Care for leather boots

[Mike_Rupp]

I recently bought some leather hiking boots with out any fancy Gore-Tex liner. What is the common wisdom on protecting / waterproofing leather boots? It seems that mink oil, Sno-Seal, and NikWax are all alternatives for leather and everybody has an idea of what is better. What are your thoughts?

 

[knewsom]

The trouble with gore-tex in boots is that it quickly gets clogged with dirt, sweat, etc, and washing it is not really going to help much except screw up the rest of the boot. I've never found anything that waterproofs leather better than Bear Guard. I've used it on my motorcycle leathers, and rode between SF and Sacramento in the winter in the middle of the night during a rainstorm and it kept me alive. Sure, I was verging on hypothermia when I got home and had to take a hot bath to regain core temp, but that's because I was cold, not because I was wet.

 

[Some Dude]

I can say that SnoSeal is decent stuff. I found myself staring down an incredible opportunity for some great back country skiing and I had everything with me except my damn gloves. Somehow I happened to have a can of SnoSeal and I always keep a ghetto pair of leather work gloves in the rover. I slathered that crap on the gloves until it looked like Manny's batting helmet and it worked great.

 

[garrett]

I've used mink oil for the past 20 years on my OneSport and LL Bean leather one-piece boots. I use it about every 6 weeks on boots that I wear 5-7 days a week.

Have to say that I am more than happy with my LL Bean boots. Still waterproof, which is hard to come by with GoreTex in foot wear with heavy use.

http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/14774?feat=506795-GN3

You can never beat what mother nature has produced. Mink oil just works. It not only keep water out pretty good, but it conditions the leather as well. Keeping it from cracking and drying.

 

[Mike_Rupp]

I bought a pair of boots from Roots. I bought these out of frustration with these crapola Asolo boots I bought a while back. So far so good. These just seem to have that old world feel to them.

I'm intrigued by that Bear Guard. It seems to be a interesting, mom & pop shop kind of product.

 

[DiscoJen]

I'm a mink oil fan as well. Really keeps leather pliable and prevents cracking.

But those little boogers are hard to catch, and then you have to squeeze a whole lot of them to get enough to do a boot.

 

[Jake]

I'm a mink oil fan as well. Really keeps leather pliable and prevents cracking.

But those little boogers are hard to catch, and then you have to squeeze a whole lot of them to get enough to do a boot.

plus they bite..........:rofl:

 

[garrett]

I bought a pair of boots from Roots. I bought these out of frustration with these crapola Asolo boots I bought a while back. So far so good. These just seem to have that old world feel to them.

I'm intrigued by that Bear Guard. It seems to be a interesting, mom & pop shop kind of product.

I totally forgot about Roots Stores. They had them in VT when I was living up there. Always had hotties working in the stores.

 

[flyfisher11]

The key to any of the above mentioned "waterproofing" is to make sure to get the boots good and warm before applying the stuff. The pores will be more open and then a long cool down period. FWIW I prefer Biwell trekking. This stuff also has silicone in it.

http://knradventuregear.com/lotions_wtrprfing/waterproofers/biwell.htm

 

[Mike_Rupp]

I totally forgot about Roots Stores. They had them in VT when I was living up there. Always had hotties working in the stores.

Roots isn't bad in the hottie dept. The best store for hotties I've seen is Lululemon. Goodness gracious. We walked in there because my wife wanted to get some workout wear. I think it is part of the required uniform for the women to all be wearing yoga tights. My eyes nearly popped out of my eye sockets.

 

[jrose609]

The best store for hotties I've seen is Lululemon. Goodness gracious. We walked in there because my wife wanted to get some workout wear. I think it is part of the required uniform for the women to all be wearing yoga tights. My eyes nearly popped out of my eye sockets.

So, Mike, I'm thinking about getting my wife some workout gear, where is this Lululemon store

EDIT: I use mink oil too. Works great

 

[garrett]

If you have an Anthropologie store anywhere nearby I suggest you take the wife/girlfriend shopping there. We have one in Georgetown, Tysons and other metro areas. It's quite lovely.

 

[knewsom]

If you have an Anthropologie store anywhere nearby I suggest you take the wife/girlfriend shopping there. We have one in Georgetown, Tysons and other metro areas. It's quite lovely.

x2 on Anthropologie. I like to study people there myself.

 

[Mike_Rupp]

Jason, it appears that they have a store in Boise.

This is from the page: "Please email us if you are interested in scheduling a private appointment or party in the Showroom!" WTF is going on in Boise? Some kind of showroom for scantily clad yoga chics? Damn!

Garrett, duly noted. They have a location about 5 minutes from my house.

 

[Some Dude]

Alico makes some serious, serious boots if you're into all leather old school bomb proof guide boots. FWIW, I like my Asolos better, but it took a whole year to get them broken in completely.

 

[Rover Mac]

I recently bought some leather hiking boots with out any fancy Gore-Tex liner. What is the common wisdom on protecting / waterproofing leather boots? It seems that mink oil, Sno-Seal, and NikWax are all alternatives for leather and everybody has an idea of what is better. What are your thoughts?

For old school leather boots you need 'Dubbin", used since medieval times for water proofing leather boots. made of a mix of wax, tallow and oil , softens the leather which helps when braking in new boots (assuming you do not have a man servant to wear them and break them in for you)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dubbin

 

[Mike_Rupp]

Isn't the Bear Guard essentially the same as Dubbin? Bear Guard is bear fat (tallow) and wax.

 

[Rover Mac]

Isn't the Bear Guard essentially the same as Dubbin? Bear Guard is bear fat (tallow) and wax.

No idea myself, been using Dubbin for years on everything leather from Rugby boots to hob nailed walking boots, and most importantly it does not weaken the stitching.

 

[Rover Mac]

x2 on Anthropologie. I like to study people there myself.

There are 3 Anthropologie stores in a 2 mile radius, and I have been dragged off shopping to all 3, the people watching makes it almost worthwhile

 

[knewsom]

No idea myself, been using Dubbin for years on everything leather from Rugby boots to hob nailed walking boots, and most importantly it does not weaken the stitching.

I think it's pretty similar, definitely the same concept... End goal is to keep the leather supple while also making it waterproof. Some waxes can crack the leather because it becomes too brittle, hence the various mixtures and recipes around, like Bear Guard.