Treatment for Gore-Tex leather boots - Grangers G-wax?

[PropThePolecat]

Hello fellas

My Meindl Island Pro boots are in need of treatment. They are nubuck leather with a Gore-Tex lining.

There was a multitude of offerings from Nikwax, Grangers and Meindls own line. I emailed Meindl, they forwarded the email to a dealer, who recommended Grangers G-wax, so i am going to give it a go this weekend. They also recommended some silicone spray, im assuming they mean some sort of DWR treatment. I think ill just pick a Nikwax off the shelf.

I was wondering what you guys use to treat your boots?

EDIT: I misread the email...Meindl recommended Grangers Leather Conditioner and NOT G-Wax.

 

[garethw]

So far I've been less than impressed with nikwax treatments that haven't been very effective and expensive.

G Wax is cheap easily applied and really does waterproof your leather products. It feeds the leather keeping it supple thus avoiding cracking...

I've found silicone sprays ok up to a point, (on suede for example) but it only gives a marginal water resistance, before saturation sets in.

I proofed my leather hat in G Wax yesterday and water just runs off it now... My wife uses it on her Meindls and I'll be using it on my leather boots too when needed.

cheers
Gareth

 

[PropThePolecat]

Gareth, does the G-Wax affect breathability?

 

[Teepee]

My experience is opposite to Gareths, I find the G-wax to last not as long as Nikwax aqeuous wax.

I'd go with Nikwax Nubuck and suede proof and forget the silicon spray too.

The best combo I've found is leather conditioner, followed by dampening the leather and then putting one of Nikwax's aqeous waxes on the top.

The huge benefit to Nikwax aqeous is you can take some with you on a trip and re-proof your boots when they are wet- G-wax is useless for wet leather.

 

[garethw]

Gareth, does the G-Wax affect breathability?

I guess it may do... but sopping wet leather won't breathe anyway. In my experience Goretex membrances are fairly fragile, and have a limited effective life... leather though will last for a long long time if cared for correctly.

My experience is opposite to Gareths, I find the G-wax to last not as long as Nikwax aqeuous wax.

I'd go with Nikwax Nubuck and suede proof and forget the silicon spray too.

The best combo I've found is leather conditioner, followed by dampening the leather and then putting one of Nikwax's aqeous waxes on the top.

The huge benefit to Nikwax aqeous is you can take some with you on a trip and re-proof your boots when they are wet- G-wax is useless for wet leather.

I've not tried all the Nikwax products, so can't disagree with Teepee on this one. Its just those I've tried have not been great. Their waxes may be better than Grangers.. I didn't realise you could get products that would waterproof wet boots.

cheers
Gareth

 

[The Lord Poncho]

I prefer G wax to nikwax offerings (except as stated above, for topping up the waterproofing during a multiday exped when the boots are already partially wet). Warm gently (very gently) with a hair dryer, and really work the wax into the leather. I doubt you will notice a material drop in breathability. The goretex will likely be on its way out after a year or so of reasonable use anyhow, and the spray won't really cut it for wet grass etc.

 

[PropThePolecat]

In my first post i wrote that Meinld recommended Granger G-Wax. That is not correct, i seem to have misread the email. I amended my first post too.

I asked Meindl to clarify exactly what they meant. They told me that G-Wax can be used but is too "thick" for Gore-Tex boots. G-Wax seal the leather so much, that moisture is not allowed to escape the boot through the lining.

Apparently both Meindl and Gore recommend Leather Conditioner, which is the same as G-Wax only in a more "liquid" state, which penetrate the leather easier without sealing the pores.

 

[The Lord Poncho]

yep- but its not as waterproof, and the boots will not breath anyhow when the leather gets wetted out (which it will fairly quickly with the conditioner). No harm in you trying it first though to see how you get on with it, then reverting to G wax if needs be. Part of the recomendation of using a conditioner rather than a wax may also be driven by retaining the appearance of the nubuck.

 

[VFR800Essex]

Think you'll find the Gore-tex membrane is the waterproof part of your boots and not the leather/nubuck. As far as i know you can't get waterproof leather boots without a membrane.

 

[ZEbbEDY]

ive got scarpa sl boots and they dont have a waterproof membrane and are the most waterproof boots ive ever owned

 

[VFR800Essex]

It's water resistant, not proof.
The only way to proof leather is by constant updating of the additives you apply to the leathers surface. Try using your boots for a prolonged time without treatment and they will soon lose their ability to repel water.

Gore-Tex boots do away with the special treatments to the outer surface material and rely on the membrane to maintain water resistance. This allows lighter boots that aren't made solely from leather.

ive got scarpa sl boots and they dont have a waterproof membrane and are the most waterproof boots ive ever owned

 

[The Lord Poncho]

It's water resistant, not proof.
The only way to proof leather is by constant updating of the additives you apply to the leathers surface. Try using your boots for a prolonged time without treatment and they will soon lose their ability to repel water.

Gore-Tex boots do away with the special treatments to the outer surface material and rely on the membrane to maintain water resistance. This allows lighter boots that aren't made solely from leather.

I think the point is that Goretex in boots often doesn't last particularly long, and even in new boots with an intact membrane, the more water the outer surface soaks up, the heavier the boots get....

 

[para106]

I use G Wax on my Meindl Borneo GTXs. I just rub it in with my fingers to warm it up. It seems to work fine, mine are 2 yrs old & still dry as a bone inside.