Treating/preserving leather boots

mnblade

mnblade

Joined
Feb 7, 2000
Messages
6,676
Guys, I have some pretty good boots (Danner) and naturally I want to last and last. My question is, how should I treat/protect the leather? I have some saddle soap in the closet but I've never used it. So far, I'm just sprayed the boots from time to time with a water proofer. Is that enough? Should I use shoe polish? Am kind of new at this.
 
I have used the SnoSeal brand treatment/ preservative with great success. It contains beeswax and penetrates into the leather to greatly minimize decay/ rot. This, plus its water repellent quality is a good way to go.

N.
 
I've never found anything that worked better than SnoSeal. I've used it for over 30 years. You can't use it on suede, though - only leather boots with the smooth side out.
 
The advantage of snoseal is you can use normal show polish over the top of it to create an even better seal. I used sno-seal on my Scarpa's for the last 16 years and they are still going strong (although it's about time for re-soling).

Another tip is to make sure the boots are cleaned after beng in mud and sand. Grit can work it's way into the leather and abrade it.
 
i use aquaseal, snoseal's counter part on my vasque sundowners. five years and running. I wear them to work, hunting, backpacking...basically everywhere. and five years for a flat footed, pigeon toed hump like me, that is saying something! :)
 
I like mink oil as well, widely available.

I just realized that I've had my Sundowners for 15 years, damn I'm old.
 
I've been wearing a pair of danner acadias every third day, nearly 24 hours at a time, through two and a half sets of soles. I have been religiously using Danner boot treatment to clean and condition them. The danner product won't put a spit n polish on them, just a dull black, but an occasional Kiwi polish keeps them looking good, the Danner stuff keeps them supple and water resistant.

AN
 
I use NikWax...Got me through prolly 1000 miles over the years. Ive resoled my boots twice and throw on a coat of nikwax each season and don't even think about it any further...get the right stuff for your material and its hard to not find something that works....
 
mycroftt said:
I've never found anything that worked better than SnoSeal. I've used it for over 30 years. You can't use it on suede, though - only leather boots with the smooth side out.
Click to expand...

Sure you can use Sno Seal on rough side out leather ("suede"). Lots of tradtional mountaineering boots are rough side out leather, and have been treated with Sno Seal for decades. Sno Seal will darken and smooth it down, that's all.

Biwell and Zamberlan are two other good boot treatments.

Don't use oil type products on boots: they will soften leather, which is not what you want for footwear. You want support. Oil is okay if you want soft leather, like baseball gloves.

"Avoid using oil-based treatments like Mink Oil on any leather hiking boots. Oil-based products are intended to soften leathers and make them more supple, which can negatively affect the support of hiking boots. Use wax or silicone-based treatments only."
http://www.rei.com/online/store/Lea...rn/camp/bkcaref.jsp&cm_re=LS*LL*HTC_boot_care
 
Ming65 said:
The advantage of snoseal is you can use normal show polish over the top of it to create an even better seal. I used sno-seal on my Scarpa's for the last 16 years and they are still going strong (although it's about time for re-soling).

Another tip is to make sure the boots are cleaned after beng in mud and sand. Grit can work it's way into the leather and abrade it.
Click to expand...

OT but where do you get your Scarpa's resoled??
 
Very good advice from all. I would just like to add that if your leather boots do get soaked thru, that you don't put them next to the woodstove, fireplace, radiator, etc..., your better off letting them dry at somewhere around room temp. Years ago (mid to late teens) I used to do this and it dries out the leather, makes it stiff, and can even cause cracking. I wouldn't think of doing this with my nice Danner or Redwing boots. Hope this helps.
 
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