Are my walking boots dead?

[stephec]

For the last twenty years a pair of Brasher's have sat in the shed unused, until last weekend when I dragged them out for dog walking duties.

After cleaning them I can see cracks in the leather where they bend at the bottom of the laces, and after a test drive in heavy rain they're leaking a bit there.

Is there anything I can do to repair them or do I need to get some replacements?

 

[oldwheels]

For the last twenty years a pair of Brasher's have sat in the shed unused, until last weekend when I dragged them out for dog walking duties.

After cleaning them I can see cracks in the leather where they bend at the bottom of the laces, and after a test drive in heavy rain they're leaking a bit there.

Is there anything I can do to repair them or do I need to get some replacements?

A coating of dubbin if such a thing still exists should keep the water out.

 

[PeteXXX]

A coating of dubbin if such a thing still exists should keep the water out.

Dubbin still exists.. I have some Cherry Blossom (name, not colour!) for my Brasher boots.

 

[classic33]

I'd say wax rather than dubbin, as I doubt you put dubbin on them before.

 

[biggs682]

Wrap them in clingfoil

 

[Once a Wheeler]

Give them a good going over with G-WAX (it can help to warm it until it's not quite liquid) and they will serve you as gardening and general purpose boots for years to come. I would definitely advise against serious outdoor walking in cracked boots — not only are wet feet misery making, they lead to skin chafing and all sorts of foot problems that turn the wonder of the wild into the terror of the trenches. If you are not a gardener or similar, give them a good waxing and pass them on to the charity shop: someone will be very grateful.

 

[oldwheels]

I'd say wax rather than dubbin, as I doubt you put dubbin on them before.

You may be right as dubbin would soften the leather and perhaps make the problem worse.
I used dubbin on my tackety boots in the days when I started hillwalking.

 

[Bonefish Blues]

Mink oil. Great stuff.

 

[swee'pea99]

You may be right as dubbin would soften the leather and perhaps make the problem worse.
I used dubbin on my tackety boots in the days when I started hillwalking.

Personally I'd go with the dubbin. My boots are getting on 40 years old, and there's some cracking in places, but I give them a good dubbining every winter and they keep out the elements. (Wax gives you a nice shiny finish, but it's pretty worthless as far as weatherproofing goes.) One other thing you may find after all that time is the soles breaking away from the uppers. Shoe goo is your friend!

 

[Time Waster]

Personally I'd go with the dustbin.

Dubbing used to be the recommendation but gear experts I've read on the maintenance of boots stopp recommending it decades ago. Something about helping to rot the stitches. There are other products but tbh a crack is just that, a weak point that allows water to get deeper into the leather and wet feet is a real risk when walking in wet weather.

Iirc brasher made boots with and ones without membranes. Which type is yours? If membrane and the cracks aren't right through there's a chance the membrane is intact. If so treat the boot with polish then a non dubbin waterproofing product. Use until your foot starts getting wet in rain then cut your losses and replace. Or just play safe and replace. Shop around and you can get decent boots cheap enough. I got a £125 pair of salomon boots for £74 by pricematching at a go outdoors store with an assistant manager who couldn't do the price match plus 10% off. I ended up with nearly 20% off after price match. Good enough boots for my dogwalking.

 

[Spiderweb]

I’d try Graingers G Wax.
https://www.wowcamping.co.uk/produc...Y-CnjMbKI_wRGvkGRIsfYidiRtrcDne0aAs5XEALw_wcB
And Graingers Waterproofing Wax.
https://grangers.co.uk/products/waterproofing-wax

 

[rockyroller]

mail them to Brasher & see what comes back! send a note about how much you love the shoes

 

[steveindenmark]

If you really want to keep dry. Change them.

 

[CanucksTraveller]

I'd say keep them for gardening duties only.
I love GWax, it's super for feeding the leather and for weatherproofing my Meindl boots (and it gets them looking their best after a deep clean), but no wax can fix an open crack in the leather.
It's akin to putting moisturiser on a wound, you're past the maintaining stage and too much damage has been done.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

mail them to Brasher & see what comes back! send a note about how much you love the shoes

A shoe deodoriser ?