Best Water Proofing for Boots 🤔

[TheCornishman]

Hi all, I have a pair of Chiruca stalking boots I have owned from new. I had never heard of the brand but they were an absolute bargain in the discounted section of the local AG merchant. They have been a great comfortable pair of boots but are now letting in water...( or at least one is?)

I usually let them dry naturally after an outing and breath after suffering my sweaty pasties for a few hours. I recently gave them a right good clean up and treated them too a serious lagging in Leidergris...( 2x heavy application)

1st outing in a field of long wet grass and my left foot felt like a fish at a fairground

The leather is slightly cracked but they are 5+ years old & been used in anger.... otherwise they are in good Nick.

Before I look to replace them does anyone have any “magic bullet” tips for restoring water repellency?

Cheers all

 

[lochty]

Sealskinz waterproof socks.

 

[Sonicdmb73]

Try the Ledagris revival oil one. If you look at Altbergs website the have different ones.
If the leather has dried out too much then it might not be taking in enough of the oils. It should help with any further cracking too.
That said if the lining has gone you are looking at Sealskin socks to guarantee dry feet.
I use both the issue shin high ones and the shooting knee length ones (go with breeks) to good effect.

 

[Big_Sparky]

I’ve found Nikwax products fairly good over the years. Similar to above comments - I’ve still got a pair of issue gortex “socks” (not like posh modern ones lol) that are still going strong - and, let’s just say, I got them issued a looooooong time ago!

Link below to what I have (no idea about the site in the link and I don’t believe they have any stock - so just for your reference of the product is)

I also used to use them when my waterproof boots had got wet due to water being up to my knees or whatever - so they’d got wet from the inside - the next day I put dry socks on - the gortex socks over the top and them wear the wet boots - the nature of gortex breathing leads to the heat from your feet helping dry your boots from the inside out.

You can have that genius trick for free

 

[Waz77]

I've often found with various boots over the years that after waxing you tend to get wet feet, not sure if it's because it stops the leather breathing and you get condensation or maybe impregnates the goretex and causes that to leak but I usually find after a few wears they go back to normal, so I try to avoid treating too much during the wet, do it through dry spells and it works for me

 

[Caberfeidh]

I’ve found Nikwax products fairly good over the years. Similar to above comments - I’ve still got a pair of issue gortex “socks” (not like posh modern ones lol) that are still going strong - and, let’s just say, I got them issued a looooooong time ago!

Link below to what I have (no idea about the site in the link and I don’t believe they have any stock - so just for your reference of the product is)

I also used to use them when my waterproof boots had got wet due to water being up to my knees or whatever - so they’d got wet from the inside - the next day I put dry socks on - the gortex socks over the top and them wear the wet boots - the nature of gortex breathing leads to the heat from your feet helping dry your boots from the inside out.

You can have that genius trick for free

Apologies if I’m wrong but I cannot find the link you mention in the second paragraph.

 

[finnbear270]

New boots

 

[Freeforester]

Hi all, I have a pair of Chiruca stalking boots I have owned from new. I had never heard of the brand but they were an absolute bargain in the discounted section of the local AG merchant. They have been a great comfortable pair of boots but are now letting in water...( or at least one is?)

I usually let them dry naturally after an outing and breath after suffering my sweaty pasties for a few hours. I recently gave them a right good clean up and treated them too a serious lagging in Leidergris...( 2x heavy application)

1st outing in a field of long wet grass and my left foot felt like a fish at a fairground

The leather is slightly cracked but they are 5+ years old & been used in anger.... otherwise they are in good Nick.

Before I look to replace them does anyone have any “magic bullet” tips for restoring water repellency?

Cheers all

They'll not become waterproof again, IME, I had two pairs of them and rated them highly for comfort straight out of the box, but I concluded that they're built more for the the drier Spanish hills than the wet Scottish ones. The soles wear out a bit quicker too, IME.

From the get go I rubbbed on and hair driered in the best part of a tin of Barbour Thornproof dressing, but what let them down for me was the 4 row stitching, which was prone to coming undone around the seams about the heel area. One row of stitching that held would've done fine, but when four fows all go on the same spot, this is a constructuon issue/fault, if the back side stitch hasn't caught the front. None of the outer threads were broken, which further indicated that the rear thread from the bobbin side simply hadn't caught the front threads when/where the needle had passed. I did make contact with them about the second pair, as they were under a year old when they unravelled, but got nowhere, so I made a note and took my custom elsewhere.

They're all since repurposed as 'nestboxes' for wee birds in the hedges here now, and I'm using Hanwag Tatras, which have been built with better leather and construction methods, imv.

 

[Big_Sparky]

Apologies if I’m wrong but I cannot find the link you mention in the second paragraph.

Correct!!!!

that’s what I get for commenting whilst sitting on a weighbridge and paying no attention ..... DOH....

Fact Surplus Website Closed

www.factsurplus.co.uk

 

[Caberfeidh]

Hope you got through the weighbridge alright.......................I just use a set of bathroom scales.

 

[Hales Smut]

Altberg Leder Gris isn't bad. But at the present I am using Sno-Seal. Seems very good. If applied as they recommend, it's very easy in use also. Put the boot(s) in the oven at recommended temperature and it takes very little time to apply.

 

[Big_Sparky]

Hope you got through the weighbridge alright.......................I just use a set of bathroom scales.

Too big.....

Sorry to the OP for getting off the point....

 

[TheCornishman]

Altberg Leder Gris isn't bad. But at the present I am using Sno-Seal. Seems very good. If applied as they recommend, it's very easy in use also. Put the boot(s) in the oven at recommended temperature and it takes very little time to apply.

Q...Dolly Parton...... D.I.V.O.R.C.E

 

[TheCornishman]

Too big.....

Sorry to the OP for getting off the point....

In my case the weighbridge is more appropriate...no worries fella ...as my daughter would say “it’s all Bants innit”

 

[Koenig]

If the leather is cracked, they will likely leak whatever you put on them. You basically have four options: (1) throw them. (2) keep them as dry weather boots. (3) try and seal the cracks with some sort or glue or sealant. (4) Buy some sealskinz waterproof socks.

 

[TheCornishman]

Thanks all...seal skins on order and new boots on the new kit list ahead of winter

 

[Steve29]

Renapur. Awesome stuff. My meindls are about 10 years old now, been using this all along and still going strong! The soles are about to fall off but still have dry feet

 

[Hunters moon]

In my case the weighbridge is more appropriate...no worries fella ...as my daughter would say “it’s all Bants innit”

Desperate to know what that means in cornish please?

 

[Hatch]

Renapur. Awesome stuff. My meindls are about 10 years old now, been using this all along and still going strong! The soles are about to fall off but still have dry feet

I use the Meindl leather wax and reproofer. It's absolutely awesome on my Meindl Antarktis'