Invest in a pair of muck boots and they sure will last for many years because they repel debris, water and mud. By doing so, they aid in your stability on the hardest trails. However, when using your camping boots as hiking footwear, always remember to show some love to your camping footwear. Even your most rugged outdoor footwear can be exposed to wear and tear. Specialist fabric cleaners and products like protective treatments can effectively extend your boot’s lifespan.
It can be tricky knowing the best product to use, especially for boots made from different types of materials. For this reason, this ultimate guide comes to the rescue of anyone interested in learning more about the ways you can take care of your wellies.
1. Making your camping boots waterproof
Today, almost all boots are waterproof. You might have personal reasons why you may wish to use a waterproof product on your boots. The obvious reason is wear and tear. If you have leather boots, then you will need a helping hand in terms of waterproofing since they don’t have a waterproof membrane.
To make your camping boots waterproof, you can apply a waterproofing wax liquid and allow the shoes to absorb for one or two minutes. After absorbing, you can wipe off the excess product and give the boots time to dry. Keep in mind that if your boots are made of nubuck leather, they will require a different product as the wax will likely stain this leather.
Synthetic camping boots are not like leather hiking boots since many synthetic hiking boots depend on a waterproof membrane and a durable water repellent treatment which is applied on the outer materials.
2. For suede boots, invest in must-haves
Your leather camping boots can handle rain, but they cannot if you have suede boots. For suede camping boots, invest in essential products such as a suede eraser and a suede brush. The suede eraser leaves little dustings when you apply suede. The eraser will remove the shiny spots on the suede once the fabric is faded down or worn. You will then use the brush to brush off the dustings while at the same time rebuff the suede.
3. Use a protective rubber sole
The best thing to do with your camping boots during winter is to add a light protective rubber sole to the existing one. This will extend the lifespan of your boots. You can get this service from most shoe repair shops, and the price will vary depending on the type of boots.
3. Protective your camping boots from snow and rain spills
While camping during the winter season, you can choose to pair up your camping boots with zip fleece or quarter fleece. This camping outfit will sure keep you warm during the winter season. Besides using water treatment on your camping boots, you can also invest in using a repellent against unexpected winter spills. For instance, you can use a water and a water and stain protector, which works best with fabric, suede and leather boots.
The repellent stays on top of the boots and allows any liquid to sit on top of the material. This way, you can wipe away any stains before it gets into your boots. You can adopt spraying your boots once per week and apply the protector just as you would apply hairspray.
4. Treat color fading and scuffs with leather creams
Fixing a discoloration or a scuff is easy as you can do this by applying leather cream using a small brush. You can find leather creams in different types of colors. Therefore, you can find a leather cream that matches the color of your boots.
If your camping boots have extreme scuffs, fading or tears, you can take your boots to a repair shop to have them fixed. There are leather cream products that can apply to boots that need a strong touch-up in terms of pigmentation. However, this type of leather cream product is not sold to customers because of its strong fumes. So, you can only gain access to them when you take your shoes to the repair shop.
5. Let your boots air dry
When using boots as a hiking outfit, remove them and place them to dry in a well-ventilated area that is not too hot or too dry. You can place them near a fan if you wish. Take your time and untie the laces, then remove the inner sole for your boots to dry more efficiently.
Don’t fasten the drying time by placing your shoes to dry near a fire or under the hot sun. this is because too much heat might tamper with the material of the shoes.
Conclusion
Camping is a hobby that many people love engaging themselves in. when camping out there in the woods, it’s important always to take care and maintain your camping boots in good shape to make your camping time more memorable.
