Lowa boots waterproofing

Bought into the hunting show propaganda and bought a pair of Lowas. Very impressed with the comfort of them but i still seem to get wet feet on a rainy days hunting. Can't decide if the water is working it's way in or working it's way through the gaiters and wicking down my socks.
The leather doesn't seem to repel the water even after spraying on the fancy expensive lowa waterproofing spray.
Does everyone else use the recommend manufacturers spray?
I've used hubbards shoe grease on my bestards for years and that seemed pretty good, but lowa seem adamant that this is not recommend.
What's everyone else using? Would hate to wreck the new boots at the eye watering price if them.

I used hubberds and some other waterproofing on my lowas but it made the glue on the rand come undone and the rand fell off over a number of years. This exposes the stiching and the stichingwsars through.

What model lowa

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Camino gtx. Didn't need the full on tibets for the central north island

I've always just used the Active cream with no issues.
I would say the water runs down your legs

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A few points to note.

One is that the waterproofing of your Camino GTX and other similar boots works differently to the traditional leather + wax system. It's a membrane between the outer and liner, so it should keep the water out* even when the boot leather wets out completely. The spray is just a DWR (durable water repellency) designed to slow this down but not prevent it completely.

Secondly, the membrane is designed to be breathable (allowing moisture vapour to escape). This relies on the outer being porous, hence the nubuck finish. Applying a wax to this clogs the pores and kills the breathability.

Thirdly, Lowa advises against using natural products like beeswax, as they can dissolve the adhesives used on modern boots with rands etc. (as @stug found out). As well as waterproofing, traditional wax products keep the leather moist and supple, so that's what the Active Cream is for.

Fourthly, the GoreTex membrane is not bulletproof and will develop cracks over time, so there may come a point where your boots still have some physical life left in them but have lost some waterproofing properties. For this reason some people prefer a traditional approach without a membrane. I'd still be cautious about beeswax-based products though for the reason outlined above.

* There's a great big hole in the top of your boot that you can't do much about if you still want to be able to wear them though. Well-fitting gaiters can slow down water ingress. I can run through a shallow stream in my Lowas and stay totally dry if I don't give the water time to work its way between the gaiters and my legs & boots, but again it's only a matter of time before it gets in and wicks down your socks.

Hope that helps.

I'm just constantly disappointed by boots to be honest.

I'm yet to be convinced there is such thing as a waterproof boot. I'm also left wondering why I'd bother. It's one stream crossing away from being wet anyway.

I'm also yet to be convinced that any of the leather conditioning or waterproofing products will last more than a day in wet grass let alone a stream crossing or two. I've religiously applied numerous products and by the end of a day there's no sign of it being applied. I still get splitting and cracking evident in the flex zones.

I simply don't think there is any boot or product that is made to cope with the way we use boots in NZ which means they are frequently, if not constantly wet.

I'm going to try faster drying, lighter, and partially synthetic boots next time I buy as I've spent a lot of money on boots over the years and to be honest, all leather boots have the same issues no matter the price. They don't like being wet and then dried, and then wet, etc. etc. Doesn't matter if you treat them in between. I've also decided I've got better things to do as my boots are used several times a week and most weekends, and they appear to constantly need cleaning and treating.

I got crispi nevadas recently and finally have dry feet. I tried sealing the tongue of my lowas with silicone but still couldn’t stop water getting in.I think you just have to go heavy full leather for waterproofing and accept that if they do get wet they won’t dry out. Synthetic and gortex just won’t cut it in my experience, once it’s overwhelmed by water it’s all over.

A few of us just use low cut or trail shoes now for short trips or to supplement boots during river travel.

I liken it to finding gloves that are waterproof, warm, dexterous, wind proof and light. That combo just won’t ever exist.

Well...there you go. I thought that once I had the big dollar boots that my days of wet feet were over! But no.. still getting wet feet. Maybe I need to upgrade my gaiters to something a bit more water resistant

Find a pair of neoprene gaiters (or wetsuit off cut). Used them for ages with my meind island pros and as long as your socks don't protrude like a wick above the gaiters, and the gaiters seal around your calf and onto the boot, you have dry feet in river crossings all day long.

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Originally Posted by Kimber 7mm-08

Find a pair of neoprene gaiters (or wetsuit off cut). Used them for ages with my meind island pros and as long as your socks don't protrude like a wick above the gaiters, and the gaiters seal around your calf and onto the boot, you have dry feet in river crossings all day long.

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They do work well for that, but the flipside is they hold a lot more sweat in the boot in my experience.

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Originally Posted by Ned

They do work well for that, but the flipside is they hold a lot more sweat in the boot in my experience.

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Yes, that's true. I should have added that bit. A decent sock choice will help. Generally only wear the neoprene gaiters when I'm expecting frequent river crossings. Most times normal gaiters provide enough barrier for my meindl boots.

After 45 + years of hunting and working in boots all day I can confidently say waterproof boots are as rare as rocking horse shit. As stated in another thread, just suck it up and deal with it. Boots walk dry after a while if they can breathe.

I think Lowa's warranty is voided if you used any product on them other than a Lowa approved one.

Fancy boot lotion it is then....

Gregor Chemie is the best I've found.

@cambo is that a waterproofing agent or a leather creme?

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Originally Posted by stug

I used hubberds and some other waterproofing on my lowas but it made the glue on the rand come undone and the rand fell off over a number of years. This exposes the stiching and the stichingwsars through.

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Also had issues with this on couple of pairs of boots.
Found key to this is doing the edge of the rand with some windscreen sealant - does nothing for the appearance and needs to be reapplied every couple of years, but I got greatly improved life out of the last pair by doing this.

I use dexshell waterproof socks, boots can get as wet as they like but feet stay nice and dry

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Originally Posted by Blackfern

Camino gtx. Didn't need the full on tibets for the central north island

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I had same problem with the same model boots, got soaked 3 times, summer boots only now, think the liner has probably perished by the amount of water it was letting in, supplier didn't want to know,
Will never have another pair.

I’ve had tibets for over a year now, hunt public land in them almost every weekend. I recently did 85-90 km in them over a 2 week period during the roar. I’m the last 4 months or so I’m getting water leaking into the bottom of the tongue under the lace grommets. Every couple trips I wash the boots with a soft brush and water, let them sit for 20 mins so there not dripping water, then spray lowa snow seal or water repel all over them a couple times with5 mins between applications, then let them sit to wick off until damp but not soaked, then rub in lowa cream liberally. That’s the instructions that lowa supply for continued water resistance. The boots have been water proof for most of their life. I use a Kuiu water proof gator and most of my hunting is done a creek bed to access tops that requires cris-crossing a dozen times or so in water that is mid calf on average, usually 99% dry by the time I leave the creek. Wet grass or tussock though, unless your boots have a fresh application of waterproofing the water seems to just push in

This subject was covered a few weeks back under the following title : Thread: Waterproofing boots? Waterbased or Silicone?
If I new how to link it I would

https://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co....ilicone-90648/

Can do what you like to waterproof your boots but on a day like today wet boots/feet the least of your worries. Doing a circuit looking for goats, bush shooting, in steady light rain. At the moment crouched under some pungas sheltering. Don’t know if boots are letting water in or it’s just running down legs into boots but feet are wet. Just live with it. Goats are busy feeding so the forecast heavy rain is probably not far away. As an aside, it’s amazing to get better cell coverage on the hill in sounds better than in town, go figure.

I guess its the difference between expectation and reality. Have spent a bunch of fun tickets I imagined that soggy feet where going to a distant memory. Didn't take long to come back down to earth. If you believe the hunting shows the Lowas are magically dry all day every day. 😁

My Lowa rangers are alot better then I expected with keeping my feet nice and dry. Even quickly crossing deep creeks I still have dry boots, Gaiters help lots too.

Wet grass or tussock though, unless your boots have a fresh application of waterproofing the water seems to just push in.
This is exactly the problem with mine,
Fixed it with meindels, Island pro, bloody expense but so far feet have been dry.

Warranty on boots is a bit of a joke. I use Nikwax nubuck spray on the lowa boots I have. Be the last pair I own of that style boot. Back to traditional leather for me.

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Originally Posted by Blackfern

I guess its the difference between expectation and reality. Have spent a bunch of fun tickets I imagined that soggy feet where going to a distant memory. Didn't take long to come back down to earth. If you believe the hunting shows the Lowas are magically dry all day every day. ��

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Dress your boots with approved cream until the membrane dies then dress with the castor oil and zinc cream. Throw the gators away and get some horse bandages, then you will have dry feet. Old timers used horse bandages then a few wraps of oilskin over the top - look at some old photos
I have Tibets but got the leather lined non gortex ones

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Originally Posted by stug

@cambo is that a waterproofing agent or a leather creme?

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https://bootsandgear.com/index.php?r...facturer_id=13

GREGOR CHEMIE easy application wax cream with impregnator is the all round leather care system. Does it all in one easy application. Conditions leather and creates a water repellent surface.
Made in Germany.
Produced in accordance to the terms of delivery of the German Armed Forces, so meets the highest quality standards.
Ingredients

Four formulated conditioners for supple leather.

Leather preservative to prevent leather rot.

Natural and synthetic waxes for repelling water and also polishing.

Gregor Chemie bonding agent increasing water repellent ingredients strength.

Low solvent, low oil content for modern footwear.

Waxes and Silicon coat and bond to leather surface fibres to increase tension for water repellent leather.

Gregor Chemie wax cream is suitable for use with waterproof breathable membrane equipped leather footwear. Gore-tex etc..
Gregor Chemie wax cream has a lower oil content for supportive and breathable leather and low solvent content for less dissolving adhesives and hardening leather fibre over repeditive applications.

Gregor Chemie is convenient to use. It goes on easily.

Gregor Chemie went insolvent.
If you like their products better buy now
as long as stocks last.