Sandler Boots

So I just got some Sandler boots and was wondering what type of water proofing spray people would recommend, it says silicon waterproofing but any brand suggestions would be great.

I have three different pair of Sandlar boots as well as various other work boots
Silicone spray is good with no real difference between brands

Gowever a product called Lexol was recommended by a cobbler in town . It is a creamy glycerin based liquid that one sprays from a squirt bottle then spread over the entire surface of the leather

I find Lexol to last longer and also makes/keeps the leather soft and supple
SO my vote is for lexol

It can be found in Farm supply stores like Tractor Supply or Big R . Places that sell horse products also have it Also many boot stores sell it

Don't use spray, there's a better solution. It's a bit more work, but the results pay off.

Hit any drug or grocery store, and in the shoe care section, grab a tin of Saddle Soap, and a tin of Mink Oil. Also get a pack of cheap rags, like wash cloths or dish towels, to clean them with. A stiff brush is optional, but works well too.

Use the soap and some water to scrub the boots, and let them dry. Use a clean, soft cloth and apply the oil. Do this once every few months, or more frequently if they get wet or dirty. Do NOT let the leather dry out completely.

I was told this past weekend by the kind man at the Sandlar booth that some wax, rubbed in at the stitched seams, also helps keep water out.

I usually bring my boot cleaning kit to KR, if anyone needs to hit their boots before putting them on on Friday.

Mink oil is the way to go. Every professional boot maker I have talked to has recommended mink oil - it is natural and keeps your leather supple and waterproofed. I have had a pair of Turtle Island (same type as Catskill Mountain) boots for a decade and use only mink oil on them. They are nearly like-new.

By spray What I mean is a squirt bottles like Windex that squirts a thinkish spray on the leather and gets down into where the welt and sole are joined sometimes that is a deepish groove

Then as Geoff points out rub massage it into the leather

I too have used Mink oil for years in the past both work very well Can't say really why I changed to Lexol But I did

As someone who's worked leather in the past, I adore Mink Oil and Saddle Soap both for proofing and for care. I avoid shoe polishes and sprays of any kind (except Kiwi for my Magnums (A brand of combat/duty boots)). The best bet (IMHO) is always Mink Oil and Saddle Soap combined with a good tight stitching and well-joined seams. Not to mention, with the right set up, it looks very in period to do boot care with these for most reenacting and RP purposes.

It wasn't mentioned, but in terms of shining leathers, and this is just a peeve of mine, the "lighter trick"/spit shining, is bad for leather and will lead to cracking and drying as the heat "shines" the leather by drawing the oils OUT of the material, which, naturally, is the opposite direction of what's wanted.