Mike Sheehan is an absolute Legend, this is why I bought Altberg boots, I have had several pairs now, the Defender which I had for many years and now I have a pair of the Warriors. Best boots in the world!
I've been looking for a good pair of leather boots, been doing research for quite some time...ya know Danners, Rocky, Carolina, Wolverines are great etc. But I really like this guy as a true craftsman knowing his craft. Am going to try some of the Defenders based on watching a couples of these vids.
Absolutely love this company. Fabulous boots, best I have ever owned. Current pair over 5 years old, look as good as new, baring a few scuffs, used every day for walking the dog, at least a mile, and long hikes at weekends. Boots should go on for another 10 years. As Mike says though - good regular care.
He is 100% correct about all leather eventually cracking. I wore a pair of Altbergs for a few years and drove that Leder Gris into the boot with a brush almost daily. I took them on a week long outing in a swamp and the leather finally just disintegrated in spite of drying them slowly and using the Leder Gris. They got wet, stayed wet, and were hiked in for miles while wet…total destruction. Any boot would have disintegrated, we just have to realize leather doesn’t last forever.
Got 3 pairs of surplus Swedish Army boots,on average 40 + years old,all very well cared and comfy as slippers.One was resoled in 1987 and used daily on hikes,so yes look after your boots and they will be comfortable.
I've heard from soldiers and walkers, that good leder-gris care with Altberg boots will hold out mud and water for a long time.. If water eventually does get in ( including over the top), they switch to wearing sealskinz socks to keep their feet warm and dry. Then later after use, dry them like Mike says above before applying more leder-gris.. I have read that if you buy goretex lined boots and the water comes in, (over the top etc,) they take SO MUCH longer to dry out.. Sounds like a pain. For general walking including through occasional patches of mud and shallow streams, the Altbergs with leder-gris seem to perform admirably.
What an excellent video. Many thanks for making it. I clean my boots regularly, but definitely not after each use. I'd like to ask whether it's better to clean the boots immediately after? Particularly after a muddy walk? My feeling is that mud drying on the boot must be causing damage to the leather, but Mike says at the beginning to dry boots out. Can anyone clarify this point, please?
I would wash these boots with saddle soap, warm water, and a medium horsehair dauber. Also, wash the laces with hot water and dishwashing liquid with a cold water rinse. Fill the boots with warm, soapy water and rinse thoroughly with cold water. Wash and rinse the insoles as well. Let everything dry for at least 24 hours at normal room temperature before applying any Leder Gris to the boots. This is truly proper boot care.
I really enjoyed that video. I have a question. I've been rocking a pair of Altberg defender for 3 month in the harsh Canadian field lately. I take really good of them with leader gris but I started to notice that the upper soft leather part is getting used faster than the hard leather. Is there a way to prevent that damage? Be aware that theses boots have been used in a military perspective so they tend to get wet and sandy pretty much everyday.
Mike Sheehan is an absolute Legend, this is why I bought Altberg boots, I have had several pairs now, the Defender which I had for many years and now I have a pair of the Warriors. Best boots in the world!
I've been looking for a good pair of leather boots, been doing research for quite some time...ya know Danners, Rocky, Carolina, Wolverines are great etc. But I really like this guy as a true craftsman knowing his craft.
Am going to try some of the Defenders based on watching a couples of these vids.
Absolutely love this company. Fabulous boots, best I have ever owned. Current pair over 5 years old, look as good as new, baring a few scuffs, used every day for walking the dog, at least a mile, and long hikes at weekends. Boots should go on for another 10 years. As Mike says though - good regular care.
He is 100% correct about all leather eventually cracking. I wore a pair of Altbergs for a few years and drove that Leder Gris into the boot with a brush almost daily. I took them on a week long outing in a swamp and the leather finally just disintegrated in spite of drying them slowly and using the Leder Gris. They got wet, stayed wet, and were hiked in for miles while wet…total destruction. Any boot would have disintegrated, we just have to realize leather doesn’t last forever.
Got 3 pairs of surplus Swedish Army boots,on average 40 + years old,all very well cared and comfy as slippers.One was resoled in 1987 and used daily on hikes,so yes look after your boots and they will be comfortable.
I've heard from soldiers and walkers, that good leder-gris care with Altberg boots will hold out mud and water for a long time..
If water eventually does get in ( including over the top), they switch to wearing sealskinz socks to keep their feet warm and dry.
Then later after use, dry them like Mike says above before applying more leder-gris..
I have read that if you buy goretex lined boots and the water comes in, (over the top etc,) they take SO MUCH longer to dry out..
Sounds like a pain.
For general walking including through occasional patches of mud and shallow streams, the Altbergs with leder-gris seem to perform admirably.
What an excellent video. Many thanks for making it.
I clean my boots regularly, but definitely not after each use. I'd like to ask whether it's better to clean the boots immediately after? Particularly after a muddy walk? My feeling is that mud drying on the boot must be causing damage to the leather, but Mike says at the beginning to dry boots out. Can anyone clarify this point, please?
I would wash these boots with saddle soap, warm water, and a medium horsehair dauber. Also, wash the laces with hot water and dishwashing liquid with a cold water rinse. Fill the boots with warm, soapy water and rinse thoroughly with cold water. Wash and rinse the insoles as well. Let everything dry for at least 24 hours at normal room temperature before applying any Leder Gris to the boots. This is truly proper boot care.
What if I walked the dogs and boots are soaking and I need them to walk the dogs in a few hours and it rains for weeks?
@@mairimcgregor3443 Own several pairs of boots for a rotation.
@@mairimcgregor3443hes not saying
I've got an adapter, a thin pipe, on my vaccum cleaner, it can be useful too, to clean up the inside of the boots
Thanks for this video series
I really enjoyed that video. I have a question. I've been rocking a pair of Altberg defender for 3 month in the harsh Canadian field lately. I take really good of them with leader gris but I started to notice that the upper soft leather part is getting used faster than the hard leather. Is there a way to prevent that damage? Be aware that theses boots have been used in a military perspective so they tend to get wet and sandy pretty much everyday.
Hi, can I wear dry Altberg boots in the car with the demist heat on ?
Legend
Dam soles delaminated and crumbled in me.. Pair of German army mountain boots....