South African Bata 'Takkie' Hockey Sneakers

South African Bata 'Takkie' Hockey Sneakers
South African Bata 'Takkie' Hockey Sneakers
South African Bata 'Takkie' Hockey Sneakers
South African Bata 'Takkie' Hockey Sneakers
South African Bata 'Takkie' Hockey Sneakers
South African Bata 'Takkie' Hockey Sneakers
South African Bata 'Takkie' Hockey Sneakers
South African Bata 'Takkie' Hockey Sneakers
South African Bata 'Takkie' Hockey Sneakers
South African Bata 'Takkie' Hockey Sneakers
South African Bata 'Takkie' Hockey Sneakers
South African Bata 'Takkie' Hockey Sneakers
South African Bata 'Takkie' Hockey Sneakers
South African Bata 'Takkie' Hockey Sneakers

South African Bata 'Takkie' Hockey Sneakers

Sale price$64.99 USD
/
Rated 4.7 out of 5
Based on 134 reviews

  • Genuine Bata Product, Made In Zimbabwe
  • 100% Refundable Deposit, 30 Day Returns
  • Ready To Ship
  • Available
  • Backordered, shipping soon
Size
Style

  • Made in Zimbabwe (Formerly Rhodesia)
  • Genuine New Production Bata Product
  • Canvas Upper
  • Rubber zig-zag outsole for extra grip
  • Iconic styling cues of 1960s era hockey sneakers
  • Metal eyelets & rubber toe cap for lasting durability

A Brief History Of Takkies

How Hockey Shoes Became A Troopie's Best Friend

Hockey Shoes?

Nothing goes better together than South Africa and hockey shoes? No, not ice hockey.

Typically played on grass or hard packed dirt, field hockey is substantially different from ice hockey (obviously.) As you can imagine, countries around the equator can't find ice to save their lives, but field hockey remains a popular pastime especially in the warmer commonwealth (or ex-commonwealth countries.)

With the commercialization of synthetic rubber and the advent of new shoe manufacturing methods post WWII, all varieties of 'field hockey' shoes exploded in popularity. Brands like Converse, Palladium, and Chuck Taylor were nothing short of a worldwide phenomenon.

So hockey shoes were light weight, cool, athletic, and ideal for moving quickly.

That sounds like it could come in handy.

Rumble In The Bush

The formative years of more recent Central & Sub-Saharan African Culture was during the Bush War & Border wars — Conflicts which dominated South Africa and Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia) during the Cold War. Outside of Africa and certain military circles both of these wars have faded into obscurity...

At the height of the Border and Bush wars, The South African Military themselves geographically, economically, and diplomatically isolated. They would be facing off against the best efforts of the USSR, North Korea, Cuba, Egypt, and several members of the Soviet Bloc. All of whom would be providing training, arms, logistics and advisory support to a rainbow of communist terrorists, militant groups, and Sub-Saharan nation states. The resulting violence was characterized by its fast pace and indiscriminate brutality — with frequent attacks on public infrastructure and civilian populations.

Recces & Rhodies

This period of counter-insurgency combat in the African savanna and wildlands forced tactical and material improvisation. Scrambling to stay competitive, South Africa would develop doctrines and equipment that would stay relevant for decades to come.

South Africa’s elite Recce units (short for “Reconnaissance”) were the cream of the crop in counterinsurgency. They were experts in tracking & long-range patrols far behind enemy lines, often in small groups. In truth though, they did far more. They became the “go-to” fighting force for nearly everything, from airborne raids to underwater demolitions.

With all that trekking and punishing embargos came the need for lighter, faster footwear than the stiff & heavy European styled combat boots that were commonly issued.

Limited by attrition and embargos, Troopies frequently purchased their own kit on the private market...

Bata Begins

They turned to civilian hockey shoes, otherwise affectionately known by their nickname, "takkies". Similar to many designs from the 60s with their canvas upper and rubber sole they were produced by the local shoe conglomerate Bata.

Inexpensive (being quite literally the cheapest shoes from Bata at the time) and effective, perfect for when you want to ruck the entirety of the African savannah in hot pursuit of some “terrs” or a mooi meisle.

They already didn’t leave the same boot print as standard issue combat boots did, but they commonly sanded the soles flat — In the dusty conditions of the bush, the flat soles left faded prints, disguising fresh tracks as weeks old.

This allowed some measure of plausible deniability and concealment for any Recces & Rhodies operating somewhere the commies didn't want them to be. 



Fast Forward

In our various dealings with South African suppliers and quite a few imports of the legendary Waxi Boot, we kept stumbling on Bata. 

They were without a doubt a footwear juggernaut in Africa, and knowing the illustrious history of the Takkies we did everything we could to finally get in contact with them. Turns out, the Zimbabwean factory is still pumping out shoes, albeit much more modern models.

Theoretically, if they wanted to, they could go full retro and make the very same models they did in the 70s and 80s...

And bata did express the desire to bring back their classics to us. 

The famous "takkies" could only be made in Zimbabwe, at the very same factory that made them while Zimbabwe was still Rhodesia. 

The Takkies of this exact form are almost entirely off the commercial market, and we worked directly with Bata to bring them back by using their archival models as a reference. Make no mistake, besides a different tag (with our name on it), these are 100% authentic to the OGs the Selous Scouts & Recces wore.

Flexible, lightweight and covert, the Bata Takkies are an excellent choice whether your combat involves any bushwhacking or it’s just trying to survive downtown in an American city. 

Shoes-On-The-Ground Reviews

average rating 4.7 out of 5
Based on 134 reviews
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Customer photos and videos
134 Reviews
Reviewed by Logan M.
Verified Buyer
Rated 3 out of 5
Review posted

Prepare for Maintenance!

I want to love these so bad, they look so cool!

I love the history

Love that they're made by the original company.

I love that they look...not polished (it's not a negative from me)

They have the look of ' [STANDARD ISSUE SHOE]: Put on feet until worn out.' I expect their lack of polish to be counteracted by them not falling apart on their own. And unfortunately the glue is a big weak point.

Construction:

- Canvas seems great

- Stitching is great

- rubber is tough enough and really well vulcaized between sole, binding tape, and toe cap

- laces are meh but I would never take points off for that

- rivets themselves seem tough enough, BUT a couple have started to pull away from the canvas a little.

- The Glue: the enemy of the shoe. I've only worn these are handful of times and already the glue is just giving up and also kind of sloppily applied. I don't mind seeing it peek out above the side walls because i know it's there doing it's job, but certain spots have so little glue that it's started separating from the first wear and while inspecting it I found that I could peel it away if I wanted with virtually no effort.

And this is after only wearing them twice, both to the gym for weight lifting, not running or anything.

I'll likely re glue them and then run a stitch around the outside, but I would be extra disappointed if I didn't have that kind of equipment.

To the manufacturer:

Please work on the glue. Bonus points if you stitched them on although that would be less…

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Reviewed by Hunter D.
Verified Buyer
I recommend this product
Rated 5 out of 5
Review posted

Just Hit Buy

Based. Need I say more? Whether you are tracking through the bush conducting deep reconnaissance or crushing weights at your local gym, these will make you the operator you've always dreamed of being. The strong rubber odor upon opening the box and during initial wear lets not only you but everyone around you know your footwear is made for business. The initially stiff (later pliable upon wear) canvas will take everything you throw at it and at the end of the day look at you as if to say, "That's it"? The thin, yet comfortable soles provide the feedback every operator needs to be an asset to their team. In summary stop reading and buy them. Men will want to be you and women will want to be on you (unless that's not your thing, it is 2025 after all).

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Reviewed by James F.
Verified Buyer
I recommend this product
Rated 5 out of 5
Review posted

Bata for the win!

Great quality shoe, bought them for hiking and working out, should be perfect for just that. Quality seems solid so I should get some good life out of them! Just a tad narrow for what I'm used which are barefoot style shoes. Would buy again depending on the lifespan. Time will tell, I'll try to update later.

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Reviewed by Matthew M.
Verified Buyer
I recommend this product
Rated 5 out of 5
Review posted

Awesome Shoes but...

Some Takkies from the country that was Rhodesia is really cool. I'd call them almost equivalent to barefoot shoes. Very cool product.

Sidenote... Rhodesia was very different than South Africa, they were allies yes, but politically extremely different. Lumping them together in this description of the shoes isn't accurate.

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Reviewed by Sean H.
Verified Buyer
I recommend this product
Rated 5 out of 5
Review posted

Lightweight and comfortable!

They are very light on the feet, great for walking or kicking around the house. The styling is very simple but distinct. There isn't much out there that looks like these, except maybe the old-school Converse high-tops. The insoles are good as well. If you want something different, check them out.

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