Just bought some new boots, what is best way to care for them. Have just been washing them down and leaving to dry - polish or dubbin to be applied?

had the same pair of boots now for 5 years spent the first year washing and drying then heavy on with the dubbin, second year cleaned them at the car wash with the pressure washer at the same time as the bike .now i just wear them lay them down in the garage and wear them the next week stitching just starting to go on the top of one of them and the clasp on the top of one of them dropped off a year or so ago

i bought good quality in the first place and there doing ok at least another year or two before i'd consider replacing them..

Yeah i just clean mine and oil / saddle soap what ever them while they are drying so it dries in and makes them soft got them new at christmas doing ok no holes maybe a bit of wear on the sides but thats how i stand...although you can just get a cobbler to put a patch down the side of them so they last longer.

Does anyone know of anywhere that sells second hand kit...boots, helmets etc...or am i best just surfing the dreaded flea bay?

i wash mine off with the pressure washer let them

dry then a good coat of wd40.

i've recently put waterproofing wax on mine,

with my fingers good break from revision for 10 mins.. which took two days haha

but anyway, my old man who had bikes years ago told me that water can make the leather go hard.....

...so how the heck do i wash and protect them !!...so yeah basically the same Q as before but with the water bit added now !

I would go easy on the WD40 as it has kerosene in it which will rot or soften the leather and stitching prematurely.

I go for super cheap supermarket own brand neutral shoe polish, lash it on.

I get 2 or 3 years (riding once a week) out of a pair of boots ..Gaernes

Best thing is to ride your bike, get the boots covered in dirty scuumy ***** and leave them until next week. The next time you ride you will be covered in crap within ten seconds of starting and it makes no difference at all.

Works best on brown boots then you cant tell the difference between new and **** mashed old ones.

I find the same technique works well on bikes, clothes, helmets etc.

Edited May 25, 200620 yr by Lennie

All i do with mine is pressure wash them when i do the bikes and every 4th ride coat them in Mink oil, leave overnight and wipe off the excess, protects all the stitching and makes them waterproof as well..........Mink oil is made by a company called Oregon, cant remember where i got it from now but i bought loads at the time and i've got loads left.............good for bike leathers as well

I`m currently just washing boots the same time and way I do the bike (hose pipe and bucket of soapy water with brush and sponge) and then stuff with newspaper (the boots not the bike!) and leave too dry out for a few days then applying a thin layer of Daytona leather polish (acquired from BVM)

This is giving me excellent results water just runs off then in a bead fashion! shame the mud don`t do the same!!!

I had a pair of used boots that last 7 years on the uppers replace the soles once. I now have new boots and care for them the same way.

1. While still new and clean coat with Kiwi Wet Proof (grease type product) per instructions go heavy on all seams (this will seal it up nice). This will darken up the color of the boots some. You can get this or similar products at horse riding or hiking shops.

2. After each ride brush off mud and dirt.

3. Every 3 or 4 months (depending on how much riding you do)hose down the boots, scrub with horse hair type brush, and clean with Kiwi Saddle Soap. Let dry then pop in a trials video , pour yourself a pint and apply a new coat of Wet Proof.

This will keep the leather soft and pliable, keep your feet dry, and make the boots last for years. By the time you need another pair trials bikes will all be electric powered.

all this talk of hosepipes and pressure washers is making us southerners jealous.We have to make do with a wipe down with a damp sponge.

Must go, sheds floating away.

Save water drink more beer

after you've worn your boots a few times you'll see where the boots are going to wear through first.

i bought some shoe goofrom ebay and neately put it over the parts on my boots that are going to wear, its a liquid rubber. I used to use it in my bmxing and skateboarding days. You can get it in clear or black. Apply a few layers over a couple of weeks as it takes 72 hours to dry completely, once its nearly worn through this reapply and you never get holes in your boots.

SHOE GOO !!

haha i bought that from sumo in sheffield in my skating days... did you read the back ?

it said... (5 years ago now)... banned in california because believed to cause impotence.. or a make you sterile !! haha

i still used it !!!

Excellent stuff,..thought about it to repair the boot actually ! great minds think alike !

Does anyone know of anywhere that sells second hand kit...boots, helmets etc...or am i best just surfing the dreaded flea bay?

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There's a guy called Alan Wright who sells new kit very cheap. Some of it is a few years old, god knows where he gets it, but its ok for most needs. Sorry, don't have a contact number. Sure someone will though.