All of the footwear that we stock requires regular care, cleaning and in some cases re-proofing for it to continue performing and to help you get the greatest life out of them. Find out what we and the manufacturers recommend.
Waterproof Footwear
- All of the shoes and boots that we stock with a waterproof membrane are classified as waterproof. This membrane is breathable and very delicate and therefore is situated on the inside of the footwear for its protection and your comfort. The membrane relies on help from a DWR (durable water repellent) treatment on the outer surface of the boot or shoe to stop moisture from waterlogging the outer materials and impacting breathability. This moisture will also carry dirt and bacteria which will compromise the fabrics including stitching and the membrane over time. If waterlogged this moisture can and will then travel over the top of the membrane into your shoe/boot as you walk. This does not mean that they leak.
- To extend the lifespan of your footwear we recommend proofing them before first use especially if your first walk will be particularly wet.
- Your boots/shoes will show you when they need further reproofing as moisture will not bead and run off their surface, rather it will soak in. This means that your footwear’s materials are in an unprotected state and will absorb any water they come into contact with. It does not mean that they leak.
- To treat your footwear follow these steps:
- Remove laces and footbeds to allow you to clean and reproof more thoroughly and dry more rapidly if required.
- Clean any dirt and bacteria away with lukewarm water and a soft brush, for heavily soiled boots we recommend specific cleaning fluids. It is also important to clean the sole unit especially if you have been walking on farmland where contaminants can degrade the rubber sole/midsole over time.
- Rinse all dirt and cleaning agents away.
- Dry in a well-ventilated area, not in direct sunlight or near a heat source. Wet leather can “burn” easily becoming brittle and leading to irreparable cracking.
- Treat your footwear with appropriate products (the care guide that comes with your footwear and or our staff will be able to advise here), in the case of spray treatments when the product is still slightly damp can be best. Apply them at least 24 hours before use when possible. Check your boots an hour after spray treatment and if all of the spray has been absorbed and can't be felt on the surface give them a second spray. It shouldn't come to this but athird spary may be necessary if you have ignored treating your footwear for a long time or they have become particularly waterlogged. Spray treatment will partially lose its effect even if not used 3 weeks after application.
- Remind me how regularly should I be retreating my footwear?
- As stated above your boots/shoes will show you that they need reproofing when moisture soaks into their surface, but it is worth staying one step ahead and you will get a feel for this. A good rule of thumb is that for people who use their boots on a daily basis for dog walking etc. you should be reproofing with a liquid treatment around twice a week during wet periods, waxed leather boots will last a number of times longer. Equally if you are a once a week walker that does 10 miles of mixed terrain a time then it will probably be between every walk and every other walk with a liquid treatment, depending on dampness and abrasiveness of terrain, given prevailing UK conditions.
- What other care considerations do I need to consider?
- Fit: Ill-fitting footwear is more likely to crease unnaturally if they are too roomy or get deformed if there is insufficient volume (e.g. around bunions, deep or wide feet). Boots that are too short or don't hold your foot can get damaged at the front by toenails bashing into the membrane, whilst boots that are too long or do not hold your foot correctly will encourage heels to rub and wear away the membrane or inside of your boot. Not paying proper attention to your lacing can have the same effect. All of which can shorten the life of the uppers and perforate waterproof membranes.
- Nourishing: If your boots or shoes have leather, nubuck or suede components and they haven’t been treated regularly enough and so get waterlogged, they will need some level of nourishment once dry. Leather is skin but unlike your own skin it can’t produce oils to nourish itself so your care leaflet or one of our staff can recommend a preferred option for you. The occasional use of such a product can help reduce the chance of leather cracking and prolong a products life, but go sparingly.
- Storage: Rubber likes to be flexed regularly so try to use your products periodically, don’t just store them for months between walks as the soles and rands will perish. Always make sure your boots are fully dry before storing for any length of time and never store them in a plastic bag. Any dampness especially if containing dirt can destroy sole units, uppers and stitching. Store them in a ventilated place to reduce the chance of mildew and mould growth which can again damage the materials.
- Inside your footwear: Your boots or shoes will get dirty and damp from the inside from sweat and bodily oils as well as from debris if you don’t wear gaiters. All debris should be removed as soon as possible so that it doesn’t damage any waterproof membrane or the footbed. The sweat and bodily oils will degrade materials over time as well as making shoes smell. You can put moisture absorbers and deodorizers in your shoes between uses when they are not so bad as to need washing. We recommend occasional internal washing of your boot or shoe by filling it with luke-warm water and leaving it to stand in order to extract the salts and oils. Wiping with a damp cloth or using a specific footwear cleaner when particularly heavily soiled will help.
We have created three different care kits to make your life as easy as possible to look after your specific type of waterproof boots and shoes, follow the link and choose the relevant one from: Full Grain Leather with a waterproof lining, Nubuck Leather with a waterproof lining, or Fabric and Suede with a waterproof lining.
Water-repellent boots (without a membrane)
The same is true with non-membraned boots as membraned boots in terms of upkeep its just that if you don’t do things correctly you will get wet feet more quickly through the boot rather than over the top of the boot.
We have created a care kit to make your life as easy as possible to look after your non-membraned leather waterproof boots and shoes.
Non-waterproof footwear
- My shoes aren’t waterproof so I guess I don’t need to do anything with them?...Wrong!!!
- Fit: Ill-fitting footwear is more likely to crease unnaturally if they are too roomy or get deformed if there is insufficient volume (e.g. around bunions, deep or wide feet). Boots and shoes that are too short or don't hold your foot can get damaged at the front by toenails bashing into the toe box, whilst boots and shoes that are too long or do not hold your foot correctly will encourage your heels to rub and wear away the lining of your footwear. Not paying proper attention to your lacing can have the same effect. All of which can shorten the life of the uppers.
- Cleaning: Your boots or shoes will get dirty and wet from both the inside and out from sweat, bodily oils and salts as well as rain, dirty puddles, dust etc. All of this can degrade materials over time as well as making shoes smell. We recommend removing excess dirt with a damp cloth or soft bristle brush and drying them in a well-ventilated area. Using newspaper inside them can help to dry them quicker. You can put moisture absorbers and deodorizers in your shoes for between uses when they are not so bad as to need washing.
- Storage: Rubber likes to be flexed regularly so try to use your products periodically, don’t just store them for months between uses as the soles and rands will perish. Always make sure your shoes are fully dry before storing for any length of time and never store them in a plastic bag. Any dampness especially if containing dirt can destroy sole units, uppers and stitching. Store them in a ventilated place to reduce the chance of mildew and mould growth which can again damage the materials.
Other considerations for all footwear types
- Gaiters: Keeping debris out of your boots is vital to looking after waterproof membranes, your socks and feet, gaiters will help significantly with this. If you walk in long wet grass, and who doesn't in the UK, then a gaiter will stop your trouser getting wet, which in turn can wick into your socks and then make you think your boots are leaking (which they are not). For proper bog-trotting and lots of long wet grass knee length waterproof gaiters are ideal, but many of our staff and customers use shorter softshell gaiters which keep all debris out, and for the odd foot sinking into the bog are enough.
- Feet: We have seen trail running shoes and waterproof membranes damaged by overly long toenails and toenails that point aggressively upwards, please make sure that you amply protect the inside of your footwear from toenails if you can't keep them trimmed enough. Running shoe tops that get damaged by toenails are often indicative of a need for more arch support to stop your toes going up as your arch collapses on each step (refer to next paragraph).
- Footbeds and insoles: If your gait means that you walk unevenly in your footwear then they will wear unevenly and consequently the sole units won't last as well. Footbeds with higher arches and more cupping heels or your own orthotics may help spread your load more evenly throughout the shoe and help prolong their life and your foot and lower body health. If you do change out the footbed then please make sure that the footbed you use fits the footwear well, so it doesn't slide around, push out the sides of the footwear or have any sharp edges. We aren't fans of 3/4 length orthotics for this and other reasons.
- Trekking Poles: Using walking poles can help reduce the shock onto your footwear when going downhill, they can also increase your confidence and stability when walking which can all help reduce wear and tear on your footwear.
- Resoling: An increasing number of our boot models are capable of being resoled which is great from a value for money and sustainability perspective, however, you need to have looked after your uppers extremely well and check that the mid sole is still fully intact. There is no point posting boots off for resole when the midsole has stopped providing proper support or the heating process to remove the old worn-out sole makes any cracks in the uppers much worse. If your boot has a waterproof membrane this needs to be in good condition as well otherwise you are throwing good money after bad.
- Manufacturer's Warranty: Even when you look after your footwear to the recommended amount there may still be manufacturing issues that we will be happy to look at and take the appropriate action for within the manufacturer's warranty period. But please remember that if you haven't looked after your footwear adequately it may compromise our ability to help.
- Lifespan: Also please bear in mind that all good things come to an end and if your sole unit is very worn or smooth then whether your uppers fail or not the manufacturer will not be able to help as your footwear have just reached the end of their life.
