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What do you use for waterproofing leather boots?

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I have been using liquid Nikwax on all my leather hillwalking boots since mid 1980s. I've found it good stuff being easy and quick to apply, helping to maintain the leather as well as adding waterproofing. The latest tin is nearly empty, and so I thought what else should I consider? Are there better products? Or what do you use? I've tried Nikwax solid wax and did not like it as it was not as easy or quick to apply.
Thanks in advance.
 Steeve 26 Aug 2011
In reply to Climbing Pieman:
I once hitched a lift with a bootmaker who repaired alot of mountainboots, and cursed nikwax, he said that it didnt feed the leather atall, just gave it a waxy coat, which didnt soak in, and rubbed off easily. he reckoned that leather often dries out, or rots with nikwax on.
he said neatsfoot oil (the stuff used on saddles and other leather stuff for horses,
or good old fashioned polish was by far far the best thing for it.
andic 26 Aug 2011
In reply to Climbing Pieman:

I use SNO-SEAL its bees wax based got it in Oz never seen it here but it does the job; But why not stick with what you know?
In reply to Climbing Pieman: Grangers G-Wax is the bees knees!
 Pinkney 26 Aug 2011
In reply to Climbing Pieman:
I've never had a problem with polish it does the job perfectly with the added bonus of a sexy shine!
In reply to Steeve: I'm surprised as my liquid Nikwax just soaks straight in, and I still have a pair of Scarpa M3 going (spare use only now if others are wet) that I bought in 1986! My tin is quite a few years old now though and I think that the formula may have changed. I can't find it on sale - only what appears to be a water based version. Mine gives the appearance of just a liquid wax!
 AlisonSmiles 26 Aug 2011
In reply to Climbing Pieman:

Dubbin. Sometimes standard polish and then dubbin, dubbin and more dubbin. But I am old skool.
In reply to andic:
> (In reply to Climbing Pieman)
>
> I use SNO-SEAL its bees wax based got it in Oz never seen it here but it does the job; But why not stick with what you know?

Can't find it for sale, and my tin is getting near empty! It's a 500ml tin and as I only need very little each time it's lasted for at least five years!
In reply to AlisonSmiles:
> (In reply to Climbing Pieman)
>
> Dubbin. Sometimes standard polish and then dubbin, dubbin and more dubbin. But I am old skool.

Yes your probably right, as others are with polish. But the liquid Nikwax is so easy, and I find polish so hard work .
Paul F 26 Aug 2011
In reply to Climbing Pieman:

Altberg Ledergris.

Best thing for leather, and i've tried loads of different products.

….and it polishes up a treat.
In reply to Paul F:
> (In reply to Climbing Pieman)
>
> Altberg Ledergris.
>

Thanks. I'll check it out, as well as all the others like neats oil, Sno seal, and Grangers, that I know nothing about. Much appreciated everyone.

 gethin_allen 26 Aug 2011
In reply to Climbing Pieman:
I used to sell boots for a living and have used leather boots for decades (all non gtx). Nikwax is crap, is soaks in quickly but washes out quickly too. I had numerous people trying to return non gtx leather boots (mostly meindl borneos) that they claim were leaking despite regular application of nikwax, Meindl wouldn't take them back unless the workmanship was faulty (which it very very rarely was because they make top quality boots) and they only recommend the use of g-wax of meindl sportwax.
I occasionally use nikwax to soften up a pair of boots that have been neglected, but before using them I give them a good going over with G-wax.
Also, Nikwax now seem to only sell the rubbish cream (comes in a tube rather than a tin and is very thin).
Regarding the use of normal shoe polish, I wouldn't. We had some boots returned that were cracking and the maker (a well known italian boot company) said they wouldn't accept responsibility because the boots had been polished with regular polish that didn't preserve the leather and actually made things worse by sealing the leather from the outside so that it dried out and became brittle.
Make of that what you will.
 AlisonSmiles 26 Aug 2011
In reply to gethin_allen:

Well, mine have survived 16 years with the polish & dubbin combo!
 gethin_allen 26 Aug 2011
In reply to AlisonSmiles:
well that would be due to the use of dubbin. my point was more that if you use normal polish then have a warranty issue the maker may not sort things out as you would like, as occurred in the case in question. I should have added that the shoe make involved did offer a 50% credit for the cracked boots so the customer wasn't entirely put out and in fact acknowledged the issue and was pleased with the outcome.
In reply to gethin_allen:
> (In reply to Climbing Pieman)
> I used to sell boots for a living and have used leather boots for decades (all non gtx). Nikwax is crap, is soaks in quickly but washes out quickly too. I had numerous people trying to return non gtx leather boots (mostly meindl borneos) that they claim were leaking despite regular application of nikwax, Meindl wouldn't take them back unless the workmanship was faulty (which it very very rarely was because they make top quality boots) and they only recommend the use of g-wax of meindl sportwax.
> I occasionally use nikwax to soften up a pair of boots that have been neglected, but before using them I give them a good going over with G-wax.
> Also, Nikwax now seem to only sell the rubbish cream (comes in a tube rather than a tin and is very thin).
> Regarding the use of normal shoe polish, I wouldn't. We had some boots returned that were cracking and the maker (a well known italian boot company) said they wouldn't accept responsibility because the boots had been polished with regular polish that didn't preserve the leather and actually made things worse by sealing the leather from the outside so that it dried out and became brittle.
> Make of that what you will.

Interesting thanks. I do agree that Nikwax does seem to wash out quick, though I've not found that too much of a problem except that you really need to reapply after every walk!
 AlisonSmiles 26 Aug 2011
In reply to gethin_allen:

I only use the polish when the colour gets so faded I just can't cope and then get busy with dubbin on top. Old Skool Zamberlans have outlived their own replacement.
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