I am hunting Cameroon jungles this spring and I am looking for a pair of rubber boots. I see everything from $10 to $200. Is any brand better for support, traction, hiking... ?

Of course, looking for uninsulated

Thank you for your help,

I hunt in Alaska in ankle fit hip boots. Comfortable and dry and I wear them every day for a week to 10 days. Of course, in the jungle, you don't need insulation.
Cal

Singleshot

Is your safari operator recommending rubber boots? If not just think about your feet boiling in those rubber boots. I would expect foot problem after the first or second day.

Mark

quote:

I would expect foot problem after the first or second day.

Heat & humidity combined are the ideal recipe for "foot rot".

You would be wiser to carry several pairs of comfortable, well ventilated shoes from which to alternate should one pair get wet.

Wear canvas tennis shoes or hiking boots. Your feet are going to get wet. When your hunt is over , leave them with the guys. A good gather using duck tape around the ankles is the best way.

Thank you for the responses. I will have two extra pairs of boots (ankle support).

Duct tape around the ankles is interesting and so are waders.

I tried on some new version of jungle boots and really did not care for them - not as comfortable as my Merrel Boots

I understand feet will get wet and foot care is important.

A video of the hunt on youtube also has everyone including the trackers wearing rubber boots.

So the question still remains what is the difference in all of these rubber boots?

after spending several months in the jungle my advice would be to stay as far away from rubber boots as y0u can. rather take 2 pair so you can wear one while the other dries- goretex wasn't around in those times but since then i've developed quite a liking for them take plenty of socks along and change them twice a day. at night leave your feet bare don't go by what you see in a film. remember the trackers in tennis shoes with the toes cut off, flip flops sandals etc. they use whatever they have take along a good foot powder

I took 3 pairs of canvas high top sneaker type shoes.

Change them out whenever you get back to camp.

Hot and wet will give you foot fungus and “jungle rot” if you let your feet stew in it. The pygmies wear the cheap rubber boots while hunting, but they do a lot of things that I couldn’t.

Other folks recommended gaiters to keep bugs out. For me, using duct tape worked better - taping your pants to the socks.

I did bring a pair home- the ones I shot the bongo in- they still stunk despite febreeze, so I ended up throwing them out. Whatever you use, I don’t think you want to bring it back. The staff will certainly use them...

I have no experience in humid jungles.

But, while hunting anywhere in Africa, I wear walking shoes, from different makers.

Non is walter proof, but I never take them off during the day.

I wade rivers in them, sometimes they are wet all day.

Never had any problems.

My suggestion is to take 3 pairs and alternate.

Crocs?

quote:

Originally posted by rnovi:
Crocs?

The worse foot wear ever invented!

If I find the bloody idiot who invented there I will make him eat them!

When hunting here in Alaska I spend 15 hours a day in hip boots. A few changes of socks and foot powder is all that is needed. I have been doing so since the mid 1980s.

Hip boots are just right and a long rain coat keeps me 100% dry. Hip waders and chest waders are over kill.

Just my 2 cents.
Cal

Jungle life has 2 settings- Wet (daytime) and dry (sleeping).


Always have two sets of gear...wet for work, dry for sleep.


Your feet will get wet. Foot powder, wipe/clean with a sanitizing wipe (germ killing) at the end of the day, anti-fungal spray daily...and sleep dry. Deal with any cuts or injuries aggressively to prevent infection.

Personally- If I'm not wading in deep water..Muck boots are pretty decent footwear for wet places...but any rubber boot is bad when full of water. If you are in ankle deep...great. If you are crossing rivers...just wear something that can drain water out and keep going with wet feet.


You have to decide if you are going to try and stay dry footed...or accept wet feet and go on with it. Totally different classes of footwear.


Stay dry if you can. If you can't...get boots that are wet and breathable.


Jungle life isn't fun. Bugs, snakes, disease...

Look at Palladium canvas boots.

quote:

Originally posted by Duckear:
Look at Palladium canvas boots.

I have hunted the rain forest of Cameroon many times. In addition the forests of Liberia and Guinea.
I find Palladium Pampas to be very good boots for that type of hunt. Although they normally only last one season.

You won't be able to keep the water/moisture out, so what you need is boots that dry quickly.

This is a great discussion with a lot of insight.

So in summary my plan is to bring three pairs of boots that can get wet. I will expect my feet to be wet during the day and dry at night (will used recommendations here for foot care.)

I will look at the Palladium which seem to be an improvement over the converse. I would also bring a pair of rubber boots but my high arch has prevented me from getting couple of pairs on my feet.

Thank you again for sharing all of your experiences.

Jim

Palladium are what I would take - they can be used in water and dry well, are very durable and have much better soles than regular hi-tops.

My son has worn nothing but palladiums on multiple african safaris and loves them. I wear them at home quite a bit as well.

Man I have worked and walked a lot in equatorial jungle.

No way I would wear rubber boots. In Borneo many of the Dyaks wore thongs or street shoes! I would wear light hiking boots that won’t deteriorate being wet.

I have worn rubber gun boots walking in rivers 8n Tanzania, but would prefer hiking boots for the jungle terrain and climate.

Additionally you should bring the most comfortable sport shoes you have for evenings. And do bring baby powder for your feed and crotch

I have guided a few people and almost all had either sore feet and/or crotch from the moisture. Like I said, it's literally impossible to stay dry.

Canvas palladium’s work great. Canvas ankle high boot with rubber traction sole. Also remember. No leather. Leather does not do well in the rainforest.

I spent a lot of my former life in jungles and was an instructor at the Jungle School in Panama. Any comfortable boot that will dry fairly well and breath will work fine. People have foot problems when they don't take care of their feet or have poorly fitting boots. For me, a US Army jungle boot or canvas boot like the Palladium work best. Take two pair that you have walked in prior to your hunt. Change socks regularly, dry your feet and use foot powder liberally. Also, pack some moleskin for hot spots (available at any pharmacy).

Safe hunting...……….LL

I would avoid rubber due to heat and sweat. Go with canvas sneakers. Take two pairs. You will wreck them both, so leave them behind.
Rubber will hold moisture and you will have foot trouble.

I will echo what many have already posted...avoid rubber boots and Goretex.

During a recent safari in the jungle in northern Congo I alternated 2 pairs palladium pampas ($70-80). They dry quickly and were quite comfortable. I also took a pair of Salomon Jungle Ultra boots which are more "sturdy" but I found them much less comfortable while actually in the jungle.

For gaiters, I used the Kenetrek soft hiking gaiters which worked well for me. I found them more comfortable than duct tape to keep out the ants, although, they will let some ants in. It really comes down to your personal preference...I would take and try both. Within a few days in the jungle you will find which works best for you.

Enjoy your trip...the jungle is an awesome place!

look at the Nike sfx

I deployed to Vietnam in 2003 to dig up MIA/POW remains.

I spent about 40 days in near Vihn City getting rained on for most of the day in October.

I wore Corcoran jungle Jump boots, and put them in front of a fan every night. I wore synthetic socks, and pants similar to the synthetic fishing shirts and pants made by Columbia or others.

It was about 92-75 during the trip. But we had multiple occaisions of rain every day and if I would have worn cotton anything I would have never dried out.

For shirts I wore long sleeve cotton t-shirts, and I think I brought 12 of them, and we had laundry available. Some people on my team had synthetic materialled fishing shirts.

The reason I wore cotton long sleeve t-shirts was because I had a ton of them. I didn't have a lot of money or a source where I lived in Washington State to buy fishing shirts like that. They were like $50-75 each back then. I had originally brought surplus solid green BDU pants, but got tired of the rain, and was worried about boat bum or crotch rot. The fishing shirt material pants I picked up in Vietnam really cheap like $5.

A lot of information there, but that is how it happened.

I have in the past put light plastic bags over the socks provided the water doesn't go over the the top, canvas shoes would work best since they will dry faster than leather. The duck tape is a great idea I have used that tape over the lace knot to stop from getting undone

i used pataugas canvas hiking shoes for my years in forest that was in CAR so imagine they should work in cameroon forest.
few members here used it.

what your outfitter is recommending you? i doubt rubber boots.

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:

quote:

Originally posted by rnovi:
Crocs?

The worse foot wear ever invented!

If I find the bloody idiot who invented there I will make him eat them!

Saeed,

Just for you crocs in the rainforest.

No way I would wear rubber boots of any sort in the forest. Walk dry shoes or boots and an extra pair of socks while hunting. At night keep your feet clean, dry, and medicated to prevent rot and you will be fine.

quote:

Originally posted by crbutler:
I took 3 pairs of canvas high top sneaker type shoes.

Change them out whenever you get back to camp.

Hot and wet will give you foot fungus and “jungle rot” if you let your feet stew in it. The pygmies wear the cheap rubber boots while hunting, but they do a lot of things that I couldn’t.

Other folks recommended gaiters to keep bugs out. For me, using duct tape worked better - taping your pants to the socks.

I did bring a pair home- the ones I shot the bongo in- they still stunk despite febreeze, so I ended up throwing them out. Whatever you use, I don’t think you want to bring it back. The staff will certainly use them...

Next time try MiraZyme

quote:

Originally posted by Frostbit

Next time try MiraZyme

Link say not available there anymore.

I sure wouldn't give REI a dime of my money. They are heavy donators to anti hunting organizations and won't even offer products from companies that also market to hunters.

I have used Le Chameau in cold to warm weather swamps.

But in truly hot weather swamps, I like Chuck Taylors.

I recommend you american military jungle boots



There are special holes to get water out.

And waterproof socks.

I don't really feel qualified to comment, considering that the bulk of my hunting is done in sub-zero conditions where staying warm and dry is critical...but I did spend an entire week slogging through flooded grasslands in the Caprivi strip a decade ago. I had been warned of the prevailing conditions and brought 2 pairs of what were referred to as "water shoes". They were essentially typical running shoes constructed of synthetic mesh instead of fabric. I wore them extensively before the hunt to test them out, and found them very comfortable worn without socks. Replaced the laces with heavy duty work boot laces, and wore them for hours each day while hunting without any issues. No blisters, no discomfort, and they dried almost immediately when removed from the water.

At the end of the hunt the trackers were ecstatic to get them...and I was ecstatic to give them away.