leather conditioner

I've been creating detailed, lovingly crafted reviews of leather conditioners for years — even though those videos got way fewer views on my YouTube channel — and if you're reading this article, then you're in luck. You don't have to read a million reviews of individual products because I'm giving you my favorite picks for different use cases. Some guys will only use the one conditioner designed for the exact leather they own, but I don't think that much obsessiveness is necessary. These are the best boot conditioners for just about anyone. Our Top Leather Conditioner Picks The Best Conditioner Overall: Cobbler's Choice Best for Better Looking Leather: Venetian Shoe Cream Best High-End: Saphir Renovateur Best Conditioner for Waterproofing: Huberd's Shoe Grease Best Conditioner for Preserving Color: Bickmore Bick 4 https://youtu.be/A5lxicuEJrA Here's a video version of this article if you'd like to watch instead of read! Why Should You Listen to Me, Though? I tested dozens of boot conditioners before landing on my top five. I've tried innovative new products, niche favorites, and learned which were great for boots and which were better suited for car seats. I've tested and owned more than a hundred pairs of boots. I go the extra mile, interviewing bootmakers, cobblers, and boot conditioning experts. From the time I made my own boot leather at a Mexican tannery. When I wanted to know more about Venetian Shoe Cream, I reached out to Phil Collias, the man who makes it. When I wanted to learn about mink oil, I spoke to Mike Larson, Red Wing Heritage's Director of Product Design & Development. I've visited tanneries all over the world to learn everything I can about each stage of leather production, interviewed tanners and jacketmakers about the best leathers for different use cases, and all this eventually led me to starting my own leather goods company on the side. So I guess I'm a leather journalist, documentarian, and brand owner. I think I've done enough work here to have a say in which leather conditioners are best. https://youtu.be/NRlONyykogA I condition my $800 Viberg Boots with Cobbler's Choice Best All-Round Boot Conditioner: Cobbler's Choice Leather Conditioner Good balance of moisturizing, concealing damage, increasing waterproofness, and improving aesthetics (most conditioners just emphasize one or two of these effects) No controversial ingredients like silicone, petroleum, or alcohol Easily the most transparent leather care, since most don't disclose their ingredients at all Doesn't darken leather as much as most conditioners In my review of Cobbler's Choice, I used it on 800-dollar Viberg boots — boots you really don't want to mess up — and couldn't have been happier with the results. To summarize: most leather boot conditioners are good at one thing, like waterproofing or retaining color. (You can't go all in on one without sacrificing the other.) But Cobbler's Choice had the widest range of benefits: the leather was better looking, more supple and comfortable, more water resistant, and it had fewer scuffs after I'd used it. I didn't get great photos, but I did make that video! Cobbler's Choice is also the only leather conditioner I've found that actually discloses its ingredients. It's made from triple-filtered beeswax for water resistance, a blend of seed oils to soften and nourish the leather, and some naturally occurring lipids that catalyze the seed oils and help them penetrate the leather. So it's transparent, effective, and all-natural. Experts really can't agree on whether or not it's okay for a conditioner to have silicone or petroleum in it, but since none of those are in this product, you don't have to worry about the debate! It's really useful for helping you break in tough boots, because it softens the leather. So, I’d probably recommend these on any pair of Red Wing Heritage boots, which are notoriously tough to break in. Why Cobbler's Choice? Good balance of all the benefits of using a leather conditioner Moisturizes leather, making it more supple, comfortable, and easy to break in Increases water resistance Doesn't change color much; it gives the color depth, you'll just have to wear them for a week until they lighten up All natural ingredients More transparent than any other brand Inexpensive People always ask how I got my Thursday Captain boots to look so good, and the answer is that I'd just hit them with Venetian Shoe Cream before this photo. Best Conditioner for Better Looking Leather: Venetian Shoe Cream Well regarded by enthusiasts, considered the default choice Great choice for aesthetics: it adds dynamism and depth to a leather's appearance Blend of waxes designed to soften, moisturize, and add a slight shine Also softens leather, so some guys find it helps reduce break in Makes a great base for guys who want to polish their boots Venetian Shoe Cream is the de facto leather conditioner for many boot lovers because it makes your boots look good. Well, there's more to it than that: it's also well-priced and does a great job of moisturizing and softening almost any type of leather. So it makes your boots last longer, feel more comfortable, and look great. And those are the three main reasons you want boots, right? So that they get old, comfy, and cool. https://www.youtube.com/watch?vV83YKXHUvFU Nick demonstrates how to use Venetian Shoe cream on his boots The ingredients are secret, but the company's owner told me it's made from a blend of six or seven waxes, each with their own purpose. (For example, one's for moisturizing, one's for shine, one's for preserving, and so on.) It contains no silicone, which many prefer to leave out of their conditioners because it increases waterproofness by creating a tough coating that's very hard to remove. (Obviously, that's what some guys want from their boots — others prefer their leather to breathe well and look great.) I use it so much I got this giant tub of the stuff. Venetian Shoe Cream: The Pros and Cons Ideal for guys who like old leather that looks cool Great at moisturizing and softening leather Adds a medium amount of shine, which many use as a base for polish Well priced Not the best for waterproofing, though Contains petroleum distillates, which some don't love Best High-End: Saphir Renovateur Saphir is the favorite for guys who don't care about the price of their shoes or their conditioner. It's not at the top of the list because it is phenomenally expensive, more than three times the cost of Venetian Shoe Cream. Nonetheless, this French brand really knows their stuff. Saphir is the place to go if you're happy to pay for a conditioner designed for the exact leather you have, selling pecific products for reptile leather, napa leather, sneakers, nubuck, and more. https://www.youtube.com/watch?vtbhahfZ15Dw It stands out on this list as the only product with mink oil, which is more shelf-stable than other animal fats, and it's blended with a variety of waxes for conditioning, shining, and producing a great patina as the boots age. Of all the conditioners on this list, this one's probably the best at bringing some shine back to your boots or dress shoes. It's not going to shine like shoe polish, but the leather certainly looks more smart and professional once you're done. Saphir Renovateur: The Pros and Cons Stellar reputation among the highest end shoe enthusiasts Great for moisturizing, adding shine, and managing scuffs Really expensive Not great for waterproofing Some take issue with the mink oil RELATED Mink Oil For Boots (Expert Guide) | Pros, Cons, & Alternatives Is mink oil suitable for conditioning boots? We reached out to three experts to get the answer. Learn more → Nick's can of Huberd's Shoe Grease Best for Waterproofing: Huberd's Shoe Grease So you've just got some boots you want to be able to wear in muck, grime, and rain. You don't care about getting the most dynamic color or the perfect aesthetic, you want protection — meaning you want to keep water away from your feet and dirt away from places it can degrade the boot, like the stitching. Huberd's Shoe Grease will give you the results you want, adding a thick barrier to the leather that keeps anything from penetrating it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?vCl_gSOh62LY It is vitally important that you understand it will darken your leather boots. I tried it on some Chromexcel Captain boots, and they were never the same again: blotchy, oily, their famous depth of color ruined. But if you have some tough leather boots, like a pair of Red Wings I used in my review, and you just want them to be able to withstand the elements? Huberd's is great. It also stands out for adding that protective barrier without including solvents or artificial ingredients that are usually present in such products, like silicone. It performs its job the old fashioned way, full of beeswax and pine pitch that coats your boots in a pleasingly viscous goop. Huberd's Shoe Grease: The Pros and Cons Adds a barrier to your leather that keeps out water and muck Very effective without containing solvents or synthetics Darkens the leather and flattens the color Smells like bacon (a pro or a con) Further Reading 6 Ways to Darken Leather Boots | Mink, Coconut, Pine, and More If you want to darken your boots, check out our detailed article. Learn more → Best for Maintaining Color: Bickmore Bick 4 Bickmore Bick 4 won't darken leather. If you are very committed to the color of your leather and you don’t want one pixel of the color to change, I get it. I'm pretty protective of my ever-so-slightly-red Blacksmiths. The only conditioner on this list that's wax free, Bick 4 is made with a proprietary blend of emulsifiers and conditioners that do an astonishing job of softening the leather without darkening it at all. It's not the best product for waterproofing or fixing scuffs or penetrating really deeply into the leather — you'll probably find you need to use a few coats — but given it's the cheapest of these entries and it's the best at preserving the color, it's a great, low-risk buy. Bickmore's Bick 4: The Pros and Cons Moisturizes and softens leather without darkening it at all Inexpensive Doesn't penetrate very deeply, so it might require more frequent use Not great for waterproofing Wrapping Up Good lord, I tried a whole lot of conditioners to land on this list, and you can see every one of them on this list. I'm very confident with these picks, but if you've got a product you prefer, let me know in the comments! I'm always looking to optimize my boot habit. Further Reading 16 Best Boots For Men to Buy Tested By Experts (Spring 2024) We've spent an excessive amount of time and effort finding the best boots on the market for guys who want durable, casual leather boots. Learn more → FAQs: Best Boot Leather Conditioners