JIM GREENMen's African Ranger AR8 Boots Lace-Up Water Resistant Full Grain Leather Work or Hiking Boot

If you are looking for a near-barefoot boot with a wide toebox, then this is perfect. Spacious toebox, thin sole, and only a minimal heel, this is a dream come true for anybody looking for a barefoot boot. With military service, after wearing the black LPC in the 90s and then the tan roughed leather LPC in the early 2000s, this boot is absurdly comfortable. The only negative I could add would be for the boot-noob, as this heel cup needed significant break-in, which was a new experience for me. Maybe the best full boot I've owned, fits amazingly well. So good it makes me feel bad for the bad boots I had to wear in the past. (if you like a wide toebox and a barefoot feel) For the barefoot enthusiast, you can absolutely feel the slight heel, but this is a boot. For the polish and shine folk, this boot takes Dark Brown polish very well and looks great. I wish it came with a toe-cap. Otherwise, great boot.Edit: I need to mention the leather is a bit soft compared to a true rugged back-wood boot. If you're going to be scrambling on rock or breaking brush, these boots may take a beating. For trails and work, these are just great. The soft leather also allows for an extremely quick break in period.

So, just got my pair of AR8 wedge sole in Houston Brown. First impressions, they are waaaay lighter and more comfortable than the Razorbacks right out of the box (I have two pairs which I rotate everyday) and the fit is exactly the same. 10 1/2 US in Razorbacks, 10 1/2 US in AR8’s and the fit is perfect. (For reference, my foot measures exactly 27 cm). These boots feel like THAT pair that you always reach out for and you dont quite know why, you just do. Quality: Superb as usual with Jim Green and the Houston Brown Leather is awesome. I did notice one of the triple stitch lines that joins the vamp with the quarters was undone/incomplete but I dont think it will affect the usability or durability of the boot and considering I will not be puting them through very hard work, I will keep them as is. They are a tad stiff and will definitely need breaking in, but not to the point of actual pain or discomfort, I already went to do the week’s shopping at Walmart with zero issues. Also zero issues with shipping here to Chile, the end of the world. I do hope more leathers become available in the future on this model as I will definitely get another pair, Jim Green is just that good, especially value for money wise.

Ordered these boots just to try on. Well jokes on me. Most comfortable footwear I own now. Love the style as well. Not exactly embarrassed to admit I'm buying a backup pair to stash, just in case.

Tried a pair of the African Rangers and they felt great but not enough ankle support. I was looking for a good wedge sole leather boot. I work and walk on concrete all day and these or the Razorback was my decision. Breaking the AR8s as I write this. Love the boots so far. Great construction and good quality leather.Edit: I did immediately swap the insole for a Dr Marten Soft Ware insole. Feels best in my Docs. Adds cushion that the splat leather insole doesn't have. Wore around the house for a few days then warmed them up and rubbed in Kiwi Nuetral shoe polish and made sure to double up on the lower stitching (two coats after soaked in for and hour or so). Haven't tested the water resistance much but so far so good. 👍

I broke in around the house to let the leather insoles and heal take shape. They are comfortable now I can wear them all day, good ankle support. I prefer darker brown so I cleaned them with saddle soap, then oiled with neatsfoot oil and then put on a light layer of urad total leather care. Roughly 6-8 week review.

After watching YouTube reviews from Rose Anvil and Carl Murawski, I had high hopes. When I first pulled them out of the box, I initially thought they certainly would not win any beauty contests. They look like a pair of boots that you found in Grandpa's closet; something he bought in the 1940's. If you saw them sitting on a shelf at the store, you wouldn't consider purchasing them at all. Although the looks are disappointing, I bought them to work in and abuse them, so I decided not to focus on their appearance. Although, I have to admit there is a certain amount of pride in wearing a new pair of boots and having others compliment them. When I put them on and looked down, my initial impression was that I had on a pair of clown boots. The boots are very wide across the toe box.When I first put them on, I noticed they felt unusual in that the top of the boot is very shallow and rests on the top of the foot. After wearing it for a bit you don't notice that at all. I ordered my normal size 9 and they fit perfectly. I've never had a pair of boots fit so well and be so easy to slide my foot in and out. I really liked that.I wore them around the house for a few days and then set out to work in them. At the end of the day, after dragging and burning brush and getting on and off my tractor a hundred times, I never once thought about my feet. They broke in with ease. While wearing them you do at first note that there is no cushioning in the sole and I did at first think about adding an insole, yet I am not sure they would fit because of lack of height inside the boot.The next day however I noticed a very strong fish odor. I am not sure if it was because of a reaction from getting wet from the morning dew the day before. In any event, the odor is strong and terrible. Immediately upon smelling it, I thought back 50 years ago to a pair of Red Wing arborist boots that had that exact same smell. I went online and looked for remedies. I poured baking soda on them and let them set for a day. That did not work. I then took some Arm and Hammer baking soda carpet deodorizer and tried that. After that didn't work, I put them in a tub of water, poured a half box of deodorizer in, and soaked for about 4 hours. That didn't work. I next set them out on my dock to dry in the sun and left them out in the air for a few days. That didn't work. I then left them out for a week and noted that the smell had lessened. I sat the boots in my utility room. The next day when I went into the utility room I could smell the boots the second I opened the door. I put them back out on the dock for two more weeks, after which I oiled them with Red Wing oil. Now, when going into the utility room I don't notice the smell, yet if you hold the boots close you can still smell the fish. I'm hopeful that the smell will dissipate over time; time will tell.If it weren't for the fact that I don't have a printer to print a return label and the fact that I live on an Island with no means to take them to UPS, I would have returned them.