Boots fail at the seams and the flex creases long before the sole wears out, and almost all of it is down to care. What you use depends entirely on what the boot is made of.
Match the treatment to the material
- Full-grain leather — a wax or a mink oil. BushWear Boot Wax, Meindl Sport Wax and Harkila Mink Oil all feed the leather and keep the flex creases supple. Work it in warm, not hot, and leave it overnight.
- Rubber wellingtons — rubber perishes from the inside out as its own oils migrate. A silicone care spray such as the Le Chameau or Aigle Swipol treatments puts that back and stops the dull, chalky bloom that comes before cracking.
- Fabric and lined boots — a wash-in or spray-on treatment such as Nikwax. A membrane boot that has gone wet through on the outside is not leaking; the face fabric has wetted out and stopped breathing.
Clean first, always
Proofing over dried peat and mud seals the dirt in and does nothing for the leather underneath. Rinse, brush off, let them dry away from direct heat, then treat. A radiator or a fire will cook leather stiff and unglue a sole.
Repairs
Stormsure repair kits and Tuff Tape will hold a punctured welly or a split wader panel for the rest of the season, which is a great deal cheaper than a new pair in October.
Related
Boots themselves are in Footwear & Accessories, Wellingtons and Men's Hiking Boots. For jackets and waterproofs see Clothing Care, and the full Nikwax range is under Nikwax.
