I bought my first pair of western boots,(Justin’s) what is the best thing to condition them with? These are for every day, not show, and I will be stepping in mud and other squishy things. Should I water proof them? I would like them to last as long as possible.
P.S. how long does a pair of boots last?. Thanks for your thoughts!
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I bought my first pair of western boots,(Justin’s) what is the best thing to condition them with? These are for every day, not show, and I will be stepping in mud and other squishy things. Should I water proof them? I would like them to last as long as possible.
P.S. how long does a pair of boots last?. Thanks for your thoughts![/QUOTE]
I would water proof them if they’re for everyday use. My favorite is Sno-Seal – make sure the leather is clean, heat up the leather with a blow dryer, rub the Sno-Seal in, heat up the leather again to even out the wax, let cool. Buff with a stiff cloth.
For everyday cleaning, I use Leather New (glycerine cleaner/conditioner in the spray bottle).
My Justins are for riding only (2x a week, sometimes more), though I’ve worn them through the mud to go get a horse or two from the paddock. They were TSC specials, so not particularly high quality, but I’ve had them for four years. They’re starting to wear through where it creases across the top of your foot while you walk and I have rubs through a layer of the leather on the sides and heels where the spurs lie. Your mileage may vary.
I’ve always used Mink Oil on boots with great results.
As to how long they last, it depends on the quality of leather on the uppers. If that is good quality, boots can be resoled a few times before you have to resort to a Vibram sole because they become nearly impossible to stitch a leather sole to the uppers - the death knell of a good pair of boots. Uppers wearing through before the sole goes means the leather wasn’t that great. Have seen some last 20 years before the dread Vibram sole must be used.
