When it comes to waterproofing, each type of shoe has its own requirements, which vary depending on the material they are made from. Let's lift the lid on the best practices to adopt for waterproofing your hiking shoes.
Dry feet are the foundation of comfort — they limit the proliferation of bacteria and reduce the risk of blisters... And the bonus is that you stay warm when your feet are dry! Ensuring your hiking shoes are waterproof is therefore essential. Whether you're on a multi-day trek in high mountains or a few-hour walk on flat terrain, you're never fully sheltered from a downpour or a stream to cross. While most hiking shoes come pre-treated with a durable water-repellent system — whatever the material — it is still good practice to re-waterproof them regularly, ideally after a thorough clean. Let's explore the right habits to adopt to keep your hiking shoes waterproof.
If there is one and only one rule to follow when it comes to waterproofing hiking shoes, it is to ensure that the product you are about to use is suited to the main material the shoes are made from. The treatment to choose will indeed differ depending on whether the shoes are made from leather, nubuck, or synthetic fabric. Here is a list of the right steps to take and recommended treatments according to the material.
Before waterproofing your shoes, make sure they are perfectly clean.
For leather shoes
To waterproof your leather shoes, you will need a cream or wax specifically designed for this purpose and suited to smooth leather, along with a piece of cloth or a small soft brush. Leather is a living material, which is why it needs to be nourished to prevent cracking and to maintain its suppleness. By doing so, you reactivate the leather's natural water-repellency without compromising its breathability.
Using the cloth, apply the treatment evenly across the entire surface of the shoe, including the tongue. You can gently rub the fabric onto the shoe to ensure the product penetrates deep into the leather. If you find the product is not penetrating properly, you can use a brief blast from a hairdryer to aid absorption. Warning! If your shoes have a Gore-Tex® membrane, avoid this step entirely.
Finally, leave to air dry at room temperature, away from any direct heat source.
Bear in mind that your shoes need to maintain a certain rigidity to provide adequate foot support — and therefore your safety. This is why it is inadvisable, on the one hand, to carry out this process too frequently (once to a maximum of four times per year is sufficient), and on the other hand, to use grease or shoe polish, which over-soften the leather and tend to reduce the waterproofness and breathability of the shoes.
For nubuck shoes
Nubuck is a leather finish that has undergone a special treatment giving it a velvety feel, much like peach skin. Nubuck shoes therefore require particular care to reactivate their water-repellency. The specificity of the product to use lies mainly in the application technique. There are waxes with the same active ingredients as those used for smooth leather, but in liquid form, applied using gas-free sprays for easier distribution — preserving the unique look of nubuck leather.
In detail, what is the step-by-step process for waterproofing your nubuck shoes?
- Give your shoes a thorough clean
- Apply the spray approximately 5 cm from the shoe and in an even, uniform layer
- Leave to dry in a dry place at room temperature, away from any direct heat source
- If you wish, a light brush on a dry, treated shoe will revive the peach-skin effect
For shoes made from synthetic fabric
Unlike leather, which is naturally water-repellent, synthetic fabric shoes are not. It is therefore essential to regularly check their water-repellent capacity to avoid unpleasant surprises. Once again, it is vital to keep your shoes consistently clean, as they deteriorate and age much faster when not properly maintained. Dust, mud, and small debris damage the fabric through abrasion. To reactivate the water-repellent properties of your synthetic hiking shoes, you can use specific sprays to be applied generously and in an even layer. Finally, leave to dry at room temperature in a dry, breathable space.
