future will be a sinch with a local cobbler and I do plan to wear these boots for as long of a life as they give me.I'd like to thank the folks at Jim Green for their excellent product at a fair price and will be purchasing their other products going forward. I am a very satisfied customer.

These are true to size, I'm between 12.5 and 13, and 13.5 were a bit spacious overall.The fit is somewhat unusual: The toebox, contrary to what you may think from the pics, isn't too wide at all: it's barely wide enough for my 3E feet, while being 1/2 size larger. Almost to the point where I'd want an extra 2-3mm. The heel box on the other hand is very generous, so my heels wobble freely sidewise, despite any adjustments to lacing. They do sit comfortably around the ankle -- snug, but no excessive pressure or soreness whatsoever.The upper leather is soft and didn't require any break-in. They felt like plush slippers, right out of the box.These have almost no sole padding of any kind. The first few walks on hard pavement were painful. Caused me to reconsider my interest in the barefoot version. Otoh, for the same reason, walking on grass and mud is quite pleasant.For what it's worth, I've walked in them for a few days in dry 90-95F weather, and my feet were very comfortable in terms of heat/breathability. Which I guess is to be expected of shoes made in Africa.Finally, steel shank = potential extra attention during airport security check.

Love these boots! I went a half size down (like a lot of reviews suggested) but they were too tight, I returned them for my regular size and they fit great. The break in period was brutal, I ended up buying some boot conditioning oil and that softened the leather a lot, now they are really comfortable. They’re lighter than work books but heavier than sneakers, the construction is outstanding, they’ve got the old school handmade style. I love them so much I bought a second pair in another color.

After comparing boots across many styles and intended functions, I landed on these boots due to the design and look. Quite often, the description of boots didn’t align with the look of the boot and I felt like this was perfect when reading the boots description and seeing how well these boots are made.Other reviews mentioned a break in period that I did not experience after unboxing my pair. I conditioned them with Howard’s leather salve and immediately achieved a more supple and flexible feel. I had tried them on “raw” right out of the box, but after working multiple layers of the salve into the boots, I achieved very comfortable wearability. There were a few minor hot spots where the boot was tight, particularly down the front of my ankle, but these faded away quickly and I had no problems with minimal wear. The tongue is thick and I’d recommend deliberate placement the first four or five wearing to trim it into laying flat.The quality of the leather is very good and, again differing from some of the reviews that mentioned a strong odor, I did not experience any negative odor or aroma. Leather is thick and has a smooth surface when box new.I’m now a month in. Had one minor scuff near the toe that was easily remedied with more leather salve. I finding I can clean/dust the boots with an aggressive microfiber cleaning cloth to get any surface dirt off both the leather, the laces, and the soles. Of note is that I am not polishing the boots to achieve shine, rather I’m conditioning for protection and water resistance.After wearing real “combat” boots during a career in the US Army of 20 years , I can realistically place the Jim Green Ranger boots very high on the quality and durability scale of all the boots I’ve owned. They are wider in the toe box than my other boots and I had to deliberately place my feet center on pedals for both my automatic and manual vehicles, but I’m now accustomed to the size and there is no longer any extra thought involved.Update 10 April 2025 -They continue to wear in. I really appreciate that they have molded well to my feet. More minor self imposed scratches that very easily are handled by the Howard’s Leather Salve. We’ve had some ridiculous pollen of late… found that a microfiber cloth and gentle pressure gets most of the surface and with the cloth wrapped around one finger, I can easily clean the laces and point where the sole is sewn on. I stripped out some parachute cord and used shrink tubing to make a second and third pair of laces. Still very pleased and contemplating my next set of Jim Greens.I highly recommend.