Waterproof La Sportiva Nepal Mountaineering Boots?

[Rickpatbrown]

Sorry if this is an obvious question, but do you guys water proof your leather boots? What do you use?

 

I don't want my boots to get that weird dirty yellow look if it's not necessary.

 

La Sportiva suggests using Nikwax aqueous wax. The stuff I got says it's for smooth leather.

[sobo]

Got a pair of LS Makalus, bought back in 2000. Never waterproofed 'em, and they've never leaked. I think my feet actually stay drier in them than in my plastic Koflachs. YMMV...

[OlympicMtnBoy]

I use nikwax, it makes them dirty yellow but it works. You might be fine not doing anything but I worried about the leather drying out and cracking eventually without some sort of conditioner, especially with repeated wetting and abrasion. Mine have survived almost ten years and still keep my feet dry. I retreat every couple years.

 

I may have used snoseal once too which is pretty much the same thing I think.

[tvashtarkatena]

Use waxed based stuff (nikwax) on goretex. Seems to work better on synthetic materials, so...and is fine for leather. Oil based products (sno seal, whatev) will destroy goretex.

[ryanb]

Sno seal original is bees waxed based and is awesome for leather. I used it on gloves and boots. I don't think the sprays work at all for this application as they just seem to wear off. The nikwax in a tube is okay too. Either way, the key is to warm the boots up in the hot sun or by a heat vent, rub it on thick and then put them back in the wam spot to let the leather suck the stuff up. Repeat 2-3 times for true waterproofness. It will change the color and texture of the leather.

Edited January 23, 2012 by ryanb

[Rickpatbrown]

So, should I treat them right off the bat, or wait a couple of season?

[wetslide]

Wait!

[Tyson.g]

"Got a pair of LS Makalus, bought back in 2000. Never waterproofed 'em, and they've never leaked." - SOBO

 

Same story with mine.

 

As to OMB's comment - never have become too dry or cracked either.

 

I agree with Wetslide - wait.....

 

and see, putting the stuff on will definitely change them, waiting it out means at the worst being wet once and then doing the seal, but I do not think it will come to that.

 

my $.02

[sobo]

Agree with Tyson and wetslide. Mine have never gotten "too dry or cracked" either, so why not just wait.

 

To use my favorite line before committing to a sketchy rappel... "WTF, what's the worst that can happen?"

[Chad_A]

Or, devils advocate, just go ahead and treat them. The factory treatment will only last so long. Might as well go ahead and waterproof them before you end up on a trip with wet feet.

 

It's just like anything else, your mileage may vary.

 

I like the Nikwax stuff, worked well for me. I waited for my old leather Boreals too long, then they leaked...treated them and they were clearly much better.

[iceaxe23]

I thought they impregnated the leather with silicon or something that is like a DWR and wears off after time.

 

My first Nepals I never treated and they worked fine. My second pair that I used more often started to "wet out" and I treated them.

 

I would wait until they wet out.

[ryanb]

I've never had great luck with the factory leather treatments including some sportivas. They are going to be covered in mud, grime and glacial till after the first time you use them anyways so I'd just as soon treat them the one time in their life they are clean.

 

My most recent pair of boots (salewas...they makes some awesome super light boots btw) I used some spray stuff before the first trip and, though the gortex works well, the leather was soaked by the end of three days of moist bushwhacking and kicking steps in the bitterroots. Snosealed them and been happy since.

[montypiton]

sno-seal may soften the leather more than you'd like (assuming you're in a boot that bulky because you like the support). nikwax is great stuff