How Do You Use Leather Conditioner and Nikwax Together?

[BoilerBowHunter]

Curious to hear how people use leather conditioner as well as the Nikwax waterproofing treatment for leather in tandem. I’ve spoken with people at Schnees and Nikwax and still don’t have a clear answer in my mind.

Does anyone apply the Nikwax immediately following the application of the conditioner? Do you wait days, weeks, months? Does it matter at all or am I just way overthinking it? I recently bought a new pair of Schnees, and I want to take care of them. I just don’t want to do anything detrimental in the process, and I’ve never used the Nikwax before.

 

[Poser]

Conditioner on a somewhat regular basis, depending on use.

Waterproofing 1-2x a year for most people. More for those in wet environments.

I condition anytime I’m giving my boots a good cleaning. I waterproof them whenever they are absolutely soaked for 2+ days of sustained moisture.

 

[doverpack12]

Which boots? What conditioner and which Nikwax product?

I have the Beartooth mid and Kurt recommended nikwax paste wax only. No oil products because the leather on their mountain boots is vegetable tanned and not oil tanned. It’s worked now for 4 or so years. I just apply it when the leather starts looking dry or soaks up water instead of beading up.
There is a factory applied DWR so wear them and get the pores opened up then when they start to absorb water, clean them and apply nikwax paste wax per paste wax instructions.

 

[BoilerBowHunter]

I have the Timberlines. I have the same question in general for every day wear leather boots. I watched one of the Schnee’s videos yesterday and heard him say that he would apply Nikwax a few days after conditioner once it’s all been absorbed into the leather. So I think that answers my question!

 

[Lawnboi]

Nikwax has a few products. If I’m using it I prefer the wax paste version

Iv never used a liquid in tandem with a wax.

 

[OMB]

Treating boots seems like the same as cleaning gun barrels, but here's my take on leather: I condition my leather boots twice before hunting season, once during if they've seen hard use, and once at the end of season when i hang them up. Wax/Waterproof before season after they've been conditioned and dried.

 

[Schnee's]

Curious to hear how people use leather conditioner as well as the Nikwax waterproofing treatment for leather in tandem. I’ve spoken with people at Schnees and Nikwax and still don’t have a clear answer in my mind.

Does anyone apply the Nikwax immediately following the application of the conditioner? Do you wait days, weeks, months? Does it matter at all or am I just way overthinking it? I recently bought a new pair of Schnees, and I want to take care of them. I just don’t want to do anything detrimental in the process, and I’ve never used the Nikwax before.

I put Nikwax on out of the box. Seals up and conditions the leather nicely. I'll reapply as needed throughout the year. Maybe 2-3 times on average. I will only put conditioner on if the leather starts to look "dry". It usually loses a lot of pigment and looks paler/lighter. When this starts to happen, I won't put nikwax on my boots for a few weeks/month, so some of it works it's way off the boots. Then i will wash them, let dry(not heated or accelerated), then condition. Wait a day or 2, then Nikwax to "seal up" the leather. - Matt

 

[doverpack12]

I put Nikwax on out of the box. Seals up and conditions the leather nicely. I'll reapply as needed throughout the year. Maybe 2-3 times on average. I will only put conditioner on if the leather starts to look "dry". It usually loses a lot of pigment and looks paler/lighter. When this starts to happen, I won't put nikwax on my boots for a few weeks/month, so some of it works it's way off the boots. Then i will wash them, let dry(not heated or accelerated), then condition. Wait a day or 2, then Nikwax to "seal up" the leather. - Matt

What are you conditioning with?