Winterizing Leather Shoes

[greg_s]

I just bought these


http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/sperry-top-sider-authentic-original-chukka-boot/3270543?origin=keywordsearch&resultback=401


and am still considering some Clarks desert boots or bush acres. I want to be able to easily wear them around when there is a bit of snow/slush/salt so I'm not always breaking out the winter boots.


What are good products that will better protect the leather on a more casual shoe? Something better than the light protection offered from mink oil.


Also, the soles of my other Sperrys are really slippery in the winter. Now I'm concerned these will be as well (after-thought.. oops). Any helpful hints there?

[jason_carreira]

Mink oil. I put 2 coats on my Eastland Senecas.


Not much you can do if your shoes don't have tread... wear different shoes if it's icy

[LesserBlackDog]

Obenauf's Heavy Duty LP and Sno-Seal are both beeswax-based, non-toxic leather protectors that work really well to seal out water while keeping the leather supple and moisturized.


Even the heaviest tread won't make ice non-slippery.

[jason_carreira]

Note that all 3 of these will darken the leather. I have Obenauf's as well, but I went with mink oil because I wanted the oiled leather look like the Sebago Beacons have.

[alan]

While not waterproof, I bet these do well on ice. ;-)


http://www.allenedmonds.com/aeonline...07_subcategory

[LesserBlackDog]

I recently used Obenauf's on my new Chippewa boots, and I didn't notice that they darkened them significantly. But a lot of it depends on the leather, too. Some will darken much more visibly than others.