Treatment for mocassins

[Bo T]

Just finishing up my first pair of moccasins. Wondering if I should apply a treatment on them? They are @ 3 oz suede.

 

[Black Hand]

I would leave them alone. Even with treatment, your feet will eventually get wet (the difference is maybe a few minutes between untreated and treated).

As was said - Moccasins are just a polite way of going barefoot.

 

[Bo T]

Yea, I tell my wife they are mocasocks.

 

[Black Hand]

Make her a pair and she will understand how comfortable they are...

 

[SgtErv]

I second leaving them as is. I put mink oil tallow on a pair. They still got wet anyway, and then took a lot longer to dry than my untreated leggings

 

[jbwilliams3]

Just finishing up my first pair of moccasins. Wondering if I should apply a treatment on them? They are @ 3 oz suede.

Like others have said, treat them and they will still get wet eventually and will just take that much longer to dry out.

 

[Jaeger]

I use a product called Sno Seal on both my summer and winter mocs, and it makes a HUGE difference. For the summer mocs, it keeps the mocs from getting wet while walking through dewy grass in the morning. For the winter mocs, it keeps them completely...or close to it....dry while walking in heavy snow. You have to rub it in generously and heat the moc with a blow dryer to help it soak in. The product contains silicone, which is the key ingredient. Of course, it's not HC/PC, but it sure works. Anybody else try this? (by the way, mine are not suede, which could be a big difference)

 

[Rifleman1776]

I use a product called Sno Seal on both my summer and winter mocs, and it makes a HUGE difference. For the summer mocs, it keeps the mocs from getting wet while walking through dewy grass in the morning. For the winter mocs, it keeps them completely...or close to it....dry while walking in heavy snow. You have to rub it in generously and heat the moc with a blow dryer to help it soak in. The product contains silicone, which is the key ingredient. Of course, it's not HC/PC, but it sure works. Anybody else try this? (by the way, mine are not suede, which could be a big difference)

I have used SS on both modern hunting boots and mocs. Hate it. :cursing: Washes off at the first hint of water. I don't understand how some people claim success with it.

 

[tenngun]

Mocs get wet real quick with or without treatment. Wool socks help keep your feet warm, but not dry. Old timers carriered lots of pairs. Half a dozen were not uncommon. Like Rifleman I never had much success with silicon water repelants lard mink oil bees wax mixed and rubbed on all work for just a bit. Make several pairs, smoke them well, change them often.
You can dry them near a fire but be careful, they burn easy.

 

[Archer 756]

:hmm: base for SS is bees wax and it DOES NOT WASH OFF IF HEATED into boots. Have always put boots in low temp oven then apply ss :hatsoff:

 

[Black Hand]

I've had marginal success with Sno-Seal on boots and moccasins. Seems to work for a short time, but then the boots got wet anyway. I've also used Pitch Blend with similar results. The Danner Silicone-based boot dressing worked about the same. I've made my own with beeswax, pitch and lard which works OK, but doesn't last long. Straight deer tallow works but is very stiff in cold conditions and very slick if used on moccasin soles.

Ultimately, you can treat your moccasins with whatever you like, but your feet will likely get wet anyway. Dry wool socks and spare moccasins are the way to go. Dry wet moccasins gently and not too close to the fire - they get crispy and smell bad if overheated (cooked a couple of pairs in my early days).

 

[Twisted_1in66]

I use some Gokey's Indian Waterproofing Paste that I got many years ago to keep my Gokey Shoes in top shape. It's a paste with a fair amount of beeswax in it and I'm not sure what else. Worked great on the Gokey shoes, which are 9-oz. leather with old style seams. I would apply it to the whole shoe paying particular attention to the seams. If I didn't treat the seams from time to time, my feet could get wet.

Tried it on my mocs after they got wet the first time from walking in dew-covered grass. Worked great and kept my feet dry. I found that if I treated them once every day or two, they kept my feet dry. Day 3 - not so much.

Unfortunately Orvis Gokey no longer seems to make the paste. There is a Gokey leather conditioner cream that works fine for keeping the shoes looking good, but the paste seems to have disappeared. Good news is that I still have some of the paste left and since I can't wear my Gokey shoes with my orthotics, I only use the paste on my mocs. Probably have enough for another couple of years of intermittent use.

Twisted_1in66 :thumbsup:
Dan

 

[Tallswife]

We use Leather Honey on all our leather products and have been very happy with it. Softens, conditions, and waterproof very well.

I put it on my center seam moccasins, cus the seam was hard and digging into my foot. Much better afterwards! Softened it right up and stopped the digging.

Hubby got caught in a downpour on the bike and his leather coat shed the water, only wet inside where it ran down his neck.