Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Footwear for the Namibian winter hunt?

Any suggestions? I was thinking a good pair of leather hiking boots like uninsulated Goretex Lowa's and/or my well-worn Russell bird shooters?

What month? April, May? I think your choices would be fine. For my trips to Zimbabwe and SA I have worn Nu Balance cross trainers with a pair of gaiters.

Mike

Mid to end of July. The middle of winter.

I used a pair of Ecco Track IV's.......bison leather and nice quiet sole.

On a hunt in 2006 I used a pair of Lowa Timpan Desert.....I'd plump for the Ecco's, however.

The Russells would be my choice. Depends on if you are in a rocky area or not. Will you be hiking around a lot of Koppies? if so the hiker type boots would be better.

The Russell Joe's PHs are made to order. I would get lug or bob soles with a stepped heel and heel counters. Not as quiet as the crepe soils but better grip and more durable.

It will depend on altitude but frosty mornings are possible with warm to hot afternoons.

Wear something light and confortable. No need for Goretex as it is the dry season with absolutely no rain.

+1 on the light and comfortable, my Scarp hiking boots were too hot.
Strongly recommend leather uppers, the torns will go through fabric.

I used Cabela's kangaroo boots[uninsulated]. They were light weight, and tough in the thorns.

maddog

HS...your well worn Birdshooters would be virtually ideal...take a pair of Good tennis/running type shoes...and some duct tape...you'll see what for....

ingwe

Agree on the lightweights.

When I went I just wore my well worn Roper Lacers work style boot. Worked great.

On my last trip I wore Danner Pronghorn boots- lightweight, uninsulated, and very comfortable.

I'm not much into high dollar boots..These days there are so many good hunting boots and shoes out there for under $100..I personally wear $95.00 Wrangler Horseshoes. they are broke in the day you get them and they are comfortable, and they are warmer than most insulalted boots..I wear them all over Africa any time of year....but any of the good boots at Sportsman Whse or Cabellas work..I don't like heavy boots in Africa or anywhere else come to think of it...Modern techknowledgy in the hunting boot business has come a long way.

just my .02 as i have never been to africa, but the cabela's meindl perfekt hikers are just about the best boots i have ever owned. i have worn these day in and day out at the refinery i work at for almost 2 years. these have been fairly warm in the winter and my feet stay pretty dry in the summer months. i actually look forward to wearing these boots. they really feel better on my feet than my tennis shoes and that's saying something!-keith

Well, I'm a jogger and a devotee of Brooks running shoes. Given the duct tape comment, it makes me think I should take a pair near the end of their life?

Exactamundo.....but the duct tape may be handy for other stuff.....


Ingwe

Duct tape is good for diarrhea, its the removal that is problematic. . .

No...actually I used it alot on low tennis shoes...sealed the tops of them so seeds/sand spurs couldnt get in...also taped the laces down to keep them from coming untied...

Ingwe

I ask this as a straight forward question. Did you wear socks, or low running socks? I could see where this would help too.

I wore regular sox...and if you hunt in your birdshooters, alot of this will be a non-issue....

Seeds were a problem hunting Buffalo in Zim, and in Namibia they only posed a problem early in the season...May...

MOST of my hunting has been done in running shoes.....


Ingwe

get the smartwool socks whatever you do! barnone the best out there! i have taken and thrown away every cotton sock i own. you can buy these in no-show to hiking length. i wore these last november at disneyworld in florida and my feet were cool, dry, and didn't ache once. -keith