Thanks for the recommendations guys. I love the look of the Meindl Borneos - exactly the style I'm looking for, complete with the rubber rand around the edge.
I have the Meindl Borneos. I find them very comfortable but you may hate them.
Why would I hate them? I notice they have that traditional "low to the ground" midsole - how does the cushioning hold up?
The price is quite steep, I'm holding out for something more in the £100-£150 range which matches my criteria, since I'm not really a serious walker (my sport is running, but I like to get out on walks on off-days/weekends).
As far as waxing goes, I won't touch anything that is not SMOOTH LEATHER with wax, i.e. suede, nubuck or even "full grain" leather. It wrecks the texture and cosmetic, and I'm also skeptical about the effects on its durability/performance.
The alternative is to
use a spray for conditioning and treating non-smooth leather. There are very few, in fact perhaps only one, designed for this: Saphir Medaille D'Or Suede and Nubuck Renovateur Spray. This contains oils and waxes that condition the leather, add water-repellency, and will not alter texture. You can then follow up with Saphir's own DWR spray (Saphir Invulner) or a performance DWR spray. I use the latter for performance boots: Fibertec Shoe Guard Pro-X.
You can use this system for both gore-tex and non-goretex, non-smooth, leather boots.
Hope this helps