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Post by wutzthedeal on Jan 17, 2013 3:29:09 GMT -5
Long story short, I did an experiment on my leather/suede combo Nikes. Used Blue Coral High Foam concentrate car wash with water to coat the shoes. I don't know why it worked, but it did. Check out the full story on the Scooters Facebook page: www.facebook.com/goscoot |
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Post by larrball on Jan 17, 2013 3:32:34 GMT -5
Long story short, I did an experiment on my leather/suede combo Nikes. Used Blue Coral High Foam concentrate car wash with water to coat the shoes. I don't know why it worked, but it did. Check out the full story on the Scooters Facebook page: www.facebook.com/goscootKevin, do we have to do the Facebook link? You could be super cool, and post it on the form (copy/paste) If not, you'r still cool, just not super..lol  |
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Post by wutzthedeal on Jan 17, 2013 3:34:35 GMT -5
Ok one sec... I'll go copy paste (modify this post)...
As some of you guys know, I've been somewhat consumed with waterproofing everything lately. I like to ride, every day, and it has been raining a lot here in SE VA. While CorrosionX proved superb on any and all electrical connections, and my rain suit held off the rain, I hadn't figured out how to get my shoes waterproof (or at least water resistant) until I can afford a pair of steel-toe, waterproof shoes or boots someday.
So, I got an idea. Not satisfied with the Google suggestions, I went out in the garage and picked up a bottle of Blue Coral High Foam Car Wash concentrate. For some reason, I assumed it had a built in wax; maybe because I also have some Armor All car wash out there that has built in protection. Anyway, it turns out this is just for washing with no wax component--or so the description made it seem.
Thinking it was a wax/wash mix, I decided to test it on my suede and leather Nikes. Lately, my shoes have been getting soaked and it gets down to my socks. I put two tablespoons of this into a small bowl and added six oz. of warm water. I then took a rag and just lightly coated the entire outer of each shoe. To further the experiment, I used the blow dryer to dry the left shoe while letting the right shoe dry naturally.
Considering this was just a soap, it should have done nothing. But nothing isn't what happened. On the left shoe that was blow dried, I did have leakage after riding 40 miles or so in the rain and then actually submerging the shoe in a puddle toward the end of the night. There was more moisture/water that came in from imperfect side seams than came in from the top of the shoe's toe area, but it did come through.
On the air dried right shoe, NO water came through the top, although a light amount came in along the side seams (I'll reseal these with Shoe Goop or some contact cement). How about that? A car wash concentrate, used in thick proportions to the water, made my treated (and air dried) shoe essentially waterproof. Makes no sense, but I'll take it.
Keep in mind, I'm no fan of Blue Coral or any other wash/wax. Whatever works is good enough for me, so there may be other brands out there that are even better than this is for waterproofing leather/suede combination shoes. Either way, if you have some laying around and you'd like to make your shoes waterproof, give it a shot!
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Post by larrball on Jan 17, 2013 8:29:49 GMT -5
Good post kev.
Wax on , water off.
Tell the wife it's in storage tell spring.. hehehe
Badpuppy
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Post by wutzthedeal on Jan 17, 2013 11:27:27 GMT -5
It really makes no sense at all, does it? Maybe just the thickness of the concentrate sealed up the pores. I love doing experiments like this so next I'll probably try something on my old, rickety jacket.
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Post by skuttadawg on Jan 17, 2013 14:57:49 GMT -5
I just bought a rain suit and have waterproof and steel toed Timberland boots and waterproof gloves . My helmet keeps my head dry too
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Post by wutzthedeal on Jan 17, 2013 16:42:25 GMT -5
That's the best idea. But my rain suit ran a bit small so, for example, I have to wear the raincoat portion underneath my normal nylon winter jacket, so I'm still experimenting with stuff. That jacket tonight is going to take a treatment with the Armor All Wasn n Wax concentrate to see how that goes. But I stayed dry again today; lots of layers helped.
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Post by skuttadawg on Jan 17, 2013 17:04:06 GMT -5
I put mink oil on my leather coat , boots and gloves
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Post by prodigit on Jan 17, 2013 17:09:52 GMT -5
Whoa! It almost didn't make it through my spam filter!
But seeing that you're serious,
I usually wear leather boots. They're pretty water tight.
There's some kind of spray you can spray on leather to make it more water tight.
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Post by skuttadawg on Jan 17, 2013 17:11:40 GMT -5
Prodigit mink oil is a paste you wipe on after cleaning your leather
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Post by wutzthedeal on Jan 17, 2013 18:04:37 GMT -5
I definitely need some of that for my gloves. The wet/dry/wet/dry is making them brittle and worn. I was looking for home remedies for that.
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Post by skuttadawg on Jan 17, 2013 18:08:15 GMT -5
www.cyclegear.com has many motorcycle gloves as ski gloves do not work nor waterproof
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Post by inuyasha on Jan 17, 2013 18:23:47 GMT -5
Hi I use these fine products with very good results on my leather riding gear www.aquaseal.com/Take care and ride safely Yours Hank |
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Post by wutzthedeal on Jan 17, 2013 18:26:01 GMT -5
No ski gloves here. Leather gauntlet riding gloves. I saw that on Amazon, Hank and there was another more common one that got good reviews that you could get at Lowes. Wonder if they are comparable.
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