How to care for the leather of your hiking boots

Leather has many qualities, such as being naturally water-repellent and regulating the temperature of your feet. In order for it to keep all its properties, it is important to take good care of it. Let's take a look at the right things to do.

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Leather is a living material, which is why it is important to take care of it so that it lasts as long as possible. Regular, quick and easy care will prevent premature ageing, preventing it from drying out and cracking and losing its suppleness, as well as all the main qualities you look for when you buy leather shoes. If you get into the habit of maintaining your leather shoes regularly and correctly, then you will extend the life of your shoes and get the most out of them. 

Cleaning

After every outing, clean your shoes of any mud or other residues such as dust and grit that damage the leather and cause abrasion. Dirt and mud also dry out the upper of your leather shoes.

So, before you walk out the door, knock your soles together to remove the larger embedded fragments. Then do a basic maintenance session with a brush. If you have been hiking in wet or humid weather, walking in water or mud, then clean with clear water and scrub gently with the brush.

Once in a while you can undertake a more thorough cleaning. Remove the insole (you can rinse or wash it at the same time), loosen the laces so that you can clean your shoes both on the outside (including the outsole and tongue) and on the inside with a brush and clean water (why not add neutral soap). 

Finally, make sure your shoes are completely dry before storing them in a dry, dust-free place. Drying should be natural, so place your shoes away from a source of heat or direct light such as a radiator, hairdryer or sunlight. If you want to speed up the drying time, you can stuff the inside of your shoes with newspaper. 

Nourishing products

As we have already mentioned, leather is a living material. It therefore needs to be nourished and moisturised to keep its suppleness, not to lose its natural properties and to avoid premature ageing. It is therefore worth applying a nourishing cream to prevent the leather from cracking, but also to protect it, reactivate the natural water repellency and prevent the formation of stains. The use of a protective cream will help your leather shoes to last longer, ensuring that their performance is fully maintained. 

Please note: make sure you choose a product that is suitable for or dedicated to your type of leather (split leather, full grain or nubuck). Finally, before proceeding with such a treatment, make sure that your shoes are perfectly clean and free of any impurities. 

Waterproofing products

There are many water-repellent treatments on the market, often called "waterproofing", which allow you to reactivate the water-repellency of the upper of your shoes. We recommend that you use this type of treatment for your leather shoes once or twice a year. Again, there are many varieties depending on the type of leather, for example solid waxes for smooth leather uppers, or liquid waxes for nubuck uppers. If your footwear has a Gore-Tex® membrane, there are special treatments designed to reactivate the water-repellent properties of Gore-Tex® without damaging it.

In general, avoid using grease or shoe polish on your leather footwear, which tends to reduce the breathability of your footwear. Also make sure to apply the product evenly, and again, wait until your shoes are completely dry before storing them.