While searching for things to write about on this boot-oriented blog, a friend suggested that I share my own top five “boot hacks” — or tips — that I have written about and applied for years. So here goes… BHD’s “Top Five Boot Hacks”…

Note: because I cannot keep my tips brief, I have decided to write a series of five “boot hack” blog posts. This is number 1 of 5.

1. Keeping boot leather from cracking

As you wear boots, they get exposed to heat, cold, and lots and lots of dirt. Even mud, snow, and general road crud. Especially in areas with four seasons and guys wear boots more often in winter cold, snow, rain, and general sloppiness.

After all, that’s what boots were made for, right? Keep your feet warm and dry, and provide traction on slippery surfaces.

Even in other seasons and climates — boot leather exposed to dry, arid environments and sunshine — boot leather takes a beating.

All this exposure to the environment of water, heat, and cold causes the collagen (proteins that are the foundation of what makes leather) to break bonds. When collagen breaks enough, it looks like fine cracks in the surface of the leather. The more these cracks occur, the more exposure those areas of the leather have to degrading environmental impacts. Without care, cracks appear bigger.

Eventually, some of these cracks in the leather can actually create a hole. These holes may occur in places where a cobbler cannot repair them. Then you have lost the boot. Time to trash it.

Boot tip to prevent cracking of leather: wipe down the surfaces of your boots every time you take them off. Yes, each and every time. Wipe them down with a damp rag or washcloth — or what I use — an old fuzzy sock dampened with leather conditioner. You can also use “leather wipes” if you want. While made for cleaning leather interiors of automobiles, these wipes also work for boots.

Wipe off the dirt and grime that gets on the surfaces of boots. Be sure to wipe down the soles as you do it. While holding the boot during the wipe-down process, look at the area where the boot leather at the foot is sewn to the sole — that’s the welt — and remove any embedded mud, dirt, grass, gravel, small children, or other junk that may be stuck there.

It has been my experience that “crud in the welt” often leads to abrasion that can tear apart the threads in the welt that hold the sole onto the foot. Even Kevlar threads can be broken by abrasion from a small pebble, often kicked up while walking on surfaces spread with sand or cinders, or by riding a motorcycle on macadam or asphalt-surfaced roadways.

Additional tip for work boots: if the soles of work boots have mud embedded in the lugs, then “hose off” (spray a jet of water from a hose) on the boot sole to soften and remove the mud. Spray the sides of boots as well if (somehow) the boots got into mud and mud got onto the leather.

Nothing causes more damage to a boot, including the soles, than mud. Why? When mud dries, it acts as a desiccant or drying agent. It sucks moisture from its surroundings, including the sole and anything else the mud touches, like leather on the boot foot.

After hosing off the boots and removing mud, open the laces (if any), spread away the tongue of the boot, and put the boot in an open area but not in full sun to allow to air dry.

Do not use heat to dry a boot. Heat from a blow dryer or heat vent in the house will do more damage from drying out the leather. Just let the boots air dry in a well-ventilated, well-lit area.

Light helps prevent growth of mold and mildew, which are also very damaging because these prolific fungus-family organisms “eat” protein. Remember — leather is comprised of collagen, so it is important to prevent mold and mildew from growing on and inside your boots. Best preventative: cleanliness, light, and air.

Life is short: tune in next time for Boot Tip #2. Care for your boots and they will care for you for a lifetime.