Care and Feeding of Boots?

[1flyer]

There was a thread a little while ago about riding boots. Several suggestions were passed as to what brands different riders like. Here's a question. How do riders take care of their boots after they've bought them? Mine are getting scuffed and showing a little wear (after 16,000 miles) but I haven't felt the need to do anything to them, other than keep them clean. Any ideas, experience, or suggestions?

[lorazepam]

You can call it anal if you wish, or maybe a throwback from my military days, but I use the black Kiwi wax polish on mine. it covers the scuffs, protects the leather, and beads up really nice when they get wet. Working it in the seams helps keep them waterproof. It is a little more work than a can of silicone spray, but way cheaper.

[widebmw]

Gore-Tex?
If Gore -Tex breathes then any thing you put on the boots would stop that. ?
I am not sure.

[lorazepam]

I have slogged many miles in leather boots with polish on them, and they breathe fine. The goretex is a liner inside the boots, and it shouldnt hurt it at all. The kiwi polish keeps the leather pliable and protects spots that you scuff off in normal use.

[dannyleo]

Still being in a job which requires me to put polish on my boots (24 years), here's my .02. Kiwi polish helps to maintain the leather, it also provides some minimal water repellancy. To make the boots more waterproof, use silicone (in the bottle if you can find it, otherwise, spray will work, but use several coatings). You can also use neatsfoot oil and for the best, beeswax or sno-seal (I think it has beeswax). That's for all leather boots. For gore-tex, polish will inhibit the breathing somewhat but especially if you spit shine, ie; don't spit shine your goretex boots. When I was in Germany, I believe that it was Lowe that stated that we were not to put anything on their boot (Goretex lined) for the first several years. Look at the boot manufacturers recommendation but if there is none for a Goretex boot, I would use silicone simply to maintain the suppleness of the leather. Polish will eventually plug up the leather pores and reduce the ability of the Goretex to pass water vapor. The beeswax/sno-seal will definitely ruin the ability of Goretex to pass the water vapor. You may have a pair of water-proof boots, but the Goretex will be doing you no good.