Reviews

5 out of 5

I LOVE these boots. I have had them around 10 months and they are one of the most comfortable boots I have ever had. I live in Western Colorado and use them for hiking, hunting, fishing, and work on the ranch. I would equate them to work gloves for your feet. So here are the downsides, the initial break in was brutal on my achilles tendon. There is a process to learning how to use barefoot boots and getting your feet used to those loads... so don't hurt yourself... it just takes time in several increments. The boots are kind of heavy. However, durability and lightweight footwear are usually mutually exclusive. Finally, the last downside but also a plus is the sole. It wore down very quickly. I was worried about the traction in the back country but I have been pleasantly surprised. The sole is soft enough so you can get grip in some crazy and diverse terrain. The sole also has a good 90 degree edge for sidehills (similar to a wildland firefighter boot). The overall boot with the soft sole makes stalking/walking quietly very easy. I feel really connected with nature in these boots. That probably sounds crazy to some urban dwellers, but if you know you know. There is a fantastic blend of feeling the terrain under your feet and having plenty of protection from mechanical injury with these boots. The leather is wonderful. There is minimal odor and they breathe really well even with Obenauf's LP. The only time my feet have been hot is prolonged periods on concrete in 105 degrees. For winter I use the Yaxtrax thermal insole with wools socks and gaiters. Boot traction can be an issue in snow sometimes, but do wonderful on ice. Finally, one of my most appreciated elements is that the boots are easy to clean; especially the sole. They scrape off easy and when the mud dries just bend the sole and the mud falls right off. Excluding concrete/asphalt applications, I would recommend these boots for most things. Also, if you get the fudge color expect them to darken up with use, especially with leather products.

November 16, 2024
5 out of 5

These are the best boots I will ever return!!! The good: These are absolutely amazing boots. They well-made, perfectly crisp leather on the wide toe box and heel, soft leather on the tongue, great value for handmade boot, and absolutely look Like something I could wear to church or through a pile of cow manure. The bad: My foot sloshed around the toe box. The leather was rigid, and we need a lot of break-in to be comfortable. These are heavy shoes. Why are five star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review? To wide: In all fairness, I have wide feet and tend to order a size bigger than what I need. If I had ordered the right length, my foot would’ve fit perfectly fine. To ridged: I bought these shoes for an upcoming trip and did not have time to break them in. I wish I had the time because once they’re broken in, i can see these will last a lifetime due to its amazing construction. To heavy: These are heavy for shoes, but their boots. As boot go, perfectly fine. In fact, Conclusion to my five star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review: Although I am returning these boots, I am buying the exact same style in their barefoot offering. Hopefully a half size smaller will fit me better, the leather is softer, and the flat soul will be lighter. I love the fact that the mid high boots have a tongue that goes all the way to the top increasing their water resistant ability. Trying on the boots that don’t fit made me realize how much I wanted one of these that do!!!

August 13, 2024
4 out of 5

I have had these boots for six months, and I am quite pleased with them thus far, at the price point, for what I use them for. I do a lot of walking, standing, heavy lifting, and am generally just outdoors quite often for work and recreation. I have replaced the laces with leather laces (purely for my own taste), applied mink oil, and inserted an additional heavy duty insole as I found the base insole insufficient for working in all day. They don't NEED it, but the additional insole took these boots from great to fantastic. They are lightweight, attractive (if taken care of), very flexible after break-in, feature an abundant toe-box which is particularly nice for me as I have very wide feet, and these boots get fantastic traction on dry surfaces. For $200, I think they're wonderful, and my next pair of boots will very possibly be from Jim Green. That all said, I only had a few real issues: The base insole was simply not comfortable enough to work in all day every day for me - this can and was fixed, however. These boots do not do well in winter - I work outside during frigid Nebraska winters - these simply do not insulate and keep snow and moisture out sufficiently for winter. The low-top form lets water in more easily than probably most other boots - the gusseted tongue helps a lot with this, but does not completely solve the issue. After six months, my boots are showing a small amount of outsole delamination, but I'm unconcerned by it - merely a product of working and walking in them every day for six months. The only time I haven't worn these boots is when I've conditioned or polished them - these have replaced my daily walking shoes as well. I love these boots, genuinely. They do not fit every situation, but they do fit most of them - they are a fantastic value generalist boot and I would recommend them to almost anybody.

June 5, 2024
5 out of 5

I got these Jim Greene Razorback a few days ago. So far I really like them...a LOT. These are the brown leather ones with the wedge sole. The D-ring eyelets will easily allow for adjustment to either heavy or light socks. At this point in serious competition for the most comfortable boots I have worn. I’m a retired farmer who is 76 and have slight neuropathy in my feet as a result of a bout with spinal stenosis, which was surgically corrected. The neuropathy is mild, but my feet can feel the imprint of the tread pattern of the soles after a few hours and it can feel like the socks have been glued to the bottoms of my feet. I have worn boots with vibram soles all my life, but that seems to be the worst offender these days for my feet. The wedge sole seems pretty well suited for my current situation and I doubt I'll miss the vibram style too much, as these days I am not nearly as concerned with rough ground traction. I have to be on my feet for quite a spell to feel the tread pattern here, so I’m really happy with that. These do feel a bit wider in the toe box compared to my other boots, but the fit around the heel and mid foot are perfect, and the toes always feel fine. On another note related to the spinal stenosis is that very often when walking I will quickly get a hip lock feeling common to sciatica. With the Razorbacks, I have yet to have that happen. I’ve been having some difficulty since the surgery being able to walk enough to stay in any sort of decent shape, but these let me walk freely without that sciatica issue. I’m impressed. I really like the full leather lined, double lasted construction. I only have one very slight issue (really a non issue) in that I would gladly pay a few more dollars for a a leather replacement for the lasting board, but as they have been making this boot for 30 years using that fiberboard, I doubt that I’ll notice anything detrimental here. I’d also like to see an option to pay a bit extra on delivery to get the shipment done by UPS. The laces are pretty long as I wound up cutting off about a foot on each lace. The build quality looks top notch. The Danner boots I have are the less expensive glued sole, gore-tex types and the Razorback is built a lot better. I also wore these in to a couple of local stores and these JG are at least the equal of much more expensive boots like the leather lined Danner hiking boots which are twice the price of the JG. The break in time is pretty minimal. You can wear these pain free right out of the box, but they will become more worn in to fit your foot, but no serious break in

May 5, 2024
5 out of 5

I work as a park ranger in the state of Colorado and I figured that these would match my requirements pretty well. At work I will frequently hike 6+ miles, both on and off trail. I work year round in extreme cold, heat, wetness and dryness, and often work on boats. Also, I am limited to black boots only. I acknowledged the fact that there is no boot that can transition from trail, to construction project, to boat, to snow perfectly, so I focused on finding a boot that can get me through the busiest, warmest, driest part of the year. I also wanted to find something that would last longer than 8 months (my current record for longest lasting boot). Pros: Toe Box - It is extremely comfortable. More so than the tennis shoes I wear on the weekend. I would describe it as wide, but low. I can splay my toes out inside the boots, but it never feels loose. This is, weirdly, my favorite thing about these boots. Construction - Very solid and will very clearly last longer than my previous boots. The Look - Simple, professional, and clean. Leather - Very thick and protects the feet against brush, fallen branches, cactus, etc. Weight/Flex - the boots are not THAT heavy, not compared to some of the work boots I've tried in the past. And the sole is extremely flexible for as hard/thick as it is. Sizing - very true to size. My foot measured as a 9.5, so I bought a 10 to allow for thicker inserts and socks Price per quality- I can see these lasting a good while, and the price is about half of what my co-workers spent on Danners. The mission of Jim Green in donating boots to rangers in Africa, what's not to like? Cons Waterproofing - These boots are not waterproof, but in my experience, boots with waterproof liners wear out after about 1 month of heavy walking anyway. Foot Softness- The insole that comes with is garbage, but so are most inserts with most boot brands. I added my favorite Keen inserts and have not had a problem since. Standing on hard surfaces for long periods is a bit of a challenge. Next time I will do a custom order to get a better midsole added. Heel comfort - Maybe it was my foot, maybe it was the boot, but these caused serious blisters on my heel. I suffered through it for a while hoping it was the break in period, but gave up and bought some adhesive backed pads that start under the heel (and under the insole) and curve up to cover the heel of the boot. Since then, the boots feel and fit like gloves. Warmth and Breathability - These can get a bit warm in high temperatures, but they cool down quickly in the shade. The breathability is not as fantastic as a mesh hiker, so sometimes it's nice to stop and remove the boots

April 20, 2024
5 out of 5

I ordered these after much research on YouTube and reading reviews. With the return policy I knew it was a risk free trail as long as I didn't wear them outside. A little background on my feet: Left is 9, Right is 8.4. So I was hoping they wouldn't slip in the right heel. I was could hardly wait for my package to arrive, when they did, only a few short days after ordering, super fast. I Definitely Love Their Customer Service, I strapped em on my feet, with only a pair of R.E I. merino wool light hiking socks, I wear these with all my foot wear except when I go snow camping. After tying them to my feet and walking around for I guess 5 mins, I decided to buy them and immediately went for a 5 miles hike through Granite, Sand, Dirt, Grass, Boulder Fields, Up Hill and Down Hills, My toes didn't get smashed in toe box going downhill either, the heels didn't slip going uphills. I was stoked to get home and the next day I went for a 9 mile hike same terrain. I waited a few days and went for a 15 mile hike, that was on a Friday, Monday I did the same 15 mile hike, when I got home, I was tired and all my muscles hurt. I showered, ate and slept for 3 hours woke up I was fine. Today I went for a 20 mile bike ride out to the lake, and around the river trail. These Boots are Truly 100% The Best On The Market. Place your foot in, Lace Up and Go, Go, Go! literally Zero Break-In Period for these amazing Boots, But for your calf muscles well, that's a different story. Wearing these Barefoot Boots, You have to lift your heel, unlike wearing non barefooted style footwear, as they do it for you. Pros: plenty of toe room, Heel Locks Into Place Doesnt Slip, Tie the laces, that straps the boot to your foot. Knowing that the leather foot bed will shape to my feet is a very comforting feeling plus they can be resoled. Thats a Win. Win. Win. Win, across the board. Cons: None I Love These Boots!!! Do Yourself a Favor and Grab a Pair or Two!!! I had Purchased Houston Brown, I Am About To Order Houston Fudge and Houston Black!! Whether You're Hiking, Biking, On A Date or just kicking it around the office, These are the Best Boots, One Last Thing, If you want beefy calves these will do the job. You walk different with these boots on. more natural. Your Confidence goes up, Waaaay Up!! You're Body is more naturally aligned as there is no heal to lean you forward. Thank You, Jim Green and Weston for The Collaboration!!!

March 17, 2024
5 out of 5

I have never owned or worn a pair of barefoot shoes or boots before. Nor have I ever owned a pair of Jim Green’s. I have always worn square toe cowboy boots as well as 8” logger boots for work and casual use. I have rather large and very flat feet, typically wear a 13EE. Barefoot shoes are something that I’ve been interested in trying because I enjoy walking around actually barefoot a lot of the time and wanted to try something new. Stumbled across these boots and this is my first impression. Likes: -The materials, fit, and finish of these boots are some of the highest quality I’ve found out of many different brands -Super comfortable on my feet Dislikes: -In terms of style they are not my favorite looking boots, this is really not a nock at the boots, it’s just a personal preference. To be fair I’ve never had a pair of boots in this style, but these were much better looking than the competition. -The only thing I really don’t like about these boots at all is the gusseted tongue. I understand the purpose of a gusseted tongue and this one definitely does the job, however this boot’s tongue seems way too big. When I lace them up, I end up with the tongue bunches up a lot from all the extra material and I feel like I have a high volume foot and large ankles. Again, this probably more of a personal preference. Conclusion: These are very comfortable and very high quality boots. The leather is beautiful and the soles feel grippy and durable for what I would expect from a barefoot boot. Only time will tell but I would say I will be a repeat Jim Green customer and more than likely more Barefoot boots. Check out rose anvil on YouTube to learn more about these boots.

March 1, 2024
5 out of 5

Finally a "Real" boot that doesn't squish my toes!!! I have been wearing Lems barefoot boots for a couple years and love the wide toes but hate he look and mid-low end materials. These Jim Greens are just a better version of what I have been wearing with a more traditional build and nice materials. They could use a little more cushion for my taste, I added a flat foam insole and that helped a little bit. I think my perfect boot would be this wide toe upper with a sole somewhere between this and the standard Jim green sole. But aside from wanting just a tad more separation from the ground (I do understand that's the feature many want in this boot) I think these are great. For this price level I think the quality of the materials and craftsmanship is a great value. My pair seems very well made with no real flaws aside from a little glue got smeared on the inside of the upper around the ankle area. Very happy with my pair and I hope Jim Green continues with this line, a very bold design from a respected traditional boot company is a rare thing and they knocked it out of the park with these. I look forward to seeing these in maybe some new leather colors and in the future some slight revisions to make them even closer to perfection. Thank you again for taking a chance on making these, its really hard to find boots that don't hurt my feet by being too narrow or look and feel sloppy and too wide, these are the perfect fit.

January 14, 2024
5 out of 5

I can't comment yet on long-term comfort, but my first impressions are great. Toe box is wide and roomy as I've heard, but I wasn't sure exactly how they would fit for sizing. I have always worn size 11 boots, my feet measure exactly 11 inches long from heel to toe, so I ordered 11, and I'm happy to say that they fit perfectly as far as length and width is concerned. I can even wear thick wool winter socks and my toes still don't feel suffocated or cramped. I can't identify any pressure points about them either as far as construction is concerned. For example, with some boots, seams will be layered in places where if it bends, it stays stiff and jams into your foot awkwardly, when walking, and sometimes even just when resting, but there's nothing like that here, they just feel super comfortable and supple as far as work boots come. Probably the most comfortable lace up work boots I've ever tried but i'm not sure about the stock insoles yet. I was wanting to order a pair of wedge sole African rangers as well based on how these fit, and I'm definitely going to do that now, the fit of these is seriously impressive. i do wish these had a wedge sole option as stock though, i assume you can custom order these with one, but the problem is that afaik you can't return customs and it will take much longer for them to arrive than existing stock that is waiting to be ordered in a warehouse in america. i needed steel toe work boots so these had to be my first order from this company to see what i think of them and i wasn't prepared to make a custom order i couldn't return if i didn't like them and i need these now so i don't want to return them now, so i'll have to wait who knows how many years until these wear out for me to order a new custom wedge sole pair or hopefully by then, they will be a stock option. either that or i can see if they can be resoled with wedges if i ever get them resoled.

December 12, 2023
5 out of 5

I bought a pair of Razorbacks a few weeks back to use as a hiking and general winter beater boot. I figured for the price, they would probably outlast any of the glued together, synthetic hikers I have used for the purpose in years past. With the boots in hand, it's pretty apparent that they are a ton more boot than expected for the price. The quality of the materials, and the construction, are easily on par with the last few pairs of Red Wings and Carolina Boots that I have had, and they remind me quite a bit of an old pair of Alicos that I wore for nearly 10 years. The fit and finish is not quite on par with the Nicks that I wear for work these days, but it's way closer than one would expect for less than 1/3 the price. Overall, they are good enough to warrant a detailed review. Fit: I am a 9.5 E Brannock size, and ordered a 9.5. The fit is excellent length and width wise, with a roomier, more foot shaped toe box than is typical of American heritage and work boots. The toe box is a bit short from top to bottom, and seemed like it would be uncomfortable, at first. As the boots have broken in, though, I have ended up with adequate toe space. There probably wouldn't be room to add a thicker insole, though. Comfort: These boots are quite comfortable once broken in. They are initially quite stiff, due to the fairly thick double layer construction and the heavy rubber unit lug sole, but soften up after a few weeks of casual wear, and a few short hikes. It took about a week of careful lacing and occasional readjustment to get the tongue to sit right, which is pretty much on par with other all leather hikers and mountaineering boots I have owned in the past. The leather and poron insoles are fine, but not very heavily cushioned. I don't mind, but it's worth noting, as some folks prefer a heavily cushioned footbed. Aesthetics: These are a classic leather hiker, and they definitely look the part. They are well built, which is pretty apparent on close inspection. the stitching is neat, the trimming and finishing on the sole is well done, and the leather has a nice finish. mine arrived with a few smudges of some kind on the uppers (grime from final assembly, maybe?), I got the majority off with a damp rag, and likely could have gotten 100%, if I had cared to. If these were $4-600 boots, I would have expected better, and probably knocked a star off the review for it. Instead, I took them outside, did a bunch of yard chores, and split some firewood in them, and any remaining dirt is now hidden by some yard grime and a few scuffs.

December 11, 2023
5 out of 5

I had purchased the original African Rangers as they struck me as a nice balance between traditional boots and barefoot shoes by virtue of their roomier toe box. That said they had their drawbacks and I had basically abandoned them. This version fixed all the faults I had with my original pair. Gone is the fiberboard midsole which is very sensitive to getting wet and separating. Replaced with genuine leather. And now it’s even closer to a true bare foot shoe with its zero drop heel and flexibility. I also much prefer the lugged sole as they give decent traction in the snow. If I HAD to find something to complain about, I guess I could say the toe box could be more anatomically shaped, and that on my pair the leather insole/heel lining on one shoe had curled in on itself because it was either too long or not glued down properly -but that hasn’t effected wearability. The fit is certainly unique. They are roomy and I’m honestly unsure if I should go down half a size but I think they are on the wider side generally speaking. I got the “honey” color which I think people pass up in favor of the darker brown which is a mistake as they really pop. I ended up waxing mine for the winter (which looks really cool) and so far they have been doing really well. The padded ankle cuff actually does a decent job keeping out snow. All in all, they look good, are comfortable, have stood up to the elements so far, and don’t have any filler materials like cork as far as I know. When you buy a pair of these boots you are stealing from these people because If these boots were being sold by some of the other name brand manufacturers then they’d easily be 2-3x the price.

November 18, 2023
5 out of 5

I’ve had my African rangers with buffalo leather for several months now. My fashion conscious wife is not fond of the rounded toe, but I’ve never had shoes this comfortable. I’ve unknowingly been forcing my feet into D width shoes and boots that squeeze my feet and toes. These EE width booths are wonderfully spacious from the foot ball forward but snug going back to the heel. The buffalo leather is beautifully imperfect and very sturdy, but it didn’t require more than a two-mile walk, in the heat and humidity of a New Orleans summer, to soften it up. The only blister I got was from the rough-out leather in the heel cup, but some cheap, stick-on, leather heel pads completely solved that issue. I recently wore them every day, all day with alpaca wool socks for a 9-day trip to Greece in the August heat averaging 10 miles walking a day in and outside cities. I can’t imagine better boots for city walking and light hiking. You’ll feel lumpy stones through the wedge sole, but you’d need a lug sole for that type of terrain anyway. They are heavier than trainers, but I never noticed their weight and think the support they provide was much better for my comfort. These boots convinced me to toss my urban trainers. I’ll take form over fashion every time, although I did change to brown laces in a concession to my wife’s immaculate fashion sense. We’re very fond of South Africa, having made several trips driving and hiking around, and also want to support the tough and dangerous work of the rangers.

September 9, 2023
5 out of 5

To start: I am very happy with the quality and fit of the Ranger boot. I wear New Balance 574’s in 11 US and they were true to size. Break in has taken about 3 days of wearing them with the laces a little loose for 6-8 hours a day. If you have a taller/higher volume fore foot, looser laces are key. Many people have said the insoles are not great, but the current ones seem very decent and have a leather lining. I’m used to old school heavy leather euro mountaineering boots that often come with fiber insoles, so to me these are deluxe. If you are not a regular boot wearer with harder feet, your milage may vary. To me, these are like sneaker boots. They’re that comfortable, but will outlast most of the crap out there many times over. These are legit handmade things that will last the average person years if you are not a hard use case like a construction worker or tradesman. As a hunter, I like that they are quiet and give a decent feel for the ground so you can avoid larger twigs that may snap and give you away. That said, they are Fall/Spring/Summer boots. If there is snow on the ground, they will not work unless you’re a hard bastard if you are leaning against a tree for hours waiting on a deer trail in low temps. Haven’t waxed them yet but I’m dubious on their waterproofing ability, which is fine, they’re not that king of boot. All in all, they’re light, quiet, comfortable and high quality for basically no money. I wish we could make this boot in the US but it isn’t available. I’ll be getting a pair of Razorbacks soon to replace my 25 year old Raichle Eigers soon.

September 4, 2023