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got this exact pair in yesterday. They look amazing, fit great also, i went a half size down from my normal sneaker size. I'm going to wear them to work tomorrow to break them in. It's going to be tough on my feet since I average 8 - 10 miles of walking at work. Wish me luck.

Cool video and amazing boot. 🔥 Thanks for sharing !

Very nice boots ! One major concern for me is lateral stability. I see your feet drooling inward and outward. Is that due to an over squishy carpet or the boots lack lateral support ?

I almost purchased these 2 days ago, but watching reviews I saw many comments saying that Thursday messed up on these and didn't use the right last for this type of higher heel. People who have purchased them have been experiencing alot of heel slip because their feet are slipping forward towards the toe. I decided i didn't want to risk it and spend over $300 on a boot that might not fit correctly. I instead went with the Jim Green Numzaan. I received them earlier today and really like them. They of course are really stiff but actually aren't too uncomfortable.

They make a collab with Carl marouski which is bssed off lf these but they are slightly narrower. These are that wide, the shorter sizes seem wider which is partly why i ended up not buying them yet. I do have a pair of stockman but with the wedge sole which look very wide. I added an additional foam sole to soften and close some of the gaps.

Great components and rugged, over built construction. Fine. The design is slightly 'off'. Not sure exactly how to phrase it. Also, Who are these for? Not me.

Sweet 👍🏼👍🏼

Good points. I have the Viberg Service Boot 2030 last in natural CXL. I think the fit is fine, but the leather is so thick, it is taking so long to break in. It still feels like I will start getting blisters if I wear this for a long walk. Any tips to break this in faster? Edit: my Alden Indy boot in black cordovan leather felt comfortable straight out of the box. No break-in needed at all.

Hi Rryan, how is the customer service and ordering experience with this company?

Relatively unknown brand. To say it’s the best value moc toe without knowing its potential for longevity is a little bit of a stretch I think.

Look good

The elegance of Viberg’s lasts is unmatched. Alden is close, Carmina has equally elegant lasts but nothing quite as masculine. Arch support and fit on the 2020 last is absolute perfection for me. Viberg is worth it to me, although I wouldn’t on CXL.

You could get a custom version with the narrower last and a leather mid sole if thats your preference. I like that they give you so much options if you really need or want them.

Do you know how long your feet are in inches? I’ve never worn boots, my athletic shoes range from 11.5 to 13 across brands so I’m not really sure which size to go for I feel like I’m a 12.5 usually.

i am ordering a pair in a few hours. Can't wait to get them.

I really like Jim Green. I'm not the biggest fan of their lasts and styling for myself personally, at least not enough to put them at the top of my personal to-buy list, but I'd recommend them to others in a heartbeat. In particular, I think that something like the African Ranger or Razorback is perfect for someone coming from a sneaker kind of world who wants to try out stitched leather footwear without spending a ton of money or feeling like a goofball. And the Numzaan looks like a fantastic Iron Ranger alternative.

I have three pairs of AR's and haven't had a serious water issue with the, even wearing them in snow and rain. But if you need to waterproof them better I'd get some Snow Seal and apply it along the stitches going into the midsole. That should add some additional protection against water, and it's recommended by cobblers (including Trenton and Heath).

What chinos do you like?

I got a pair a couple of years ago. Wore them often they were comfortable. I got the cheapest local leather it has been very nice. A couple of good coats of obernauf and they stay pretty dry.

I too am anxiously awaiting the moccasin boots! It's going to be a hard choice between the work and casual boot. Thanks to Carl Murowski I've been a member of the JG army since the Razorbacks were introduced in the US. You just can't beat the value of JG's products.

Nice!

If Amazon shipping makes this boot great, then all the junk on Amazon is great.

Not liking the video with 485 likes now so you don't cut the boots and add to the landfill.

When Sears still had stores, DieHard were sold with a "limited lifetime warranty". It didn't cover wear and tear. Soles wear down. Eyelets and hooks popping off is from wear and tear. If the stitches eventually break, that's also wear and tear. The insole wears down. If the leather were to crease, patina, flex, and crack - that's also from wear and tear. Very vague about what it did cover. I bought a lot of those DieHard boots. I never had any problems with them. They were all very comfortable out of the box. They all lasted at least a year, with daily wear and plenty of abuse. Which for me, was what I needed, since the employer allocated boots annually. Never once, did I entertain the idea of resoling a pair. I still have a few pairs of DieHard which are over a decade old. Still in good shape. The Sears store shoes offered good value.

I used Sapphir invulner it’s pretty good at repelling water

I have several Pairs of rangers and other Jim green custom boots never had a issue

I special ordered JG Vellies and have been wearing them every day since mid October. I love them, especially the wide toe box. Mine are the rough out with a leather midsole. These are the first chukkas I’ve ever had. I’m thinking about getting a pair of African Rangers but I think they’re almost like the Vellies.

Can’t get over their bulbous toe box 😢

I live in a wet climate and have not had issues with water soaking in. If I were to pick its flaw, I would say the lack of grip from the original soles. When I wore the soles down to the point where I needed resoling, I ordered lug soles from Jim Green's website and had them put on. So far, so good. Just got a pair of Rugged Troopers and the break in has been pretty tough on my heels, but otherwise has been fine, Love JG's.

On my budget, I can only afford them when Amazon has a sale. This Black Friday, there was no sale.

Jim Green is awesome! I have two pair of the African rangers. Fudge and Buffalo skin. They are my work and walking/hiking boots. I love the wide toe box. I have narrow feet and the wider toe box was such a relief to wear. Spent most of my days wearing shoes that were always a bit to narrow. These boots are comfortable. Just buy some and wear for yourself if anyone is curious.

I wear a US11 in the zero-drop/barefoot last. I have a pair of custom AR8's US11 on the JG last that fit too loosely. The zero-drop last boots are always made with the leather midsole rather than the polyester midsole so I never noticed how the poly absorbs water so much worse.

💯 Could not agree more. AE fanboy and buyer of AE shoes, boots and sneakers, as well as many other brands (high/low) over the past 25-30 years. Some AE styles have lowered in quality, while other styles have remained the same. I’ve recrafted many pairs with AE and their recraft service/quality still exceeds local cobblers for the same recraft price - Whether one is an AE fanboy or not, AE should heed the recommendation in this video, reducing marketing spend and reinvesting in quality control, best is class material/construction, as well as 100% production of all leather products (belts, shoes, boots, sandals, etc.) in the USA. Even if new production facilities need to be opened across the USA vs. overseas, ‘Made In USA’ would be a marketing angle to leverage domestically and abroad … just focus on heritage and legacy quality. Competion and survival is critical, but manage the business focused on quality and longevity vs. quarterly dividends and AE will survive for another 100 years.

I love Jim Green but have had issues with their sizing. Certain leathers fit completely different. The fudge ones that you have always fit me smaller and tighter than the Houston blacks that I've bought. I have seen this on multiple pairs of rangers. Not sure why

Thank you for this! Love Jim Green and love(d?) African Rangers but am having real trouble with fit. First, as was advised, I got the same as you in a pair sized half size down-big mistake. Walking down our 20% slope driveway, my toes hit the end of the boot. I got the most painful big toenail and thought I was going to lose it; it took lots of tlc to save the nail. Now, I just got a pair in my actual size, 9.5D, and they fit better. BUT-the 1st first time I walked down my driveway, my toes were hitting again. I noticed this a bit in more general walking. My new theory is that the roomy heel and waist allow my feet to slide forward. And while the wide forefoot/toebox are wonderful, the looser back end seems problematic for me. As well, I have a high arch and a bit of a high instep, and the low volume of the forefoot may be part of the issue. It's at least a secondary issue. The toe box is VERY shallow. I'm going to try wearing even heavier socks to try to fix my feet in the boots. Had hoped to use my go-to medium weight wool Darn Toughs. But darn it. I've also tried stretching the toebox with limited effect so far. I have seen no commentary other than here on what seem to be my specific issue. It seems hard to believe no other users, especially those in hill country, haven't faced this issue. Still trying to make it work but am really disappointed. Especially since this second pair is a beautiful custom job with a leather midsole, tire tread outsole, and red stitching. Beautiful workmanship!

Where are Grant Stone’s made? All Viberg’s are made in Canada. The employees are paid a decent living wage. I feel that needs to be taken into account in their price. Something to be said for supporting “local companies as well.

Love your channel. I wear these boots everyday for long dog walks in all kinds of weather. They’re easily worth $100 more.

I have a pair of african rangers. And i live in the UK where iv worn the boots hiking in bogs and garderning etc. The boot is not waterproof. Noting its not made for the UK but africa. I feel that the boot is good but is limited in how you use it. A limit maybe not a flaw. Still i cant wear it to work unless i want damp feet all day. Having said that its a good boot. Its light and comfortable and will last some years.

I have owned the same pair for over and year and after hikes, powerwashes, mechanic things, around the house repairs, and daily use I have found a solution to the water problem is after your first saddle soaping to apply one coat of mink oil to the leather and two to the sticking. let them dry overnight and brush them off in the morning. If you've done this correctly you will have a extremely water resistant Pair of jim green african rangers!

The landscaper should have wax his JM like I did then there will be no water getting in.

I always wanted a pair of these since Rose anvil. YouShoe thanks again for making these videos.

I agree on the sizing for this last (STC last), true to size worked well for me. For their narrower ASHM last, I have found that going up 1/2 size is actually just right so that it does not squish my toes. The zero-drop last (mostly used on their collab boots with Rose Anvil) is ever wider, but again true to size seems to work well. I love my barefoot African Rangers, they are some of the most comfortable boots I have ever owned.

I've had a pair of ARs for going on 2 years (and several other JG boots). Were I to identify a flaw, it would be the mid-foot side stitch. This fall (so after 18 months of wear) I spent a couple days on my asphalt shingled roof repairing a couple solar panels. I'm no roofer so I wasn't super confident and spent a good amount of time sitting on my but and sliding around. This movement ended up rubbing that outside of both boots against the shingles and quickly wore away the top of the stitching at that middle seam. Both boots ended up with a hole in the side at the joining of the panels after both rows of stitching separated. This happened in just 2 days of work. It was a bit tricky, but I was able to hand stitch back through the existing holes in the leather, and the boots are now fine. The lesson is that the panel stitching on the outside of the boots is a potential weak point under specific conditions.

I'm getting a pair of the moccasins when they do come out

Great video! New to service boots, jumped in with both feet :) and bought a pair of Viberg 2030 in Nov. Have received two compliments already - one from a local boot maker who saw them (Oldspeed MFG - check them out, David is super nice guy! Will be getting a pair from him), recognized the brand and said "nice boots", and randomly last weekend at a vintage clothing event a kid out of no where said "nice boots" like he knew what they were. But that's not why I bought them - I have terrible feet...and wanted what I thought were the "best" most understated boots that no one that isn't deep into boots would know what they were. And, what they are is amazing...so comfortable, so supportive and so beautiful...and now I want more boots!

I have the luchador in Horween #8 shell cordovan. Wonderfully awesome and much lower cost than other shell cordovan boots. My pair also has a dainite pattern sole, but is marked as a vibram. Currently being shipped to me is a pair of engineer boots in black Maryam horsebutt. It's not a boot listed in their website but they'll make it for you if you are a prior customer.

Hey no more light switch and doorknob! What's going on haha. Thanks for the video!

This isn't a major flaw of the boot. It's like buying a Ford F150 Raptor and complaining about why it soaks up so much gas. These aren't advertised as waterproof boots and aren't made for wet climates. Just like how you wouldn't wear jungle boots to climb Mount Everest

Great video Ryan👏. I have the same fudge leather African Rangers and a pair of the Barefoot AR boots too. They are great boots for walking in the city or a light trail hike. FYI the barefoot version is amazing!

Review more boots from them. Great video BTW