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African Ranger Barefoot Boot – Houston Brown

(21 customer reviews)

$199.99

For every 10 pairs sold we donate a pair to a Ranger

 

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Embrace Nature with the African Ranger Barefoot Boot

The African Ranger Barefoot Boot is all about keeping things natural and comfy for your feet. It’s like giving your feet a smooth ride on level ground. Plus, there’s lots of space up front in the toe area, so your big toe and pinkie toe can spread out without feeling squished against the sides. These boots are like your foot’s best friend – they’re super flexible and can bend and twist just like your foot would. The soles are thin, so you can feel the ground beneath you better. Going barefoot-style is where the magic happens. No need to worry about springs in your toes or fancy arch support. These boots let your feet do their thing naturally. So, if you’re all about comfy, flexible, and feet-happy footwear, the barefoot boot is where it’s at!

FEATURES

  • The boot is designed with 3 main focus areas: Comfort and Durability while at an Affordable price.
  • The Anvil sole is designed to mimic the feel of walking any terrain barefoot, while giving you extra grip and protection.
  • The Toe, Heel and Eyelet area are manufactured with a double layer of 2.2mm nubuck leather for added durability.
  • The Heel stiffener is built in for ankle support and protection.
  • The soft leather collar and tongue for comfort and weight reduction.
  • NO STEEL SHANK
  • A leather midsole for added comfort, flexibility and feel under foot.
  • The heavy-duty speed hooks and eyelets to help secure your feet.
  • The leather midsole is secured to the upper with a double stitched 2.2mm braided nylon cord.
  • As with all our boots, these can be resoled due to their double stitch down construction.
  • Last: Zero Drop (This offers a wide fit and extra room that allows for a more natural barefoot experience)
  • Weight: 2.34 lbs (Size 9 US)
  • Laces: 47.24 inches

Product Care

The best way to preserve your Jim Greens is through regular and correct polishing. Water, heat and wear remove the natural oil from the leather, so when the tiny fibres dry out they become hard, brittle and break easily, thereby shorten the life of the leather.
For our leather boots we recommend any natural shoe polish found at your local store. For our suede options we suggest light brushing to remove dirt and a scotchguard for longer protection.
After a long day in wet conditions and you requiring your boots early the next morning, the worst possible solution is to artificially dry your boots. Leather fibres burn easily – especially when wet and therefore should never be left near a heater, placed in your oven or left in direct sunlight. For the best results, footwear should be dried out slowly and never subjected to any extreme heat. Should you work in constantly wet conditions, it is best to alternate between two or more pairs of our Jim Green boots.

SIZE GUIDE

We realise that buying footwear online is a daunting task and we are often asked to recommend a size by new Jim Green customers. If you happen to purchase a pair of Jim Green boots online and they do not fit, we will happily exchange them for you. If the measurements fall in-between the lengths provided, we do offer half sizes on certain styles. We can recommend a size but we can’t guarantee the fit.
Foot Length (Inch) US
9.65" 7
9.75" 7 ½
9.85" 8
10.125" 8 ½
10.24" 9
10.4375" 9 ½
10.63" 10
10.75" 10 ½
11.02" 11
11.125" 11 ½
11.42" 12
11.81" 13
12.20" 14
Reviews (21)

21 reviews for African Ranger Barefoot Boot – Houston Brown

  1. Mick (verified owner) –

    These boots are everything I was looking for! They are well made, and super comfortable right out of the box. For me they seem to run true to size. I’ve only done a quick hike and some light yardwork in them so far but I’m super stoked about having a high quality barefoot style boot that can easily be repaired. I would buy them again without a doubt, and if they are ever offered in black, I will definitely would buy a second pair.

  2. Manuel Gonzalez (verified owner) –

    I started using barefoot style shoes a little over a year ago so I have fully adjusted to this style of footwear. I bought the size 11 Houston Brown Barefoot Rangers and they have exceeded my expectations so far. For regular walking on hard surfaces I have found them to be very comfortable. For reference, my Brannock sizing is US size 10 and width is somewhere between EE and EEE. To account for the width of my feet I almost always size up to an 11 in boots or 11.5 in sneakers. The toebox in these boots is generous without being sloppy or loose and could easily accommodate very thick socks should you need them for cold weather. These boots rival my Truman Stone Ramblers in finish quality and are as comfortable as my Lem’s Boulder Summit boots. No boot can do everything perfectly all the time, but you can count on these boots to easily become your “go to” pair. Hunting season isn’t far off here in Texas and I am looking forward to finding out how this boot handles the hill country and the west Texas plains. Oh yeah, go ahead an sign me up for a pair of those Horween Chromexel pairs as well.

  3. Jacob (verified owner) –

    These are probably the best pair of barefoot boots you can get at this point in time. I’ve had these for a bit over a month now and wear them regularly out hiking. Break in was quick relatively painless (the toe cap pressed down onto my foot a bit initially, but after 5-6 hours of good hiking this had softened up nicely). The toebox is just enough for my relatively wide feet. My brannock size is about a 10.5 and I ordered a pair in size 11. The sole is nice and flexible, but not so thin that walking around on rocks is painful. These handle walking around on gravel trails and through rocky, thorny places well. With these being resoleable, I have a feeling they will last a very long time.

  4. Ryan (verified owner) –

    These boots are my favorite pair of footwear- period.
    After hearing about them on Rose Anvil’s YouTube channel and seeing Jim Green’s CEO test them on a hike through South Africa, I felt I needed to try them out. I have been wearing barefoot shoes for a little over a year and always had some issue. I found that if they were comfortable, the quality control was lacking (poor materials/adhesive/construction) so I went with Vivos but found them to be uncomfortable. Humans evolved to walk barefoot on soft surfaces which presents a challenge to barefoot footwear makers in the concrete and asphalt jungle that is modern society.

    These boots, with their more traditional Construction and slipsole solve the problem of being both well made and appropriate for all environments. Where they really shined for me was scrambling up the steep rocks of Arizona. Being able to gain a solid footing on uneven surfaces while not feeling jabbed by every jagged rock made hiking and climbing even more enjoyable. The Houston brown coloration and head-on view of the silhouette make for an unpretentious boot that looks fine with a pair of dark wash blue jeans for a date night out on the town with thoughts of “I can’t wait to take these boots off!” Banished to the abyss. Well done, Jim Green, you’ve got a customer for however long you make these boots!

  5. MartyS –

    Wow! Amazingly comfortable right out of the box. More comfortable than most sneakers. I love these boots! I always order a half size up because I need insoles with arch supports. I think they are true to size. I currently have Tread Labs insoles in these but have Superfeets in my other JG boots. One half size up with added insoles fits me perfectly. I also have the regular African Ranger boots and the Boababs and am very pleased with those as well. I’ve become a lifetime fan of Jim Green boots.

  6. Adam –

    I had to wait a while for them, but they were totally worth it! This is also my first pair of Jim Greens, and I’m very pleased with the quality. They look and feel handmade with a good attention to detail. I have a few other pairs of “barefoot” shoes, and so far these seem to be the most comfortable. The sole seems to strike the perfect balance of flexibility and ground feel vs durability and stability. The tie box is perfect for my moderately wide 14 feet, and amazingly they don’t look like hobbit feet. I can tell I’m going to love these for a long time. Really hoping Jim Green will put this same sole on some of their other styles. I would love these in a Chelsea boot like the Stockman.

  7. Tal k –

    Orderd them from SA to israel the made the trip great. Im using them as my daily ride, working in agriculture and they are the first barefoot boot that i stands for my needs. Please continue experimenting with this field

  8. Pierre –

    I recently received mine and have worn them for a few miles. I’m very happy with them. I was concerned they wouldn’t be wide enough so instead of getting my usual barefoot shoe size, 9, I ordered my “normal” shoe size, which is 10. The 10s fit perfect. Roomy in the toes but secure in the rest of the foot. Absolutely no heel slip ever. The break in period is very short. The sole is thin enough to feel flexible but definitely thick enough to not need to think about what you’re stepping on. I also gotta admire the way the gusseted tongue elegantly folds symmetrically over my instep! I’ve never had a boot with a fully gusseted tongue fold so perfectly like that. If Jim Green’s other boot styles had barefoot versions I would definitely put those on my wishlist (I’m eyeing the AR8)

  9. Gabriel –

    These boots are awesome! You get a great quality boot at a price point that most barefoot sneakers of much worse quality have a hard time matching. The toe box is on the more narrow side compared to some other purely barefoot companies, so if you really like to splay, these may not be for you. But if you want quality, comfort, and a boot that you can beat up, repair, and keep trekking in, these are the boots! I am blown away that Jim Green and Rose Anvil dropped the best barefoot boot on their first try! Widen the toes box a bit more, offer them in black, and you’ll be unstoppable!

  10. Andy –

    At first they felt MASSIVE. I thought I ordered the wrong size, even though I followed the sizing chart exactly. After lacing them tight and wearing a few days, they started to feel like a perfect fit. I do notice some pressure on my instep from the lugs, and I’m not sure if it will break in with time or not, but it’s not bad; so far after a month of wearing them all day every day, I haven’t had any soreness or chaffing even at that pressure point.

    I ride my bike in these at least 10 miles daily, and wear them while I’m at work on my feet all day. The zero drop, thin sole and wide toe box are perfect for biking, and it’s crazy that a fully leather boot can be flexible and breathable enough to cycle in, but these really are.

    It’s been a rainy and freezing cold winter, and biking in the rain is seriously taxing on footwear. Still, after a 30 minutes rainy biking commute, my feet stay completely dry and relatively warm inside, and the leather dries out completely after a couple hours of wearing them inside. They perform much better in this regard than my waterproof sneakers, which stay soaked and freezing cold for hours, and seep water in from around the ankle, even if they are technically impermeable to water. Not to mention they stink, while the leather boots so far do not.

    Couldn’t be more pleased with these

  11. Matthew Wright –

    I’ve been wearing my barefoot ranger boots for a few weeks and simply put they are fantastic. I’m sort of in between sizes with a long second toe so my 11s are roomy but not crazy big. That being said these boots are super wide, comfortable and had pretty much zero break in time. Whether you’re out walking or on your feet for hours at a time they are comfortable and very flexible. These boots are extremely well made and for the price point a steal!

  12. Fred –

    These are my new favorite boots. I am wearing them right now and honestly do not want to wear anything else. They are so comfortable it is great. No pain. Also they are slip resistant and do not make noise when walking. I love these things. Out of the few barefoot shoes I have tried these are the best.

  13. Cheryl –

    I was so happy to see barefoot Jim Green. My feet aren’t happy pushed forward with a heel.
    At first they were kinda uncomfortable, but after wearing them around the house a few day, they fit amazing. I can even wear toe spacers inside.

  14. Cliff (verified owner) –

    My 3rd pair of Jim Greens. I deal with foot pain and the barefoot style sole really helps. most “barefoot” shoes have soles that are just too thin for me. I don’t need to feel every crack in the sidewalk (also i live in a big city and get nervous that something gross could penetrate most barefoot soles) so the slightly thicker Jim Green Barefoot sole is perfect.

    I really hope JG makes a similar barefoot version of the shoellie.

  15. kyle.andrew66 –

    Great boot. I ordered a size 12 US (I am a size 12 in most shoes). They fit true to size. They are extremely comfortable if you’re used to barefoot style shoes. They only took about a week to fully break in. They are super lightweight which I like. Lots of room for the toes to move around. The grip is great too. I wear them for construction work and they’ve held up well in the month I’ve had them. I will most likely get a second pair for going out because they look classy too. Jim Green did a wonderful job with this boot. I can’t overstate that enough.

  16. Michael Lange (verified owner) –

    Very nice shoe, but the toe box needs a redesign. Even though it’s large it’s rounded and shaped just like a regular shoe toe box not a barefoot toe box. Change this shape to match what feet actually look like (like on Xero or Vivo’s) and it’ll be perfect.

  17. GoodenoughGray –

    These boots are pretty awesome. The quality of the boot is unreal for the price! Not the lightest out there, but the sacrifice for durability is worth it. The leather is thick yet soft. Very easy to get the laces adjusted just right. If you have really wide feet, these probably won’t be wide enough unless you size up a little. I wear anywhere from a 10-11. I got a 10.5 in these and they are a perfect fit. I had to wait close to two months, but it was worth it though.
    I just waterproofed them with Huberd’s shoe grease and it darkened them and softened them even more.
    The only negatives that I can think of are the sole pattern being too close together and the leather midsole being so hard that I have to wear a simple insole. The sole pattern is packed so tightly that they hold on to dirt, mud, grass and whatever else a little too easily. When it’s time to replace the soles, I’ll try to get something spaced a little farther apart.
    I plan on getting one of the new colors they JUST dropped! They look great.

  18. Felipe D Lopez III –

    5 stars from Texas. These boots are tremendous. Thank you for great craftsmanship. I’m a size 9.5 but went 10 to slip in a very thin insole and to wear cushy socks.

  19. Mac (verified owner) –

    These boots are great! Fits very well. Toes feel great. Lots of wiggle room yet the fit is snug through out the rest of the boot. Just the way I like it This pair is used for yard work and chores around the house with some light hiking thrown in. Patiently waiting for the Barefoot 8 inch rework to come out for my full time hiking/hunting boot.
    As for sizing I’m a 11.5 on a Brannock device and between a D and E width. I originally purchased an 11. Wore them for about 3-4 months and started to get some toe rub. After that i ordered a size 12. These were to big all around. Got the 11.5 next. They are a perfect fit. So comfortable, I don’t want to take them off. Moral of the story is start with your Brannock size. All my testing was using thin socks and heavier wool socks to check the fit with each level I will wear them.

  20. Jeff –

    Finally, a barefoot boot made like a normal boot. Looks great. The break in was rough for a couple days but they’ve become my absolute favorite shoe. Incredible value and quality.

  21. Austin Ritz –

    Really like these boots, just ordered the original African Ranger to be my work boots, I’ll save these for when I’m off work.
    Got these a few months ago and I was super excited, but it was clear they were gonna take some break in. The sole was much harder than I expected, and the padded collar really bit into my ankle and caused some discomfort. Now, several months later they’re wonderful. I almost forgot how stiff the collar initially was! The footbed is becoming more comfortable as they mold to my foot. So give them time to break in. I’m guessing they run 1/2 size bigger than I expected. I treated the leather with Australian leather seal to protect them from the elements.

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Shipping & Delivery

SHIPPING

Jim Green proudly offers free shipping to the 48 contiguous United States and shipping is done via UPS. Tracking number & details delivered via e-mail after order is processed.

Free Standard Shipping on all orders to the 48 contiguous United States

-        2-6 Business Days – Free

 

HAWAII & ALASKA

Shipping Fee $25.00 will apply

Orders will ship to Hawaii and Alaska via UPS
Note: Shipments to Alaska & Hawaii may require additional time in transit, depending on location.

 

ORDER PROCESSING

All orders will be processed within 48 hours of receipt and sent from our warehouse
Orders are processed and packed on normal business days (Monday through Friday)

RETURNS & EXCHANGES

60 DAY RETURN/EXCHANGE WINDOW

In the event something doesn't quite work, we'll gladly accept unworn or defective merchandise for return or exchange.

RETURNS AND EXCHANGES ARE EASY!

 

Locate your order number and ship-to zip code.
This info is in your order confirmation email, on your shipping label, and on your packing slip.

This will take you to the returns/exchange portal. Just follow the prompts.
You'll be able to choose what you'd like to do and get a USPS return label.

Print up the USPS return label you've just created and give the package to your postal carrier.

 

EXCHANGES AND RETURNS - FREE RETURN LABEL

The fastest and easiest way to get the correct size, color or style is to place a new order. The cost to return your order is on us!

Create a prepaid return label (using the #2 button above)

If you are just wanting to return your order then please follow the same steps.

Your original order must then be sent back to our depot in their unworn condition with their original box and inserts within 60 days of their delivery.

Once received at the depot your order will then be refunded by a credit to your original method of payment, provided all the above criteria is met.

Once received all refunds will be processed within 10 business days.

REFUNDS

  • All refunds will be credited back to the original form of payment.
  • If you paid with a Gift Card, your refund will be issued back to that gift card.

If you having issues processing your return please email [email protected]