Jim Green Numzaan boots, a mini diary

[AshleyC]

I've experienced a decline in RAD, but with a corresponding increased interest in footwear. I specifically wanted a Heritage type in the service boot style. I was weighing the pros and cons of various offerings but the overengineered features of the Jim Green Numzaan boot, and its $250 price tag, continued to draw my eye. So I ordered them on the 12th and they made it to the house today. A very quick delivery/response time.

These are the "Walnut" color, which is a pretty close approximation to the Alden "Indy" boots I had back in the late 1990s for a time. And these boots are quite heavy. They are constructed with more leather than other boots in the "entry level" Heritage boot tier. I don't think I'll bother listing a bunch of specs here. You can watch YouTube videos for that. If you do...you'll end up getting a pair. So beware.

At first glance, it looks like the leather might take a bulling type high shine. I may find out tomorrow. But how many times have I bought leather shoes or boots only to find that my cotton swab or tightly wrapped cotton t-shirt finger glove just keeps swirling the polish around and around to no end? More times than I care to admit. But it's not a deal breaker and I suspect most leather isn't made to take that kind of shine because only cranks and veterans actually enjoy the activity. Normal people just want to clean, wipe off, and rub in some oil or conditioner and be done with it.

I opted for what's called the "Frog Grip Sole". There is a lug sole option for more off road type activities.

Naturally, I had to immediately put these on and wear them around the house. It rained all day, is still raining in Ohio, so I wasn't going to put any mileage on these.

First impressions.

According to the gee-whiz foot sensing computer doohickey at a Red Wing a few years ago, I'm a 12D. That's what I ordered here and it worked out pretty good. I probably could've managed a 11.5D. Maybe... No. I'm not going to keep second guessing myself on this. It is 12D for me.

These are roomy on the inside, as per the lasts Jim Green uses. Perhaps South Africans in general have wider feet or more splayed toes. This is the roomiest toe box of any boot I've ever worn. And that's quite a bit of Army time talking there. I've never worn a "barefoot" style shoe or boot before, but this seems like it could almost be something like that.

And you WILL need to buy separate insoles. I tried these on first as they came out of the box and was immediately like "this isn't going to work at all". You cannot use these as they come out of the box. Too much room in there and whatever that is at the bottom you are actually standing on wasn't meant for any foot.

I anticipated that being the case and had a set of Jim Green's insoles delivered with the boots. So are they "really" a $250 boot? The insoles from Jim Green were an additional $20, but these things are so overbuilt that I still feel so far ahead of the game it is ridiculous.

But I'm thinking of this as a "mini diary", so I'll get back for my experiences with the boots during this breaking in period. I hope to do more walking tomorrow than just around the house for 4 hours.

 

[johnniegold]

Congrats on the new boots. That color looks great.

And the “mini diary” is a good idea. I have a few of them dotted around The Haberdashery. It lets you track the life of your boots while letting others see how they progress through your experience which can be such a wonderful resource.

I look forward to seeing your boots gain character as you wear them and a nice patina as time goes on.

 

[AshleyC]

Wore the boots for almost exactly 2500 steps today. Doing a bit of shoveling outside and grocery shopping at Kroger.

This time, rather than put the boots on and lace them up while sitting down, I laced them up while standing and each foot up on a stair. I was double-socked today and doing this on the stairs allowed me to cinch the laces up much tighter than yesterday. And the boots felt perfectly fitted. I started to think the breaking in period is going to be pain free and short.

I used a sort of "paratrooper lacing", as you can see in that first picture above, I saw on YT to maximize tightening the laces.

I'm not one of those boot guys that walks around with the jeans cuffed up.

I enjoyed wearing these today. My only discomfort was sitting at a restaurant for lunch. I have a tendency to tuck my lower legs a bit underneath me. This caused the tongue/upper part of the boot to press into my shins. And the tongue of these boots is reinforced with a "kiltie", a thicker piece of leather stitched onto the tongue.

My front porch was wet and slick with slush, so I used that to test the grippiness of these soles. Quite grippy. There was no danger of my slipping at all. A reviewer on YT claims the lug sole version of these boots offers no slip resistance.

I was planning to test a section of a boot to see if this leather will take a high military shine today, but I cannot find any of my old shoe shining stuff. Vanished without a trace. So I'll have to hit up a few places tomorrow for polish and brushes. Eh, needed new stuff anyway.

 

[Lightcs1776]

They certainly look good. Hopefully you will get many years of use from them.

 

[brucered]

Thanks for posting. I recently started looking at Jim Green when looking for boots for one of our kids. He ended up with some Eddie Bauers he got on a great sale. I won't let him wear them with jeans rolled up, but I should be safe as he doesn't like logos (he was happy the EB were not branded on the sides, even though the pic shows it and mainly wears pants. He dresses better than me.

I ended up with a pair of RazorBacks for myself.. They were 1/2 size too large in length but I was impressed with the initial house test before I sent them back. I may end up with a 10 in the future.

When I researched them, they seemed to be an older brand that was trying to make a buzz on social media recently. I'm not on social media, so wasn't aware of that aspect of them.

Looking forward to seeing how you like them in a few weeks or months and if you run into any issues or negatives.

They look sharp.

 

[AshleyC]

Thanks for posting. I recently started looking at Jim Green when looking for boots for one of our kids. He ended up with some Eddie Bauers he got on a great sale. I won't let him wear them with jeans rolled up, but I should be safe as he doesn't like logos (he was happy the EB were not branded on the sides, even though the pic shows it and mainly wears pants. He dresses better than me.

I ended up with a pair of RazorBacks for myself.. They were 1/2 size too large in length but I was impressed with the initial house test before I sent them back. I may end up with a 10 in the future.

When I researched them, they seemed to be an older brand that was trying to make a buzz on social media recently. I'm not on social media, so wasn't aware of that aspect of them.

Looking forward to seeing how you like them in a few weeks or months and if you run into any issues or negatives.

They look sharp.

Doesn't like logos, eh? How unexpected in someone young. I don't remember anyone like that when I was in K-12. I worked at an Eddie Bauer distribution center for a couple of years. I always considered the merchandise to generally be of above average quality. At least the pricing suggested the board of directors considered it above average. I liked the K-6 hiking boot enough to buy a pair. Somehow, I doubt your son got the K-6...

A friend of mine referred to Eddie Bauer as "Old People Clothing". I responded by saying no, it is just mostly classical style. And I think buying "classic" style is wise because you can wear it anytime, forever, and it never goes out of style because it is classic.

Try wearing neon or pastel-colored shirt with a multiple zipper Michael Jackson red jacket and parachute pants tomorrow. That look was very much a creature of a very specific, very narrow moment in time!

 

[brucered]

@AshleyC

He got the K-6. I've tried them on a few times, super comfortable. He just turned 20 for the record, but I still call him my kid.

I got the MJ jacket reference too. Looking at your profile, we are the same age. I turn 52 next month.

Spoiler

 

[AshleyC]

Congrats on the new boots. That color looks great.

And the “mini diary” is a good idea. I have a few of them dotted around The Haberdashery. It lets you track the life of your boots while letting others see how they progress through your experience which can be such a wonderful resource.

I look forward to seeing your boots gain character as you wear them and a nice patina as time goes on.

Unfortunately, it is with unmitigated joy that I do not regret to inform you these boots will not be developing a patina on my watch!

Turns out these boots will take a military shine. That's just what I've done in the last 45 minutes. I'll be working on them for quite a while now, but considering all the videos and reviews on Numzaans I'm confident in claiming this as an "internet first". As far as I know, I'm the first to apply this finish to a Numzaan.

I'm prepared to be very smug about this. Back to work...

 

[joel]

I've been on the fence about picking up a pair. They're on sale (in brown) for $150 on the Jim Green website right now, but I don't really wear my Buffalo or Houston green barefoot AR's that much as is, so despite the great boot and killer deal, i've held back. I will say though - the former are my dedicated "beaters" and with a good insole they're quite comfy, and they look amazing - for as hard as i've been on them.

 

[AshleyC]

It took me the bulk of the afternoon to get one boot done up, but I'm pleased as punch so far. This is the boot I haven't done yet.

Compared to the boot I've finished.

That last picture shows the "kiltie" reinforced tongues.

I've been on the fence about picking up a pair. They're on sale (in brown) for $150 on the Jim Green website right now, but I don't really wear my Buffalo or Houston green barefoot AR's that much as is, so despite the great boot and killer deal, i've held back. I will say though - the former are my dedicated "beaters" and with a good insole they're quite comfy, and they look amazing - for as hard as i've been on them.

Just based on my experience so far, I already know I'm going to get another pair of something from Jim Green. It'll be black leather, definitely of leather capable of shining up like this. Maybe a custom Baobab. Too bad they don't seem to offer yellow sole stitching, as I could get a bit of "Doc Marten" vibe off a black boot with black soles if they did. Perhaps I'll email them the suggestion.

 

[joel]

It took me the bulk of the afternoon to get one boot done up, but I'm pleased as punch so far. This is the boot I haven't done yet.

Compared to the boot I've finished.



That last picture shows the "kiltie" reinforced tongues.


Just based on my experience so far, I already know I'm going to get another pair of something from Jim Green. It'll be black leather, definitely of leather capable of shining up like this. Maybe a custom Baobab. Too bad they don't seem to offer yellow sole stitching, as I could get a bit of "Doc Marten" vibe off a black boot with black soles if they did. Perhaps I'll email them the suggestion.

Nice job on the shine! You might want to check our their barefoot AR's. I'm not a barefoot shoe/boot dweeb and of the ~150 pairs of shoes and boots I own, its the only "barefoot" model - but i'll be damned if there isn't something special about them. Amazing boots for scrapping around on big boulders, and a very fun experience to hike with them.

 

[AshleyC]

@AshleyC

He got the K-6. I've tried them on a few times, super comfortable. He just turned 20 for the record, but I still call him my kid.

I got the MJ jacket reference too. Looking at your profile, we are the same age. I turn 52 next month.

Spoiler

View attachment 1997441

The odds being what they were, I should have guessed he'd got the K-6. It is their only unique and interesting hiking boot. The rest just look like sneakers on steroids. I like the K-6 because since it is a hiking boot, you can get away with wearing them with shorts.

Just as an aside, the K-6 will take a military shine too!

 

[brucered]

The odds being what they were, I should have guessed he'd got the K-6. It is their only unique and interesting hiking boot. The rest just look like sneakers on steroids. I like the K-6 because since it is a hiking boot, you can get away with wearing them with shorts.

Just as an aside, the K-6 will take a military shine too!

I'll have to pull out my Naval Reserves shoe shine knowledge for him. I spent many nights polishing my boots in front of the TV to a mirror finish with rags, spit and pantyhose.

 

[AshleyC]

I'll have to pull out my Naval Reserves shoe shine knowledge for him. I spent many nights polishing my boots in front of the TV to a mirror finish with rags, spit and pantyhose.

That's still how I do it. The one boot took me through all of "Cat Ballou" this afternoon. I never used my pantyhose for boot shining. I use pantyhose the way God intended.

I'm really...really just kidding about that.

 

[AshleyC]

Nice job on the shine! You might want to check our their barefoot AR's. I'm not a barefoot shoe/boot dweeb and of the ~150 pairs of shoes and boots I own, its the only "barefoot" model - but i'll be damned if there isn't something special about them. Amazing boots for scrapping around on big boulders, and a very fun experience to hike with them.

Just wondering if I'm the only one who'll admit that the first time they saw the words "barefoot boot", thought to themself, "Why on earth would I want to wear shoes without socks?"

 

[Jim in NZ]

Great boots! I used to visit the factory as it was near where I lived in South Africa. At that stage, they made the CAT boots as well. Hope you get many happy miles out of yours!

 

[AshleyC]

I finally finished the other boot as far as an initial polishing. That took me all of the first 3 episodes of the newest season of "Reacher". I also added more applications to the first boot.

Much, much darker and more like the mirror finish I wanted. It is a labor-intensive process, but only to establish that initial baseline of shine.

It also hides more effectively the only flaws I've seen so far. In my early pictures you can see a sort of paint/sealant along the cap stitches. I think it is a good, functional idea to have the sealant to help against water, but it was hastily applied. It is hardly noticeable now with my polishing.

Wearing them again today.