John Rice, founder of The Courteney Boot Company, was a master shoemaker and designer who started his career with Clarks shoes in September 1953 aged 15 as a trainee in the Pattern Development Department. There was no better place for him to develop his talent, and John won his first international award at 17 for designing a stitchdown shoe with a crepe sole. This accolade fired John's ambition to have his own workshop one day, making stitchdowns and traditional African 'vellies'.

1972 saw John and his family cross the Limpopo River into a country that seemed to have remained in the 1960s. But the bush war was just starting to escalate and the dream of his own factory had to wait. For more than a decade, in between call-ups, John successfully ran his mentor’s footwear factory. Then at last in 1992 came the day when John and Gale signed the founding partnership statements: The Courteney Boot Company opened for business in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.

John enjoyed a marvelous twenty years bringing his unique skill and vision to creating a rather special form of footwear. His lifelong dream came true: the small workshop became a success, and the Courteney brand name established an intimate following of friends and aficionados worldwide.
The Courteney collection combines natural gameskins such as Ostrich, Kudu, Cape buffalo, Impala, Nile Crocodile and Hippo leather. With wild leather there will be variations in colour and texture, but your hand-crafted Courteney product will age gracefully with time, wear and polish. Gameskin is more comfortable to wear than bovine, and as the leather shapes itself to your ‘footprint’, your boots will become personalised and unique to you.

Unlike mass produced footwear, they use all-natural materials. The upper, lining, insole and sock are all natural leather, allowing your foot to breathe. Courteney even makes their own natural rubber soles which are flexible and extremely quiet.

Additionally, Courtney imports the world’s best threads, adhesives and grindery. Show lasts are made by England’s best foot form maker, allowing Courteney to produce footwear that includes genuine half sizes for men and women.

People who walk for a living call them the "10,000 mile boot" for a good reason. Order a pair today and see why the company has established a loyal following all over the world.


Conservation Note

Luxury gameskin leathers are all from CITES-certified and approved, renewable sources and are hand picked for quality. Each individual animal had a natural life.

Getting the Right Fit

We make ordering your correct size easy. If you currently own a pair of Courteney Boots, order the size shown in the top left and right hand corner of the logo patch above the heel. If this is your first pair of Courteney Boots, simply order your most typical US Size and we'll convert it to the correct UK size for you. For most boots we offer both men's and women's sizes in full and half sizes.

When creating your "Custom Courteney" boots, you have the option to order a "Trial Pair" to ensure you get the correct size if you are a first time Courteney customer.

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