I watched a Youtube video about Huberd' grease and it was interesting. My cobbler has recommended liquid silicone. It seems Huberd's is replacing the oils in the leather and the silicone is just keeping the water out.

Any suggestions?

I use mink oil. I apply it to clean but damp leather and put it front of the fireplace to bake it in. I do this for leather gloves too.

When I lived in WA, the only boot grease/waterproof brand on the shelves was Huberd's. All the loggers used it exclusively, and that's the only thing they put on their boots.

I've also used mink oil with good results long before YouTube and it's always worked well. I just rub it on the leather cold and it works fine. There may be some products now that work as well, but probably none that are any better.

Mink oil. Not sure what the minks think, but the Red Wing folks think highly of it.

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50 Years of DSOTM

I put mink oil on my boots every summer. Smear it on and set them out in the sun and let it heat up and soak in. Seems to work.

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- Change it back -

Been using Huberd's on all my leathers for years, chaps, jacket, boots and gloves, I ride a bike. Works for me.

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SWCA #2817

I have a pair of Sorels that I’ve had about 40 years. I warmed the boots up with a hair dryer and rubbed Sno-seal in. To this day they keep my feet dry.

Sno-seal as well

I wear boots every day, 7 pair, one for each day. Twice a year each pair gets a slathering of Snow Seal on the soles, uppers and especially the seams. Heat the boots in the sun until they absorb it. Then, once a month a good coat of boot black on the uppers. A brushing each time they are worn and I call it good. My Church boots are 30 years old, I wear them for marrying, christenings and buryings. The newest pair are 11 years old.

Kevin

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Unshared knowledge is wasted.

I've worked outside, hunted and fished all my life and in my opinion "water proof leather" is an oxymoron. I found the best way to keep feet dry in leather boots was to put rubber boots over the leather boots. Walking or using climbers was more difficult but the feet stayed dry. Larry

My experience as well. Depending on use, water resistant is the best one can hope for with leather boots.

When I was working I would use food grade silicone spray. First of all, it worked and once a month was cool. 2nd, it was free, to me anyways. You could spray it on your jacket & hat to make them water resistant, to. I used that SnoSeal stuff & it worked great. I used Ballistol spray a lot, too, on my leather boots. The best for work was to stay inside till the snow melted or it quit raining. (This was practiced a lot by tradesmen at the PGH School District...our roofers were the only guys that needed a tanning salon.)

Gore-Tex. Quite a few manufacturers use it. Reed Wing and Keen for sure.

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Not in jail.

I bought a jar of Sno-Seal about 35 years ago and put a coating on only once a year. Still have a little left. Works great for winter weather, but I wouldn't want to take a summer hike through creeks and streams with them.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

I prefer Gortex but used a lot of silicone spray when it was free to me at work. I have a pair of goretex lined ankle highs that have been on 3 wet continents and kept my feet dry.

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Front sight and squeeze

One year, when Gore-Tex first became popular, they had a Gore-Tex boot in a fish tank filled with water at the Kittery Trading Post up in Maine. There was a device in it that flexed the boot every 15 seconds or so. I put my hand in it, and it was dry. 10 days later, coming back down state from a deer hunting trip, we again stopped at the Kittery. Same boot on display in the fish tank, up to its neck in water. Still dry inside, and that is what sold me on Gore-Tex boots and clothing if you want to really stay dry.

Larry

This is what I've used since I was in my teens and did a lot of winter backpacking. It has mink oil in it, but there's some other stuff that conditions the leather, and keeps it from being sticky after you apply it.

Snow-Proof - Fiebing's

Sno-Seal here.

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S&W Accumulator

I have worn boots with Goretex for years, but there seems to come a time when it doesn't work anymore. I applied my first coat of Huberds this morning and the boots are now sitting in the sun. It had a consistency like motor oil and was easy to apply. I used a toothbrush to get it down around the stitching.

Obenauf's Heavy Duty LP Leather Conditioner applied liberally to all boots at least annually. Recommended by a cousin who was a smoke jumper.

They had a Danner boot with a side zipper in a similar display at Galls. dry as a bone inside. I would have bought a pair except I hate side zippers

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Retired Career Security Guard

Huberds good stuff. It has pine tar in it, so it will make you boots very dark

If they ain't made of rubber you ain't gonna keep the water out. A hunting buddy years ago showed me his use of rubber overshoes, he used a pair made in Canada with good cleats and buckles when it was really sloppy...his feet were only wet from sweat.

I use silicon spray on boots,outerwear,kayak skirts etc. Depending on how wet the environment is,you’ll need to reapply it failrly often,but it works

When I was a kid, oh, so many decades ago, my Dad would have me put Mink Oil on my boots. It would work but I would have to oil by boots daily for several weeks to build up a water-proofing. The smell would give me headaches.

I got a small tub of waterproofing from LL Bean many years ago when I bought a pair of boots from them. I believe it’s actually Snow Seal that was private labeled for them. Works well and easily applied.

Traditionally used mink oil to soften and protect the leather. It's also a very good case lube. Hornady Unique case lube is mink oil.

Honestly never expected it to keep my feet dry. I have Muck and Lacrosse rubber boots for the deeper stuff.

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GOA
USA Shooting Supporter

I can't remember the last time I bought boots that weren't Gortex Lined.

I use NIKSWAX but it's designed for Gortex

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Retired Career Security Guard

THIS. Been using it for 50 years.

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SWCA #3356, SWHF#611

Hard to beat good old "Dubbin" It consists of natural wax, oil and tallow and been around since medieval times to waterproof and soften leather.