Wax or treat your boots

[xcutter]

Wax or treat your boots and break them in?

What's your break in process with new boots?

How often do you treat your boots?

Do you treat them when brand new?

I just bought a new pair of Lowas. I use kenetrek boot wax on my boots usually. Should I treat them before wearing outside for the first time?

 

[5MilesBack]

I'll be honest with you, I'm not a big boot treater. But then again I'm not tromping through swamps either. My 7" Zamberlan Dakota's have 3 elk seasons under them hunting 20-22 days each season and the uppers look almost as they did when they were new, and I've never treated them. I don't like that "dark smooth" looking leather after treating boots. But I'm sure in some environments it would become more of a necessity.

 

[Tony Trietch]

I'd make sure to follow the manufacturers recommendations. I have found Nik wax to be both effective and recognized by the boot companies I use. What I would stay away from is Snow Seal. It clogs the breathability up and turns my boots into slushy sweat buckets.

 

[Craig Van Arsdale]

I don't treat them for the first trip or two in wet conditions. It seems like my lowas DWR or whatever they put on them works pretty good for the first couple wet trips.

After that though I carry boot grease and if it's going to be wet everyday of a hunt then I will wear a good set of gaiters and grease them daily in the field. If you do this you should be able to keep your boots pretty dry the whole time from my experience

 

[mdog]

I'm on my second pair of Lowa Tibets. The first pair I treated with Obenauf's and had the rand start peeling from the leather creating pockets for dew, rain, and snow to collect. Wore these for five years and still hike in them. Did find a product that worked great to glue the rand back on. Switched to Grangers G-max spray and creme for the new boots. Two years and the rand is perfect! I think that an oil based product acts as a solvent for the glue...not good. Grangers is a silicone based product and does not seem to affect the glue. Grangers is RECOMMENDED by Lowa. Bought the Grangers at Lathops website.

 

[Craig Van Arsdale]

I'm using the Grangers as well. Great stuff.

 

[JP100]

depends on ya use but best to keep them waxed/oiled.
Leather will crack when it drys out, but this will depend on your environment/use.
I usually wax my boots every week/2 weeks when I am using them alot

 

[Kevin Dill]

On my Zamberlans I use the product they recommend: Hydrobloc. I am a believer in treating leather when it needs it or looks dry. Keeping leather well-treated helps prevent frequent wetting-drying cycles which are hard on good leather and sewn seams. I don't like greasy or waxy boots which attract dirt and dust. Hydrobloc dries clean and leather looks really nice.

 

[PJG]

One thing that most people don't realize is that the cracks in the corners of leather boots are not caused by "dry" leather. It is caused by using a boot treatment that holds fine particles of dirt and as you walk the dirt particles move back and forth and abrade the leather.

You want to use a treatment that leaves the outside of the boot slick, rather than tacky.

Also, you should wash the leather with a mild degreaser prior to putting a treatment on them.

 

[PathFinder]

I think going from very dry to saturated is hard on them too, I have noticed the big cracks show up after my boots were very dry, and afterwards heavily treated. I've learned to stay consistent with treatment. Lathrops recommended G-Wax, and that's all I use now. Really impressed with it.

 

[gmajor]

I love grangers. I probably apply it every 4 months. More if there is an obvious need for it. Use it before you use them, especially if they come nubuck.

 

[Laelkhunter]

I'm using the Grangers as well. Great stuff.

I found several Grangers products. Which one do you use for the boots?

 

[Craig Van Arsdale]

I found several Grangers products. Which one do you use for the boots?

Idk I buy it right off the Lathrop and Sons website.

 

[Laelkhunter]

Thanks. I found it on Ebay. There is a special, buy 1 get 1 free for $8.00 with free shipping..

 

[xcutter]

Okay I wore my new Lowas out for the first time. I didn't treat them with anything yet.

These boots were comfortable except for being stiff. My heel rubbed quite a bit. If I would of worn then much longer I would have got a blister.

Will these boots wear in? No heel rubbing issues over time? What should I do? Start experimenting with raising the heel of the foot bed?

 

[Kevin Dill]

Honestly sounds like you need to simply wear those new Lowas as often as possible to get them broken in, and your feet toughened to them. I've said it plenty: If a guy could/would wear his hunting boots every day, all day for six weeks straight...there would be a lot fewer blisters and sore feet on the hunt.

 

[Biggs300]

I've used both Kenetrek and Obernauf's LP boot wax effectively on my 2 pairs of Kenetreks and the other boots I own. I've never had a problem with rands peeling or other issues. I treat my boots 3 times a year; once at the beginning of hunting season, again at mid-season especially if it has been wet or snowy and then again at the end of the season. While I use to use a hair dryer to warm up the wax, I stopped the practice several years ago and now use only the heat from my hand and a cotton cloth to apply the wax.

 

[MuleyFever]

Okay I wore my new Lowas out for the first time. I didn't treat them with anything yet.

These boots were comfortable except for being stiff. My heel rubbed quite a bit. If I would of worn then much longer I would have got a blister.

Will these boots wear in? No heel rubbing issues over time? What should I do? Start experimenting with raising the heel of the foot bed?

My Lowas wore like a sock right out of the box. Never got a blister with them. I have also never treated them and after 5 years they still look good. I do hunt the dry South West though.

 

[tttoadman]

Okay I wore my new Lowas out for the first time. I didn't treat them with anything yet.

These boots were comfortable except for being stiff. My heel rubbed quite a bit. If I would of worn then much longer I would have got a blister.

Will these boots wear in? No heel rubbing issues over time? What should I do? Start experimenting with raising the heel of the foot bed?

I have 2 years on my lowas. I have never had a blister. I wear a med arch footbed with a decent sized heel cup. I tighten the heel locks until it actually hurts a little at first. I wear the smartwool liner socks. I think it makes a difference. I wore them 2 work at my desk for a month with them really cranked down. I think it helps fit them without going through the swelling and sweating phase that comes with hiking with them on.

 

[mdog]

Yup! the boots wiill break-in over time and your feet become "boot-tough." Use any orthotics that have helped in the past but DO NOT use a petroleum product on Lowas! There are poly-sulfides, -ethers, butyls, -urethanes......all of which react differently with oil based treatments. FOLLOW the manufacturers recommendations. They know what glue was used. You do not! Just an N=1/Hard knocks lesson.