Caring for Leather Boots?

[marc]

Hi,

I recently bought a pair of Irish Setter Elk Tracker 860 hunting boots:
http://www.irishsetterboots.com/shoe-zoom.cfm?style=860

I was wondering what is recommended for maintining these boots?
How often should they be treated if you use them everyday for several hours
in snowy, salty, slushy conditions?

The store clerk recommended that I use Danner Boot Dressing:
http://www.danner.com/products.asp?catid=6&prodid=2224

The clerk told me they were already treated and didn't need to be treated.
But I treated the boots with the danner boot dressing before using them
anyway.
I can't see it doing any harm.

Anyway, I use them everyday in cold, snowy, icy, salty, and slushy
conditions. I wanted something comfortable to wear for several hours, that's
waterproof
and warm in the winter with temperatures averaging around -15 celsius or 5
fahrenheit and as low as -40c or-40f.

I clean the boots every day after using them with a damp cloth and then
remove the insoles and place them vertically inside the boot to let any
moisture evaporate.

A Danner representative told me I should be treating them with danner
waterproof gel. The Irish Setter web site recommends that I care for these
boots with Irish
Setter Silicon. I heard people saying they should only treat them with
conditioners, because
the waterproofing compounds can dry out the leather and it cracks. I've read
that some people who use them everyday recommend using Danner Boot Dressing
every two weeks.

Thanks,
Marc

[Barry]

As someone who wears boots at some point every day (our winters are wet and
summers are hot), I've found that it's best to do what the maker of the boot
suggests given your particular use of the boots. There are so many
variables in the treatment of boot leather (and in the leather used) that
there is no one right answer. Before I realized this, I tried to use the
same thing for all my boots. I found that some boots became "over-treated"
and while they were basically waterproof, they became too pliable and
stretched...making for an ill-fitting boot. Other problems can develop as
well. So...contact the manufacturer (few dealers REALLY know what they
should be suggesting and often time advise you to get an item they have in
stock and can sell). Then, when you get the treatment, label the container
so that you know what boot(so) it's for.

My most often used boot is a Danner boot...and I use the Danner dressing
(paste...not a gel) and it works well. Oh...and keep in mind that using the
dressing too often is usually not a good idea...and certain dressings will
change the color of the leather (if that matters to you).

Barry


"marc" > wrote in message
...
> Hi,
>
> I recently bought a pair of Irish Setter Elk Tracker 860 hunting boots:
> http://www.irishsetterboots.com/shoe-zoom.cfm?style=860
>
> I was wondering what is recommended for maintining these boots?
> How often should they be treated if you use them everyday for several
> hours
> in snowy, salty, slushy conditions?
>
> The store clerk recommended that I use Danner Boot Dressing:
> http://www.danner.com/products.asp?catid=6&prodid=2224
>
> The clerk told me they were already treated and didn't need to be treated.
> But I treated the boots with the danner boot dressing before using them
> anyway.
> I can't see it doing any harm.
>
> Anyway, I use them everyday in cold, snowy, icy, salty, and slushy
> conditions. I wanted something comfortable to wear for several hours,
> that's
> waterproof
> and warm in the winter with temperatures averaging around -15 celsius or 5
> fahrenheit and as low as -40c or-40f.
>
> I clean the boots every day after using them with a damp cloth and then
> remove the insoles and place them vertically inside the boot to let any
> moisture evaporate.
>
> A Danner representative told me I should be treating them with danner
> waterproof gel. The Irish Setter web site recommends that I care for these
> boots with Irish
> Setter Silicon. I heard people saying they should only treat them with
> conditioners, because
> the waterproofing compounds can dry out the leather and it cracks. I've
> read
> that some people who use them everyday recommend using Danner Boot
> Dressing
> every two weeks.
>
> Thanks,
> Marc
>
>
>
>
>