You care for the ones you love, and at REI we love our hiking boots. In this article we share the best boot-care tips we know.

Here are 4 tips you should commit to memory:

• Clean boots after every hike. A brush and some water are the basic tools.
• Remove insoles/inserts after a hike to permit the whole boot to dry.
• Do not expose boots to excessive heat; store them at room temperature.
• When water stops beading on boot uppers, add a waterproofing treatment to restore their water resistance.

Read on for details on how to ensure that your boots enjoy a long life and perform at their best.

When Hiking Boots Are New

• Keep the care instructions provided. Always follow the boot maker's maintenance advice.
• New hiking boots rarely require treatment out of the box. Reason: Nearly all boots are factory-treated with a durable water repellent (DWR) finish.
  
• Break in new hiking boots before attempting an extended trip. Learn how by reading the REI Expert Advice article, How to Break In Hiking Boots.
• If a flex point of a leather boot is slow to break in, apply conditioner to that spot to make it more pliable.

After Any Hike: Clean Those Boots

Cleaning Tips

Be diligent in cleaning hiking boots. You say you're too tired after a hike to clean your boots? Then clean 'em the following day.

Why bother?

• With every flexing motion, particles of dirt, grit or sand can creep deeper into a boot's leather or fabric upper and grind away like sandpaper.
• Mud can suck moisture from leather as it dries, leaving leather less pliable and vulnerable to accelerated aging.
• Removable sock liners (found in some boots) or insoles are potentially machine washable. Check manufacturer instructions before attempting this. Always remove liners or insoles and let them air out.

Tip: Never put hiking footwear in a washing machine.

Use a brush to gently remove dust and dirt. Choose a specialized tool or an old vegetable brush or toothbrush. For maximum thoroughness, remove laces prior to cleaning. Add running water and a specialized boot cleaner, saddle soap or, if no other options exist, a mild dishwashing soap.

• Do not use bar soap or detergents; they typically contain surfactants that attract water; detergents may also include fabric brighteners that can leave residues.
• Mold on the boots? Brush in a mixture of 80% water and 20% vinegar.

If needed, wash off the outsole, too. A tread cleaner can extract stones and other stubborn gunk that plug your traction-boosting lugs. If mud is really caked on, soak the outsoles (not the uppers) in a shallow pan of water for several hours. Then hose away the sludge.

Drying Tips

• Allow boots to dry at a normal temperature. Rushing the process is unhealthy for boots, particularly leather boots.
• Remove insoles and let them air-dry separately from the boots.
• Do not place wet boots close to a heat source (fireplace, campfire, wood stove, radiator, heater, sunny windowsill, whatever). High heat:
  • Weakens the adhesives used in modern footwear.
  • Bakes the upper, which could turn the leather brittle or cause it to shrink and curl, which potentially could squeeze a boot's toe counter (a nylon reinforcement in toe), which would alter its fit.
• Recommended speed-drying method: Place boots (insoles removed, tongue propped open) in the path of a fan in a normal, room-temperature environment.
• No fan handy? Stuff a sheet or 2 of newspaper into each boot. Newsprint is a surprisingly decent moisture absorber. Change the paper each hour.
• Boots dry faster when positioned upside-down.
• Store boots in a place where temperatures are stable and normal. Do not store boots in attics, garages, car trunks or any unventilated spaces where heat can rapidly accumulate.

After Extended Use: Clean, Condition, Waterproof

REI offers 3 types of footwear-care products. Here's guidance for when and how often to use them:

Cleaner

Use a cleaner when preparing to apply waterproofing, or any time stubborn residue (dust, mud, grime) is visible on the upper.

Use a cleaner periodically. You always want to clean boots after a hike; you just might not always need a specialized cleaner when doing so. A simple brush-off or a rinse-and-wipe may do the job just fine. But if boots are muddy or really dusty, adding a footwear-specific, residue-free cleaner will optimize your effort. Boots simply perform better and last longer when clean.

Note: Always clean boots thoroughly before applying waterproofing.

Conditioner

Use a conditioner when full-grain leather boots appear dry or cracked. It can also be used if new footwear needs to be broken in quickly.

Use a conditioner judiciously. Healthy leather (like our own skin) functions best when moisturized. Yet too much conditioner can make boots too soft, reducing the support they provide on rugged terrain.

Note: Do not use Mink Oil or similar oils better suited for logging/industrial boots; it over-softens dry-tanned leather used in modern hiking footwear.

Waterproofing

Use a waterproofing treatment when water does not speedily bead up and roll off a boot's surface, allowing water to sink into the exterior layer.

Use it as needed. The frequency depends on how hard you use your boots. It is not uncommon for serious trail hounds who do a lot of wet-weather hiking to apply waterproofing several times a year.

Shop REI's selection of footwear treatment products.

How to Waterproof Boots: Q&A

The information presented in this section is a compilation of advice provided by footwear-case manufacturers, boot makers, REI staff members and 2 especially boot-savvy people:

• Pete Smith, footwear sales specialist at REI Seattle since 1982.
• Dave Page, whose Seattle-area boot repair shop (opened in 1969) is the authorized boot-repair agent for nearly every major boot maker, including Asolo, Chaco, Garmont, La Sportiva, Lowa, Merrell, Montrail, Raichle, REI, Vasque, Vibram and Zamberlan.

Q: My boots look wet. Are they leaking?

A: In almost every case, no.

If water is not beading up on the uppers, it means the durable water repellent (DWR) finish applied at the factory is simply past its prime. A DWR finish deteriorates over time due to dirt, abrasion and sun exposure. When that occurs—and a few tough, brushy hikes may be all it takes—moisture can seep into the uppers. In this condition the exterior layer can retain water and thus feel wet and heavy, but a boot would have to be intensely saturated before moisture soaked through the upper.

For more details about DWR finishes, read the REI Expert Advice article, Rainwear: DWR Care.

Q: My waterproof Gore-Tex boots look wet. Are they malfunctioning?

A: No. Boots equipped with a waterproof/breathable membrane (and most use Gore-Tex membranes) do not allow water to penetrate to the interior unless the membrane itself has been damaged.

Cobbler Dave Page concurs. "Just because you see water soaking into the leather doesn't mean it's coming into the boot," Page says. "The Gore-Tex is still on the other side of all that. It just means the repellency has broken down on the leather itself on the outside, totally independent of the Gore-Tex. If it's soaking in that readily, it's probably time to retreat it so that you keep the water from getting in there in the first place."

The solution for wet boots, whether equipped with waterproof/breathable membranes or not, is the same: Revive water repellency by applying a waterproofing product designed for footwear.

Q: When the DWR finish on boots needs to be restored, what waterproofing product should I apply?

A: Your decision depends on the material used in the uppers of your boots and what brand appeals to you.

Material: Some brands make specific products for particular boot materials:

• Full-grain leather
• Split leather (aka reversed or roughed-out leather)
• Nubuck
• Suede
• Synthetic leather or a fabric and leather combo

Brands: REI carries waterproofing products from Nikwax, Granger's and Tectron. (Note: REI's product assortment changes intermittently.)

Nikwax is the most prominent brand, endorsed by Asolo, Burton, Merrell, Nike, Raichle, Salomon, Scarpa and other footwear-makers. U.K.-based Granger's products also have a strong following.

Nikwax offers specific waterproofing treatments for all the upper materials mentioned above; REI carries a popular "universal" waterproofer by Granger's that can be used on all footwear types, and Tectron offers a similar water-repellent spray suitable for all footwear types.

Q: How do I apply waterproofing?

A: Step 1: Thoroughly clean your boots. This is a good time to use a specialized cleaning product plus a brush.

Step 2: Follow instructions on the waterproofing product.

Most product-makers recommend that boots be damp or wet when water-based waterproofing products (such as those from Nikwax and Granger's) are applied. For treating leather boots, the wetter the better, says Pete Smith of REI Seattle.

"You want leather to have water soaked into the thickness of it," he says. "The water is what actually draws those products into the leather. If water is only on the surface then the waterproofer doesn't penetrate into the thickness of the leather. It will just stay there on the surface, and when the water evaporates, could flake off.

"I tell people to have the waterproofing product on hand, and when they get back from a wet-weather hike where water has soaked into the boots, that's the ideal time to treat them as long as you get all the mud off first."

If you're starting with dry boots at home, Pete has a tip for getting water into the leather: "Take a very wet towel, pack it around the boots and let it sit there in the utility sink for a couple of hours. If you just hold a boot under the tap, water will bead up and roll off, even if the boot needs treatment. It's amazing how long it takes to soak water into the leather."

Apply as directed. Allow to dry without adding artificial heat. (Cobbler Dave Page thinks placing boots in a well-ventilated sunny spot for 10 minutes is a good move. "Your boots sit in the sun that long when you're changing socks in the backcountry," he says. "I think it helps waterproofing sink into the leather.") Wipe off any excess.

Product instructions may recommend a second application. Smith offers this thought on the topic: "If you do a thorough job the first time, there will be no need to do a second treatment," he says. "If you want to apply a second treatment and you're using a water-based product, you HAVE to get the boots wet before you apply it."

Nikwax tells REI that the latest version of its Waterproofing Wax for Leather products (liquid or cream, both reformulated in recent years) can be effectively applied to wet or dry boots but still recommends getting boots wet. Admittedly, it can seem counterintuitive to get boots wet prior to applying a waterproof treatment. It does to Page.

"Nikwax pushes that," he says. "Maybe I'm just old-fashioned. I can't bring myself to put waterproofing on wet boots. If they say it works, fine. It's their product."

Q: Does treating boots with waterproofing also condition them?

A: In footwear care, "conditioning" is usually equated with "softening." Nikwax tells REI that Nikwax Liquid Conditioner for Leather is designed primarily to restore suppleness in aged, dry or cracked full-grain leather.

It can also be used on newer boots if they seem unyielding in places, particularly flex points. It definitely softens leather and thus should be used judiciously, since leather boots are designed to be supportive footwear.

Waterproofing products also include conditioning elements that maintain leather's pliability without necessarily making it softer (a word often equated with "weaker.") Nikwax tells REI that its footwear waterproofing products include "tanning agents." Their task: Bind collagen proteins found in the waterproofing solution to leather fibers. This process helps leather ward off dryness, maintain its natural flexibility and resist bacterial attack, all while boosting the leather's water resistance.

So the act of waterproofing boots keeps them concurrently water-resistant and healthy. That's a good deal.

Q: What about using Sno-Seal?

A: Unlike water-based formulas used by Nikwax and Granger's, Sno-Seal is a beeswax-based waterproofing paste. Introduced in 1933, it is marketed at outdoor stores under the Tectron label.

Designed originally for boots worn by hunters and outdoor laborers (loggers, for example), Sno-Seal is a waterproofing product with a large following. It carries one drawback: If applied to the leather used in nearly all modern leather hiking boots, those boots cannot be resoled, says cobbler Dave Page.

"You just can't work on the boots after it's on the leather," Page says of Sno-Seal. "Most hiking boots today are made of dry-tanned leather that uses chromium salts and chromium sulfates. Modern uppers sit down on top of sole units and are glued on, not stitched. To get soles to stick to the glue line, you have to be able to get the leather absolutely clean.

"Sno-Seal, Mink Oil, Neatsfoot Oil are all products that work fine as waterproofing, but they're formulated for oil-tanned leather--leather from 60 years ago," Page says. "There's just something that's in Sno-Seal that gets impregnated in dry-tanned leather. I don't know what it is. Once it's in there you can't clean it out and the leather will just not accept adhesives."

Not every hiker considers resoling their backpacking boots. If you deeply love a pair of boots and anticipate a lifelong relationship with them, though, it's best to bypass Sno-Seal. "I think Sno-Seal is an awfully good waterproofing product," says Page, who does not carry Sno-Seal in his shop. "It works fine if as long as you put it on boots that you don't care if they ever get resoled."

Q: How should Sno-Seal be applied?

A: For those who choose to use Sno-Seal, David Gutting, a vice president at Atsko (Sno-Seal's maker), recommends the following steps:

1. Make sure the boots are fully dry. If boots are wet, though, let them dry naturally, usually requiring a 2-day wait. Do not expose wet boots to heat. "You don't want to rush-dry your leather," Gutting says. "Boots should not go from totally soaked to totally dry in less than 48 hours." Otherwise, Gutting says, leather hardens and is susceptible to cracking and shrinking.

2. Once dry, warm boots to roughly 110 degrees--no higher than 150. Set them under a heating lamp, Gutting suggests, maybe 3 feet away; or place them in a sunny window for about 45 minutes. "The boots should be very warm to the touch," he says, "but definitely not to the point where you don't want to hold onto them. You should be able to hold that boot for an hour if you want."

3. Gutting says apply Sno-Seal using fingers or a cloth. Wait 20-30 minutes. Keep boots under the lamp. Look for dull spots where Sno-Seal has been absorbed. Add a touch more to those spots. Remove boots from the lamp. "When the wax wants to stay shiny on the boots, it's not going to absorb any more," Gutting says. "When it cools, it's done." Should excess be wiped off? Gutting says it's optional; he says he usually lets it remain.

Sno-Seal instructions state: "Apply as much Sno-Seal as the leather will absorb." So when is enough enough? Gutting says a uniform shiny appearance on the leather is the signal that you're done. "Our instructions can be misinterpreted," he says.

Peter Smith of REI Seattle saw an example of that first-hand. "Years ago I had one guy come back the day after buying a brand-new pair of Vasque Sundowners," Smith says. "He told me put a whole can of Sno-Seal into the boots. He set them down if front me and the tops just flopped over like a pair of Converse All-Stars. He said he just kept putting it on and it kept soaking in." Smith says he sidesteps Sno-Seal today and recommends water-based waterproofing products.

Q: Should I apply heat when waterproofing boots?

A: Not when using water-based waterproofing products such as Nikwax and Granger's. Boots should be at a normal room temperature during and after treatment. Cobbler Dave Page thinks it's not a bad idea to give treated boots 10-15 minutes of well-ventilated sun exposure after applying waterproofing.

As mentioned previously, the maker of wax-based Sno-Seal says boots should be warmed prior to applying that specific product. "But we absolutely don't recommend heat for drying," Dave Gutting emphasizes.

Keep boots away from hair dryers, wood-burning stoves and kitchen ovens. "For years we've mentioned using a preheated and extinguished oven," Gutting says. "I'm terrified by that. People's judgment of temperature is notoriously bad." Gutting says he has seen boots placed on an oven rack emerge with grill marks.

Smith recalls a customer once explaining how he put boots inside an oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. "He said when he took them out the nylon shank had melted out the side of the boot and the laces were smoking," Smith said. "That wasn't very good."

Q: What is in waterproofing products?

A: The answer here will interest only chemistry majors and other inquisitive, tech-minded people, but here goes:

Nikwax and Granger's products are water-based. What does this mean?

Nikwax tells REI that water, not petroleum distillates or solid waxes, is used to carry the waterproofing polymers into the leather. Its waterproofing solutions contain aliphatic polymers—chemically speaking, compounds that belong to the organic class where the atoms are not linked together to form a ring. Examples of such polymers: silane elastomer and polyethylene vinyl acetate.

Nikwax also uses mineral waxes and some vegetable oil-based products. None of these materials, Nikwax says, are known to bioaccumulate, and all will ultimately biodegrade—though not too quickly, Nikwax hastens to point out. Otherwise they would not be useful as waterproofing materials.

A Nikwax rep tells REI that the company's products are free of fluorocarbons and as such resist degradation, producing longer-lasting performance.

As for Sno-Seal, Gutting says the product consists primarily of beeswax—the semirigid, hexagonal wax framework where bees collect honey, store food and incubate their young. It also includes other waxes and a mineral oil-based solvent, which Gutting says resembles thin baby oil. The solvent, which gradually evaporates after it is applied, softens the beeswax and permits it to penetrate the leather.

"You have to soften beeswax quite a bit to enable it to go into the leather," Gutting says. "When the solvent has completely evaporated, if the beeswax was as hard as it originally is, it would work its way out of the leather as the leather flexes. But by making it a little bit softer than the leather, it will flex with the leather and stay in it."

Q: What is the shelf life of waterproofing products?

A: REI is told by manufacturers that 4 years from the date of purchase is advised, though our guess is the products still do their job after that span.

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