[salish]

Last fall I started using a new water repellent & conditioner dressing for my leather boots, and since the results have been good, I thought I'd pass this along. This stuff is called "Montana Pitch-Blend Leather Dressing", - A Unique Blend of Pine Pitch, Mink Oil & Beeswax". That's right - pine pitch. It's supposedly all natural. I've been using this on a couple pairs of leather boots I own and I like it better than Snoseal and Nikwax. I heard about this dressing from a coworker who rides horses and uses it on her saddles and boots. I actually called the manufacturer in Missoula last fall and talked with her about this stuff, and my concerns over reading some bad reports on using animal oils (mink oil) on boots. She told me there is mink oil, then there is MINK OIL, and that the mink oils used in leather dressings from the past, was not good for leather boots over the long run, Something about either processing the oil too much, or not enough, I can't honestly remember. I really like the way this stuff repels water and yet it really acts as a great leather conditioner, as well. On Dave Page's advice I used Lexall leather conditioner on my boots, but that doesn't do anything for waterproofing. I use this Pitch Blend dressing on my boots, knife sheaths, baseball mit, and whatever else I have that's made of leather. There's only one retailer that I know who carries it, and that's the Birkenstock Store on Univertsity Ave in Seattle. All the Birkenstock Stores should carry this, though. Here is the url for the company: http://www.mtpitchblend.com/ Hike safe. Cliff

[kleet]

Thanks for the tip, Salish. That sounds promising. I used to be a Sno-Seal only kinda guy, but switched to Nikwax several years ago and have been pretty happy. Regarding the problems with mink oil, any comments on the following? From Outside Magazine: When they become evidently unwaterproof, apply a manufacturer-recommended waterproofing treatment to your mountain footwear. The top choice? Highly breathable Nikwax Aqueous Wax Waterproofing is the smooth-leather favorite; for nubuck, suede, or fabric, try the company's Nubuck and Suede Waterproofing. Hint: Avoid wax-based treatments (like Sno-Seal)--they attract dirt. Never apply baseball-mitt leather-softening compounds such as mink oil or neat's-foot oil to speed up boot break-in; they'll inevitably weaken the hide. Or maybe their recommendation has everything to do with how much advertising $$$ is spent with their magazine?

[salish]

Kleet: To this I would say - read the Pitch Blend web page. They directly answer this question and your last sentence is part of the answer (marketing, adverstising, etc) . MTB states that all leathers were once animal skins, complete with animal oils and greases and are not adversely affected by applying animal oils. Maybe the pine pitch has something to do with it. Anyway, they have a rebuttal to what the Outside Magazine article is saying here. It's actually a very informative web page. Then again, I've only been using this stuff for about seven or eight months, and maybe my boots will fall apart next year Cliff

[Dslayer]

Thanks Cliff-I'll give this a try....it appeals to my technoresistant heart-(he says replying via internet to a chat site)

[salish]

Ah yes, a dichotomy that I share with you. If you can find this stuff over there give it a whirl, you might like it. Cliff

[Allison]

I would agree that the waxy stuff like sno-seal tends to attract dirt, but in my expeience it is also superior at detracting water.

[salish]

Allison, I used Snoseal for years on all my leather boots, and I would probably give the nod for water resistance to Snoseal, but not by a large margin. This stuff is close to almost-as-good for that. What I really like about it is the way it conditions the leather. With Snoseal it always felt like my boots were dipped in a vat of melted parafin, and my feet would sweat a lot. They actually sweated more than they do with the gortex lining of my nubuck Sundowners. With this stuff my feet seem to breath better. Cliff

[Dante]

My dad used Hubbards Shoe Grease on our hiking boots, then Sno-Seal. I used Sno-Seal for a long time, switched to Biwell and then some "all natural" beeswax stuff Backpacker Joe gave me when he worked at Marmot. IMO all of it created fairly waterproof "vapor barrier leather." One of the reasons I love my new Gore-Tex Asolo Fusions (treated with Nikwax aqueous wax) is they are much more breathable than my traditional one-piece leather boots, so my feet stay much drier. Until a recent snowshoe trip, I always assumed the leather boots were getting wet from the outside. I was wrong. If I ever wear my leather boots again (which looks more and more unlikely each time I use my Asolos), I'll treat them with Nikwax aqueous wax in the hope that will increase their breathability and comfort.