Thanks for this I found it really interesting, especially about the soil being acidic. I think generally we don’t clean our boots properly because we can’t be bothered, but also because we don’t understand how not cleaning them can make them deteriorate, so it was nice to learn the reasons why it is important. Thanks for sharing😀
Thank you for watching and commenting Bridgette. I think we are all guilty of not cleaning our boots enough, but they are expensive bits of gear so worth looking after. Thanks again for your nice comment 🙂
Great video, John ! I recommend buying a long handled (about 6 inches ) nylon bristle brush for cleaning the outsoles. Much easier to use than a fingernail brush. Also, a medium or large horsehair dauber is much more gentle on the leather uppers than any nylon bristle brush. I would only use the fingernail brush to scrub the midsoles. In my experience, saddle soap works better than Nikwax Cleaning Gel. While the shoelaces are out, it is good to hand wash them with dish washing liquid and hot water. Hang them on a hook or doorknob to dry. Best regards from America !
Thank you for watching and for your kind comment with some great tips. My wife will be pleased with the one about the long handled brush instead of the nail brush 🤣. Hope you have a great weekend.
Hello again, we made the switch to leather boots last year. Great video with, well explained and demonstrate. Thanks for sharing, keep up the good work! I will ask Kat about the fungus later! 🧐 Festive regards, Ceri and Kat 🎅👍🤗
I really like my leather boots, they appeal to the traditionalist in me. Merry Christmas to you both. I have a Christmas wild camp video going up on Friday evening, complete with Christmas lights, jumper, hat and a Christmas beer. If you watch it, I hope you enjoy it 🙂 🌲⛄
@@thecampingastronomer8554 I dont think we would go back to Goretex, much better protection and water proofness in the leather, imo. We look forward to that, brilliant! Love a good festive hat, jumper combo! ❤🎅👍
Great video again John and explanation about acid in mud...Your boots came up well with wax nice job. Took me back to Army days and dubbing our boots not only to protect but to soften and break in the hard leather. All much easier these days can wear straight out the box...look forward to your next adventure keep them coming my friend 👍👍
Thanks Norman 😊. I have a garden camp this weekend to test out a sleeping bag (assuming it drops to just above freezing) and then hopefully we'll be allowed out again. Mid December planning a camp to o ne of the two potential locations shown in this video.
Thanks for watching and commenting, its much appreciated. The cleaning process for fabric and leather is the same, but as you say, the water resistance proofing is a bit more time consuming for leather. I had fabric boots for years, but now I'm getting older I fancied going back to my roots with leather boots.
I think you will be very pleased with your Scarpa Terra boots, Sue. If your boots get very muddy (typical of this time of year), then I would run them under the tap to get the worst off, and just wipe them dry. Depending on what your local footpaths are like, this might be after every use at this time of year. In summer, this is less so. It is worth waxing about once a month, particularly in the wetter months. I often test the status of my wax by standing in a stream. If I lift my foot and the water runs off the boot, then the wax is OK. If, however, the water tends to get absorbed by the leather, then wax needs to be re-applied. In general, in winter I pay quite a lot of attention to my boots, and in summer less so. If they are not getting muddy or particularly wet in summertime, then I reckon on waxing every couple of months or so.
Hi John, I hope you're well. Interesting vid. What Scarpa boots are they and would you recommend? I'm hoping to bump in to you at shop soon. All the best. Mark.
Hi Mark, thanks for watching. These boots are the Scarpa Terra model. They are quite light and very comfortable. I also have a pair of heavier Scarpa Active boots, also leather. I use these in winter, and they can take C1 class crampons. Glad you enjoyed the video, hope to see you soon 😊
Hi John, Scarpa boots are typically OK for a narrower foot. If you have very narrow feet then Salomon boots are quite good. It's always best to try on in a shop though to see what suits your particular foot shap best, as all of the manufacturers have a slightly different take on sizing. Thank you for watching and commenting 👍
John, thanks very much for the video. I currently have a headache trying to find the best cream to condition and waterproof both myself and the wife's new Peter Storm's. Please tell me how are you finding the Scarpa cream, are you still using and how waterproof is it etc....thanks.
Thank you for watching 🙂. I do still use the Scarpa cream as I find it is easy to apply, maintains the water resistance of the boots, and brings them back to their out if the box appearance. Do you know what model of Peter Storms you have ?
@@thecampingastronomer8554 John, thank you very much for the response. Our new boots are the Caldbeck walking boots in brown. The wife made one hike as I was buying my own, which got mudded up, I cleaned them with a brush and rinsed them thoroughly then applied the granger cleaning fluid and rinsed again, as recomended by the guys in the shop and it ruined them, they went all black, patchy and wouldnt dry out. Anyway, they were good enough to replace the boots so we have two new pairs which I am very keen to condition and protect before I use them, so, getting the right stuff is key and the more I research the more confused I get. I contacted JD Sports who own the Storm brand and they were not very specific and just said use the Nikwax cream. It was the guys in Go-outdoors who recommended the HS12 stating it was a bit better. Anyway, your thoughts recommendations would be appreciated.
@@Tanko3691 Hello, a quick question for you re the Caldbeck boot. I think this might be a brushed leather finish, rather than smooth leather. Am I correct in this ?
@@thecampingastronomer8554 Hi john, yes, I guess you could call it that, It is a matt finish, but nowhere as soft textured as a Timberland. I did ask in the shop if they were nubuck and they said no.
@@Tanko3691 I think that one of your issues is that when you reproof boots it is possible that the clour of the boot typically darkens. It's best to test any new product on a small inconspicuous part of the boot before applying to the whole boot. You may be better off with a spray on reproofer rather than one which you rub in. Nikwax does a kit containing a cleaning product which you apply first, and then a spray on reproofer, suitable for fabric and leather boots. I used the cleaner part of this kit in my video, but used HS12 cream to do the reoroofing as my boots are traditional leather. This kit is commonly available in Millets, Blacks and GoOutdoors. Nikwax also does a reproofer specifically for Suede and Nubuck. I think this is a spray on product also, and might suit your boots better than a cream. As I say, boots commonly darken after reproofing, so test on a small area first to check that you are OK with the result.
I’m going to get some of these boots. My fabric goretex walking shoes have left me with wet feet most of the weekend. Great video also. Would you recommend the H12 cream over G wax or dubbin?
Hi Andy. I think on terms of tge actual treatment, there is not much in it. Theoretically the HS12 cream is matched to the grade of leather used by the boots, so in the long term it may work out better. However, I use the HS12 cream because I found it best restores the appearance of the boots to what they were like out of the box. Although HS12 cream is more expensive, it comes in a fairly big pot which lasts for ages, so I am happier using this scarpa recommended product over say the Grangers wax. I hope you enjoy your boots Andy 😊
@@thecampingastronomer8554 I’ve been out and got the boots already. I’m like you I like the boots to look good. I’ve not looked after other fabric hiking shoes because I found them harder to look after than leather. Have got an old pair of brasher ( bit heavy) leather ones. I did look after them more so. So I’ll be getting some HS12 shortly. I tend to look after leather non hiking boots with a range of creams and polishes, so the cost doesn’t matter. Besides the boots weren’t cheap ( got a bit of discount at go outdoors today).
I think Mrs Astronomer will figure it out when the sink blocks up and she knows she hasn’t done anything to cause that! Still, at least she’ll experience the joy of watching you unscrewing the u-bend trying to fix it 😁 Those boots 🥾 did look good after you’d finished though 👌
She generally doesn't watch more than the first couple of minutes luckily, although she checks my subscriptions and views daily. My 17 year old daughter is horrified that I have a channel so she doesn't watch them at all - apparently people my age should be sitting at home with their slippers on 🤣
This was very informative and just the sort of info I was looking for for my Scarpa Terra GTX Boots. Thank you Sir.
You are welcome, glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching and your nice comment 👍 😀
Thanks for this I found it really interesting, especially about the soil being acidic. I think generally we don’t clean our boots properly because we can’t be bothered, but also because we don’t understand how not cleaning them can make them deteriorate, so it was nice to learn the reasons why it is important. Thanks for sharing😀
Thank you for watching and commenting Bridgette. I think we are all guilty of not cleaning our boots enough, but they are expensive bits of gear so worth looking after. Thanks again for your nice comment 🙂
Great video, John ! I recommend buying a long handled (about 6 inches ) nylon bristle brush for cleaning the outsoles. Much easier to use than a fingernail brush. Also, a medium or large horsehair dauber is much more gentle on the leather uppers than any nylon bristle brush. I would only use the fingernail brush to scrub the midsoles. In my experience, saddle soap works better than Nikwax Cleaning Gel. While the shoelaces are out, it is good to hand wash them with dish washing liquid and hot water. Hang them on a hook or doorknob to dry. Best regards from America !
Thank you for watching and for your kind comment with some great tips. My wife will be pleased with the one about the long handled brush instead of the nail brush 🤣.
Hope you have a great weekend.
Hello again, we made the switch to leather boots last year. Great video with, well explained and demonstrate. Thanks for sharing, keep up the good work! I will ask Kat about the fungus later! 🧐 Festive regards, Ceri and Kat 🎅👍🤗
I really like my leather boots, they appeal to the traditionalist in me.
Merry Christmas to you both. I have a Christmas wild camp video going up on Friday evening, complete with Christmas lights, jumper, hat and a Christmas beer. If you watch it, I hope you enjoy it 🙂 🌲⛄
@@thecampingastronomer8554 I dont think we would go back to Goretex, much better protection and water proofness in the leather, imo. We look forward to that, brilliant! Love a good festive hat, jumper combo! ❤🎅👍
Great video again John and explanation about acid in mud...Your boots came up well with wax nice job. Took me back to Army days and dubbing our boots not only to protect but to soften and break in the hard leather. All much easier these days can wear straight out the box...look forward to your next adventure keep them coming my friend 👍👍
Thanks Norman 😊. I have a garden camp this weekend to test out a sleeping bag (assuming it drops to just above freezing) and then hopefully we'll be allowed out again. Mid December planning a camp to o ne of the two potential locations shown in this video.
The orange fungus is ‘Yellow Brain’ (Tremella mesenterica) and has healing properties.
Best wishes from rural Derbyshire. 👍🏻
Thank you for letting me know 😊.
Thanks also for watching and taking the time to comment, its much appreciated.
Best wishes to you for 2023.
That reminded me why I don't have leather boots anymore, too much of a faff 😉🤣 But great info for the leather boot owners 👍
Thanks for watching and commenting, its much appreciated. The cleaning process for fabric and leather is the same, but as you say, the water resistance proofing is a bit more time consuming for leather. I had fabric boots for years, but now I'm getting older I fancied going back to my roots with leather boots.
I am just buying my first pair of Scarpa Terra - should I wipe them down after every walk? and, how often do you need to wax them?
I think you will be very pleased with your Scarpa Terra boots, Sue.
If your boots get very muddy (typical of this time of year), then I would run them under the tap to get the worst off, and just wipe them dry. Depending on what your local footpaths are like, this might be after every use at this time of year. In summer, this is less so. It is worth waxing about once a month, particularly in the wetter months. I often test the status of my wax by standing in a stream. If I lift my foot and the water runs off the boot, then the wax is OK. If, however, the water tends to get absorbed by the leather, then wax needs to be re-applied.
In general, in winter I pay quite a lot of attention to my boots, and in summer less so. If they are not getting muddy or particularly wet in summertime, then I reckon on waxing every couple of months or so.
@@thecampingastronomer8554 thank you for your videos and for your response - much appreciated
@suepowell709 I hope you enjoy your boots. Mine were comfortable from the start and needed no breaking in.
Hi John, I hope you're well. Interesting vid. What Scarpa boots are they and would you recommend? I'm hoping to bump in to you at shop soon. All the best. Mark.
Hi Mark, thanks for watching. These boots are the Scarpa Terra model. They are quite light and very comfortable. I also have a pair of heavier Scarpa Active boots, also leather. I use these in winter, and they can take C1 class crampons.
Glad you enjoyed the video, hope to see you soon 😊
Are the scarpa terra good for narrow low volume feet?
Regards
John
Hi John, Scarpa boots are typically OK for a narrower foot. If you have very narrow feet then Salomon boots are quite good.
It's always best to try on in a shop though to see what suits your particular foot shap best, as all of the manufacturers have a slightly different take on sizing.
Thank you for watching and commenting 👍
John, thanks very much for the video. I currently have a headache trying to find the best cream to condition and waterproof both myself and the wife's new Peter Storm's. Please tell me how are you finding the Scarpa cream, are you still using and how waterproof is it etc....thanks.
Thank you for watching 🙂. I do still use the Scarpa cream as I find it is easy to apply, maintains the water resistance of the boots, and brings them back to their out if the box appearance.
Do you know what model of Peter Storms you have ?
@@thecampingastronomer8554 John, thank you very much for the response. Our new boots are the Caldbeck walking boots in brown. The wife made one hike as I was buying my own, which got mudded up, I cleaned them with a brush and rinsed them thoroughly then applied the granger cleaning fluid and rinsed again, as recomended by the guys in the shop and it ruined them, they went all black, patchy and wouldnt dry out. Anyway, they were good enough to replace the boots so we have two new pairs which I am very keen to condition and protect before I use them, so, getting the right stuff is key and the more I research the more confused I get. I contacted JD Sports who own the Storm brand and they were not very specific and just said use the Nikwax cream. It was the guys in Go-outdoors who recommended the HS12 stating it was a bit better. Anyway, your thoughts recommendations would be appreciated.
@@Tanko3691 Hello, a quick question for you re the Caldbeck boot. I think this might be a brushed leather finish, rather than smooth leather. Am I correct in this ?
@@thecampingastronomer8554 Hi john, yes, I guess you could call it that, It is a matt finish, but nowhere as soft textured as a Timberland. I did ask in the shop if they were nubuck and they said no.
@@Tanko3691 I think that one of your issues is that when you reproof boots it is possible that the clour of the boot typically darkens. It's best to test any new product on a small inconspicuous part of the boot before applying to the whole boot.
You may be better off with a spray on reproofer rather than one which you rub in.
Nikwax does a kit containing a cleaning product which you apply first, and then a spray on reproofer, suitable for fabric and leather boots. I used the cleaner part of this kit in my video, but used HS12 cream to do the reoroofing as my boots are traditional leather.
This kit is commonly available in Millets, Blacks and GoOutdoors.
Nikwax also does a reproofer specifically for Suede and Nubuck. I think this is a spray on product also, and might suit your boots better than a cream.
As I say, boots commonly darken after reproofing, so test on a small area first to check that you are OK with the result.
I’m going to get some of these boots. My fabric goretex walking shoes have left me with wet feet most of the weekend.
Great video also. Would you recommend the H12 cream over G wax or dubbin?
Hi Andy. I think on terms of tge actual treatment, there is not much in it. Theoretically the HS12 cream is matched to the grade of leather used by the boots, so in the long term it may work out better. However, I use the HS12 cream because I found it best restores the appearance of the boots to what they were like out of the box. Although HS12 cream is more expensive, it comes in a fairly big pot which lasts for ages, so I am happier using this scarpa recommended product over say the Grangers wax. I hope you enjoy your boots Andy 😊
@@thecampingastronomer8554 ok cheers
@@thecampingastronomer8554 I’ve been out and got the boots already. I’m like you I like the boots to look good. I’ve not looked after other fabric hiking shoes because I found them harder to look after than leather. Have got an old pair of brasher ( bit heavy) leather ones. I did look after them more so.
So I’ll be getting some HS12 shortly. I tend to look after leather non hiking boots with a range of creams and polishes, so the cost doesn’t matter. Besides the boots weren’t cheap ( got a bit of discount at go outdoors today).
@andyfranklin2921 enjoy your boots Andy 👍. I get my HS12 cream from Amazon as you can't usually find it in shops.
@@thecampingastronomer8554 thanks I shall . I’ve found I can get an awful lot from Amazon!
Don't tell my wife I cleaned my boots in the kitchen 🤪
I think Mrs Astronomer will figure it out when the sink blocks up and she knows she hasn’t done anything to cause that! Still, at least she’ll experience the joy of watching you unscrewing the u-bend trying to fix it 😁
Those boots 🥾 did look good after you’d finished though 👌
@@h.bsfaithfulservant4136 🤣🤣🤣 You have a good point.
I would guess that's a edible fungus check before eating
As it happens, I hate mushrooms 🤣
P.s did you wife ever watch this video? 😬🤭
She generally doesn't watch more than the first couple of minutes luckily, although she checks my subscriptions and views daily. My 17 year old daughter is horrified that I have a channel so she doesn't watch them at all - apparently people my age should be sitting at home with their slippers on 🤣