I know a couple of guys who have these boots. Both love them -- best boots we've ever had, they say.

One of them got them on the Queen's Shilling. According to him, standard practice (20 years ago) was to impregnate them with liquid silicone, over and over and over. This was a guy who would stomp heedlessly through rivers and laugh at us prissy hikers with our ankle boots and our sandals for wading. Sheesh.

(One time, while he was in his cups -- overproof rum -- I more-or-less duct-taped him on top of a rock the size of a house, and invited the ravens to come pluck out his eyeballs. Alas, the ravens didn't want him. I remember those camping trips fondly.)

Anyway, back to the point: in years past, I would have said spray them with ScotchGuard, over and over and over, when the stuff was more effective and less green (not sure now). I'd had it with beeswax preparations that didn't actually penetrate the stitching (which is where boots leak first).

For the past seven+ years I've been using Biwell from MEC, which is the best stuff ever invented. It's cheap, it goes on smoothly, it penetrates deep past the surface of the leather and stitching, and you can even put on a parade gloss shine over top.

Apparently it's too good: MEC has just stopped carrying it (if the website is accurate). I need to snap up old stock while I can.

You should do the same. Enjoy the boots.