I've had three pairs of leather boots, on my fourth pair right now. My question is, what's wrong with dubbin and ordinary shoe polish? I've got loads of the stuff, including bees wax and Neat's foot oil as well. That's what I've always used and I can't honestly say that I've had, or noticed a problem because of them. My leather boots have always worked and have stayed waterproof. What, if anything, are these specialised products going to do for my latest footwear?
I am sure that we all get bombarded with all types of 'special' products for leather boots, washing waterproof jackets, personal hygeine and much more besides and of course, I presume, purchased at a higher cost? My brain and life experience tells me that this may be nothing more than good marketing? I have no issues about that, but where's the evidence that these items are better in any way to any other items, traditional and possibly cheaper as well? Are the claims provable, or is it, that once we get it into our heads that we 'convinced' about the magic of a particular product, we just want to believe it anyway?
It seems to me it could be similar to deciding on my favourite underarm deodorant, perfume, bath foam, shampoo, toothpaste and so on? The marketing people bombard me with, choose our brand to be more sexy, smell better, be more butch or gleam when you smile, but in reality, for me, most are of no to me at all! I can only use aluminium free stuff, all of these other FANTASTIC and heavily advertised products just make me itch and scratch like crazy! So for me, they are useless!
Maybe these specialised hiking products are nothing more than style over substance and just an easy way for us to part with even more money?