Testimonials

How service should work

I have recently sung the praises of the Courteney Boot Company in these pages and wish to continue in this vein.

When I was last home in Zimbabwe my father mentioned to me that the Courteney Boot Company offered a refurbishment service and as my boots had by that stage been neglected and abused for the best part of thirteen years as well as having walked many thousands of miles on several continents this sounded like a great idea and I agreed to leave them with him to organise.

Fast forward nearly a year and my parents are due to visit me here in the UK so I began to chase up my father for news of my precious boots. He didn’t say as much but I gathered he’d done nothing about organising their refurb but quickly informed me that they’d been sent to the factory and he’d had a very reasonable quote of $50usd or £36gpb at the current exchange rate and I gave him the go ahead.

Considering that these boots cost a small fortune when new and that the refurbishment consisted of a full restitching of the tough elephant, buffalo and giraffe leather and replacement of the tough car tyre style soles I think that I’ve made a hell of a deal.

Being the geek that I am I was sitting at work during my lunch hour perusing the Courteney Boot Company’s website www.courteneyboot.com/ as well as the websites of the London stockists www.westleyrichards.co.uk/Shop/Courteney-Boots I thought I’d fire off a couple of endorsement type emails of the boots themselves and the service offered. Both came back to me promptly thanking me for my kind words and the response from Gale Rice at the Bulawayo based factory was particularly thankful asking permission to use my email on their website which I of course agreed to and offering to send me a free cleaning kit.

I thanked Gale and explained that my boots were still with the factory and I was holding my fingers crossed they would be back with my parents in time to fly to the UK with them. Gale responded with the simple “I’ll make sure that happens”

Two days later I had another email from Gale again thanking me again for my kind words and informing that my boots had left the factory along with the cleaning kit and were being returned to their Harare Stockists nearest my parents home for collection the very next day.

Now if a small company in deepest darkest Africa can provide that level of service and guarantee a customer for life, even though by making the boots so well in the first place I’m unlikely to need a new pair for another ten to fifteen years – why is the rest of the world so incapable? Is the old way the best way?

If like me you like the finer things in life and expect them to last for your life, then I would highly recommend you invest in a pair of these simply styled, incredibly comfortable and tough boots, they will serve you well and you never know, in thirty years time you might need a second pair.

TTFN

Mr Bunny Chow

From -30 Celsius in Moscow, Russia up to +45 Celcius at En Gedi Dead Sea

Over the years I have walked miles and miles over all the continents, from -30 Celsius in Moscow, Russia up to +45 Celcius at En Gedi Dead Sea, Israel. I was fortunate to travel all continents except Antartica, never without them, after I found them I think it was in 1993. I still have my first pair. Every day I just love to wear the Courteneys Selous shoes, where ever they take me.

Rens Trappel
The Netherlands
9th August 2011

To anyone who will listen

I am writing to congratulate you on producing what I believe is the best quality footwear available for the outdoorsman in the world. I have owned a single pair of Courteney boots for two years and I could not be happier with their performance. I work as a Professional Hunter for an outfit that operates safaris in Australia’s remote Arnhem Land wilderness. Many of my colleagues use cheaper mass produced boots and are struggling to make one season before they give out. In contrast, my Courteneys have lasted two seasons and will undoubtedly make a third. All the while they have remained water resistant, comfortable and solid. Believe me, they have been punished by scalding heat, constant exposure to wet and mud and every manner of sharp jagged rock and they remain near perfect. In addition to this, they are completely silent and have the toughest sole of any boot I have come across. I have worn my Courteneys hunting and fishing on three continents and I hope to add a fourth (Africa) very soon.

Please keep up the good work as it is a great pleasure to use a product that is hand made and comes as beautifully packaged and presented as yours. In this world of the mass produced, synthetic and disposable, Courteney Boots are unmatched in quality. I recommend them to all my clients and anyone who will listen.

Morgan Potter

I didn’t even notice I had my boots on

Just came back from my first safari to Africa.  I purchased the Courteney Selous boots before I left.  I just wanted to congratulate you for making the most comfortable pair of boots in the world.  I hunted from dawn to dusk and at the end of the day I didn’t even notice I had my boots on.

Thank you very much.

John Gomez

Thanks for the memories

In 1960 I was given a pair of desert boots by a friend of my Dad’s who hunted in Africa almost every year from 1930 to 1965. I have just received a pair of suede Courteney Vellies. As I was tying the laces the memories of the stories the old man told me came back to me. Maybe it was just looking at the elephant on the shoebox and knowing these were made in Africa. Thanks for the memories and the comfort of these new shoes.

John H. Watson

I’ve owned a pair of Selous for close on 15 years now, they have travelled round the world and proven extremely comfortable in all situations from the office to hunting in the African bush.

I have recently returned them to the factory in Bulawayo for a refurb, which they are unstitching the whole boot and resoling them as well as renewing all of the stitching for merely $50usd. These boots may start off expensive but when I consider the mileage they’ve done and the abuse they’ve suffered they begin to look like a bit of a bargain.

Go on – treat yourself.

Rob Wood

I have received my haversack and just wanted to let you know that it has exceeded my expectations. The quality of the materials, craftsmanship and finish are exceptional and I think now it is almost too good to take hunting!

Thank you for providing me with such a fine product.

Yours aye,

Dirk Noordewier

603km, 255 hours, 44 deg C

I was on contract to WWF Cameroon for four months tracking and locating black rhino in the north of the country.  I walked for 603 km, for 255 hours in temperatures that were close to 44 deg C with high humidity and I did all this in my Courteney boots.  They really were superb and dealt with the terrain, river crossings, heat and humidity, and torrential rains at the end with ease.

Mike Kock

Thank heavens for my wonderful Courteneys

I am in London at present. Having a great time. Have been doing a lot of walking.  Thank heavens for my wonderful Courteney boots. They have saved the day. We came via Singapore and due to the hot weather the boots I wore gave me blisters on both feet. I thought that my trip to see the sights of London may have been ruined. On went the Courteney boots and my feet haven’t stopped walking. Will highly recommend to anyone wanting a great wearing boot.

Jennie

This is the second pair of Courteney boots I have purchased in the past two years. They are by far the finest, best fitting, and toughest boot I have found. I wear them daily around town, and also hunt with them hard, once a month on the desert hills of the Tejon Ranch, here in California. The boots break in fast and they never let my feet get wet. Once while riding a horse, a branch from a tree was stuck in the toe. Yet it didn’t penetrate the boot.  The only flaw I can find is when applying the polish that is supplied at time of purchase, the beautiful appearance of the gameskins are subdued into a brown colour. Even though the boots lose their luster after a while, they still perform flawlessly. I would like to thank you for your excellent craftsmanship in these boots – even the laces hold up.

Steven W. Herr