Do you polish your boots?
Since I basically wear boots for work, I polish them once a week.
But… probably… most people are at the level of
“Huh? When did I last polish them?” aren’t they?
Just giving them a quick bit of care when it’s hot makes a huge difference.
People actually look at your feet quite a bit in this world…
Just like with bikes, I want to keep them looking respectable…
Please don’t ask me why they’re U-tip…
Since I have a lot of leather boots, I organize them like this in a case.
I keep the brush and cream stored together in the case.
What I’ve settled on is M. MOWBRAY
It’s easy to get, the brush is quite durable, and the cream doesn’t get sticky even with careless wiping. That’s what I like about it.
M. Mowbray Prestige is a safe bet
I basically haven’t used anything else for years now.
There’s no point searching for something better, and I’m satisfied with what I have without any excess or shortage.
The brush is a matter of preference. I like mine a bit stiff (*’▽’)
A stiffer brush is a bit quicker, you might say…
Since I don’t clean that delicately, being able to go at it with a swish-swash is nice.
A soft one gets all floppy and you end up going back and forth so many times it gets frustrating.
Technically you’re not supposed to do it every day…
I swap out different boots each week, so Monday is boot-polishing day.
But I do it quickly, in about 10-15 minutes.
If I get too meticulous about it, I get tired. I think consistency is what matters.
First I brush them to scrape out all the dirt from the boots.
I apply cream and let it sit for 1-2 minutes.
It soaks in nicely like this. I polish it when it feels just a bit dry.
A light shine is all I need (*’▽’) *subjective
Daily boots aren’t treated as dressy items, so I do it quickly.
I think beauty comes from daily care, and the aging that comes from use is one of a kind.
There’s grain leather, but it’s softer than sneakers.
I think that’s what “breaking in leather” is all about.
The shift area doesn’t really wear out?
If the shift rubber is solid and you can shift straight up without any weird contact,
it won’t wear down as much.
And I think keeping your boots moisturized is important too.
I ultimately settled on grain leather.
It depends on your environment and preferences, so basically it’s all different.
Heavy, stiff, hard to wear, painful—I think those are fundamental issues…
Expensive doesn’t always mean better, and cheap and good is basically hard to find.
