Do You Wax/Treat Your Boots?

Joined
Jul 11, 2017
Messages
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Location
Bozeman, Montana
Hey guys - Wyatt here from Kenetrek.

Just wanted to share with you this informational video I shot with Randy Newberg. We talk about why boot care is so important and how to properly perform the task. We all know that a pair of $400+ hunting boots is a significant investment - it's so easy to increase the lifespan of your investment with just a couple minutes of work, a couple of times per year. Do you change the oil in your truck?? Same concept. Treat your boots right and they'll treat you right.

VIDEO LINK

I hope this helps a few of you out. I'll be putting together a written blog post that will be posted here as well, describing this technique and information with a few images to help out, but wanted to share this with everyone now.

If you have any comments or questions, don't hesitate to reach out.

Have a great day and good luck this Fall!
 

adamm88

WKR
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Pennsylvania
Whats a normal lifespan of boots of average use? I would love to jump into a pair of $400 plus boots but dont if its going to only last 3-4 seasons when i can buy a $100 pair of boots and last 2. Again just curious of whats the expected lifespan in from your end?
 
Joined
Nov 7, 2016
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I'm on my third season with my Lowas and they still look new'ish. With proper care and only wearing them hunting, I usually get 8+ seasons out of boots. May have to resole around season 5though. There is no $100 pair of boots that have the support and comfort of higher end boots or give me the confidence that I'm not going to roll an ankle when loaded heavy.
 
OP
K
Joined
Jul 11, 2017
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Bozeman, Montana
Adamm88 - I can't give a very good estimation of life span of the product without knowing the type of terrain they will be used on. There are so many variables there. If you're getting 2 seasons out of a pair of $100 boots, I would guess that you're not using them in extremely rugged terrain. So that said, if it's seasonal use (on a couple hunting trips each fall), you should get a very long life out of the boots. Again, I can't put a number on that for sure, but we have customers who are going on 8-10 years on their Kenetreks and they still look great.

You shouldn't base the difference of a $400+ vs. $100 boot 100% on durablity, however that is certainly a factor. The number of advantages that a high quality, stiff, mountain style hunting boot has over a cheap $100 boot is significant. I can go into more detail if you'd like.

-Wyatt @ Kenetrek
 

chindits

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Westslope, CO
That's amazing to me that someone can get two seasons out of 100 boots. I expect one or slightly less than one year for every 100 dollars of boot price. I would feel pretty lucky to get two years out of boots less than 200-300. That expectation comes with scouting all summer and then cat hunting after elk season. All that time would be typical high alpine to sage winter range in rocky steep country.
 

Ross

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Liberty Lake, WA
This will be mt third season on my kenetreks and still going strong. They get a lot of use from mid October through April and they always get a fresh coat of wax and cleaning when put away
 
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Vids

WKR
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Jul 3, 2012
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Littleton, CO
This will be year 6 on my Mountain Extremes, still going strong but did get wet feet for the first time in January. Put on a fresh coat of wax after that, feet stayed dry when crossing a stream this summer so hopefully that solved it.
 
Joined
Dec 29, 2016
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Reno, NV
I watched this video and appreciate the hard work that went into it. I really have only had my Mountain Extremes for 2 months and have already used the Kenetrek Boot wax twice. I hike about 2-3 times per week in rough terrain and minimal wear. I feel that I will likely wear out the soles than the boot itself. Which is fine, I can get them resoled no problem.
 

William Hanson (live2hunt)

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Wyatt, is it necessary to remove the excess wax? I've never really bothered removing it and it seems to just wear off,for the most part, after 10-20 miles.

Live2hunt custom shelters
 

Caconym

FNG
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Dec 12, 2017
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Canberra, Australia.
Adam88:

In my experience, a good quality, expensive pair of boots makes more economic sense than cheap boots. My Danner's are now five years (daily wear) old and on their second pair of soles. Cost me about $350. I used to buy a $100 cheapo pair once a year. And more importantly, the Danners are leagues more comfortable.
 

BRWNBR

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Feb 11, 2015
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My Cabela’s Alaska’s rubber Rand will begin to dry rot in a couple months. I figure two seasons before they get to leaking and cut up bad enough I get nervous. That’s about five hardcore hunts a year in the rocks, with a heavy pack and usually wet a lot.
Never had a client with kenetreks that I can recal. Probably was at least one.
 

Mosby

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Jan 1, 2015
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I clean and oil my boots after the season. Important to get dust, mud off etc. and I only use Kennetrek boot wax on my leather hunting boots. They get another fresh coat before and after scouting and hunting trips. I save my lowa and zamberlain boots for hunting out west. I use cheaper but comfortable boots for deer hunting in the Midwest and back east. Helps get a couple more seasons out of my best boots and they work fine for white tails.
 

Idahomnts

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Wyatt, is it necessary to remove the excess wax? I've never really bothered
removing it and it seems to just wear off,for the most part, after 10-20 miles.

Live2hunt custom shelters



What he said, I’m starting to get a spongey looking area between two bottom eyelets , I clean my boots every time I take them off, and oil when they begin to not repel or start soaking , wondering if that is from excessive conditioning
 
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New Orleans, La.
What he said, I’m starting to get a spongey looking area between two bottom eyelets , I clean my boots every time I take them off, and oil when they begin to not repel or start soaking , wondering if that is from excessive conditioning

What brand boots are they, and what type of oil are you using? A wax type sealer/protectant (SnoSeal) might be better than using oil.
 
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Idahomnts

Lil-Rokslider
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Jan 6, 2016
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241
Zamberlan 997 treks, and obenauf heavy duty LP , to correct prev post, it is between bottom eyelet and next one up on both sides of last or tongue , both boots, it is a constant worked area , they have remained waterproof but curious if I’m not wiping excess of causing the grain to open , I can rub my fingure against it and it seems to almost smooth over the leather and close the spongey look
 

Agross

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Jan 25, 2017
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I am very new to this type of boot. I bought a pair of meindl perfekt hunters for an upcoming elk hunt. I plan to get some of the kennetrek boot wax. Do you guys put it on when the boots are new, or do you wear them for a while and break them in before you put it on?
 

calico pig

Lil-Rokslider
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Aug 18, 2016
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Texas
Zamberlan 997 treks, and obenauf heavy duty LP , to correct prev post, it is between bottom eyelet and next one up on both sides of last or tongue , both boots, it is a constant worked area , they have remained waterproof but curious if I’m not wiping excess of causing the grain to open , I can rub my fingure against it and it seems to almost smooth over the leather and close the spongey look

The Obenhauf will reduce breathability somewhat compared to a water based spray on like grangers. It will also sometimes eat the glue that holds the rand on. So, I would personally wipe off all excess and any area near the rand.
 
OP
K
Joined
Jul 11, 2017
Messages
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Bozeman, Montana
I am very new to this type of boot. I bought a pair of meindl perfekt hunters for an upcoming elk hunt. I plan to get some of the kennetrek boot wax. Do you guys put it on when the boots are new, or do you wear them for a while and break them in before you put it on?

You can wear them for a little bit around the house to confirm correct sizing, but then I'd go ahead and wax them up. It will make the break-in process a little easier.

-Wyatt
 
OP
K
Joined
Jul 11, 2017
Messages
22
Location
Bozeman, Montana
What he said, I’m starting to get a spongey looking area between two bottom eyelets , I clean my boots every time I take them off, and oil when they begin to not repel or start soaking , wondering if that is from excessive conditioning

Generally you do want to remove excess, however as a general rule of thumb, if the wax is not soaking in that means that your boots do not need more treatment at that time.

-Wyatt
 
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