Footwear Maintenance: Why YOU should do it

Why should you maintain your footwear? Simple. So you don't lose appendages.

Dear Reader: What follows is a fictitious rendering of events that could have possibly happened at some point in time. Don't let these fictitious events happen to you. Waterproof with one of our Nikwax products available online here. 

In the beginning of his life Dan wanted to be an alpine skier or a cross-country musher. He bought a pair of White's Firefighter Smoke Jumper Boots online from North 40 Outfitters in case he needed to jump into an arctic firestorm. (You can buy the same boots here.) But Dan didn't follow his dreams, and instead he settled for a job in the Bay Area where he paid 3,000 dollars a month for a one bedroom apartment above a noodle shop. Dan wore his White's Boots for 12 years, and when he finally saved enough money to travel to the Northwestern US, the waterproofing on his boots was gone.* 

Dan was back in the Bob Marshall wilderness with his hardcore, tech tent (also from North 40) in the depth of winter, but he didn't restore the waterproofing on his White's before he set out to follow his alpine dreams. His feet got wet, and he got frostbite. Dan should have waterproofed with Nikwax.

*When you wear leather for long periods of time, the mud and grime and normal wear and tear on this leather will break it down and your shoes will begin to retain water. This water retention happens with the best leathers and the only way to combat it is to maintain your footwear with any of our footwear maintenance products available online here. Proper maintenance of footwear is essential if you are an arctic fire jumper, or just a "wear-the-same-shoes-everyday" kind of person living in the Northwest.

Why Footwear Maintenance Matters and Steps you can Take

If you plan any outdoor activities in the Northwest during the winter- or in any period, you need to make sure your footwear is up to the challenge. Don't be like Dan; make smart choices, and keep your footwear weather ready by following a few simple rules.

Step 1: Clean your Footwear with a Soap Based Cleaner

If you use detergent based cleaners on your boots, they will actually become hydrophilic, meaning they will want to hold on to water. (#AskNorth40 got a question about when to wear sock liners, and we discuss hydrophilic versus hydrophobic here.) The solution to this is to use a technical cleaner which will maintain the original hydrophobic integrity of the base material. You need to make sure your boots are clean before you begin to waterproof even new boots you just got from the store can have residual oils from being handled so much- and as we learned from Dan, it's better to be safe than sorry.

The intro in the following video discusses various cleaning methods for your shoes.

Step 2: Choosing your Waterproofing

Some technical boots like these hiking boots we have online are built with fabric portions (linings) and leather portions. When you are going to waterproof these types of footwear, you need to opt for Nikwax's Fabric & Leather proof. This is a spray on waterproofing layer that will absorb into fabric and leather equally, without the added residue that comes with the full grain leather wax. The wax product (the one above) is specifically for leather products and acts immediately to waterproof your boots- so it's perfect for a true deep clean and restore, or even those last minute, "Oops, my boots are still toasted from last year and I am heading out the door right now!" kind of moments. This leather wax water-proofer is a handy product to have around for everyone form the Ariat working cowboy to the back country hiker. Buy some, throw it in your pack and keep your feet dry.

So why Should you maintain your Footwear?

And remember, there is a large selection of water-proofing options available online... you can even shop our clearance apparel selections and then water-proof with a wash-in option... or restore your down jackets (Men's & Women's) with a product from the same company. In the Northwest, it's all about maintenance.