I bought new boots that were not insulated nor had Gore-tex for my trip but they were not necessary. If I had to do it over again I would have just taken my well-worn Georgia crepe sole work boots. I wore shorts most of the time and some home made gaiters. I bought three sets of the real ones at the gun store in Windhoek. I had no problems with seeds or anything. I thing the brand is sock savers or similar.
I never had to climb a hill, I never needed more traction that a cowboy boot would have given me. It was bone dry and very temperate. We had minus 1 to minus 3 most mornings and it was 15-16 by mid day, perfect weather for shorts and shirtsleeves. We had a few very windy days and I wore a jacket some on those days. I had way too many clothes but didn't know what to expect.
Unless you are going mountain hunting, pretty much any shoe/boot will work.
