Jim Green

[Fifty150]

Ready for dishwashing shifts at Panda Express.

 

[Fifty150]

Since I already had the shoe brush out for the new boots, I decided to brush off the Numzaan. The Numzaan is now completely broken in. It feels good on my feet. It's a good value, for that price.


I think that overall, the Jim Green models are good. When there is a sale price, it's worth looking into. Not every model has a leather footbed insole and midsole. To me, that is okay. A lot of shoes use lasting boards. No special attributes to the leather that they use, which helps keep the price lower. Some people have mentioned that the leather for the uppers is not the best quality. And the prices have been going up. The Razorback model has increased in price significantly in the past few years.



These are my Numzaan. 3 months of ownership. Fully broken in.

 

[Fifty150]

I started out with the steel toe Razorback. It has met my expectations as a "work boot". It has "worked" in a lot of different environments, and has been exposed to heat, steam, chemicals, and various things actually bounced off the toes. The lug sole has not let me down on city sidewalks, dirt, sand, soil, and uneven terrain. My feet have stayed dry in the rain. The gusseted tongue has kept out dirt and debris. Very heavy because of the steel toes. Break in was not too bad. Lug soles have proven to be effective, and have not let me down.

Next, I bought Numzaan. I have not used it for any real "work" yet. I've done some yard work..... climbing ladders, cutting trees, trimming shrubs, picking fruit. Mostly urban use. Walking on concrete, rainy wet pavement, dirty bar room floors,. They went to the park a few times. Dirt, earth, grass, sand. A lot of leather. These are heavy. Break in was hard. The thick layers of leather were stiff. V-Bar pattern soles, what Jim Green calls "frog soles", have been "grippy" enough for my wear.

I just got the regular Razorback without the steel toe. I've worn it in The City. Walking down the street. Taking the bus. Going to the store. Up & down steel ladders on loading docks. I don't see these going into trenches, underground vaults, or construction job sites, because they are not steel toe. This pair is lighter in weight than the other two. From whatever reason, it doesn't feel like they are as stiff, and the break in is not as difficult. I don't think I'll slip on anything with the lug soles.



As we all have different feet, they fit good on my feet, but your mileage may vary. Comfort, is a matter of opinion. A lot of people may not like the weight of thicker, heavier leather. If grease and oil are a concern, these may not be for you. The leather is not a "premium" leather. It is good. It's sourced in South Africa. Jim Green has videos which explain their leather grade and the tanning process. For my use, it's fine. Although some people may be picky about the grade of hide, tanning process, and things like that. Their soles are proprietary. Not Vibram or Dainite. My 3 pairs of boots are made from 3 different lasts. On my feet, they are all wide and roomy.




I don't foresee buying any more pairs. But you never know. Would I recommend them? Sure, if someone needs a less expensive pair of boots. Good for durability. Not so good for people who like wearing lightweight loafers. This is what mine looks like, side by side. Not the best looking shoes.

 

[Fifty150]

Like every immigrant, I work multiple jobs.

I'm a dishwasher at Panda Express. Hot water. Steam. Sludge. Cleaning agents. Utensils, cutlery, broken dishes, food scraps. The steel toes are important. The gusseted tongue is important.

I also work in the back of a Chinese laundry. Dry cleaning chemicals. Bleach. Hot water. Steam. Gear oil. Chemicals. I'm doing all of the manual labor, including cleaning out lint traps and maintenance service on the machine.



No way to know how many miles I walk a day. I do walk for several blocks to take public transit, and transfer to connecting lines. Sometimes I run to catch the bus. Sometimes I run from those wishing to do me harm. I trudge through the ghetto of broken glass, hypodermic needles, used condoms, bullet shell casings, and other flotsam and jetsam common to streets of the inner city. Rain, shine, sleet, snow....... dark of night.


The steel toe Razorback were ordered last year on Black Friday. Almost a year old now. I can really feel the difference of the broken in leather versus the new stiff leather on the Razorback I bought last week. These boots do take awhile to break in. Then they become extremely comfortable. Almost a year old, and they are showing the wear and tear of my daily routine.



I brushed those off as well. Now they are ready for the cold weather months ahead.

 

[Fifty150]

The shoes were delivered on Oct 9. Today is Oct 16. 7 days. They are broken in. The shoes are comfortable. I would buy them again.