Keeping the leather on your boots soft, pliable and breathable
can be a serious challenge. Knowledge of how to care for your boots
will save you hundreds of dollars (and sore feet). Experience is
often the best teacher. Everyone knows that dry weather, heat and
caked on mud are the primary causes of premature leather breakdown.
(Mud is of course the most relevant to the geocaching community.)
You can prevent the damage yourself. You just need to take regular
care of your boots.
The key to preserving leather is the gradual restoration of
natural oils. It is not a case of “More is Better”. On
the contrary, gradual lubrication of leather fibers prevents
leather from becoming dry and brittle. Each application of leather
preservative and waterproofing products should be light. You are
better off applying product two or three times rather than making
one heavy application. Keep your boots looking like new using this
light-application technique. Make the commitment to yourself to
dress your boots three to four times a year. Taking this step will
ensure that they are ready to dress you until your next silver ammo
can.
You can check your answers for this puzzle on
Geochecker.com.