Product: Leather Seal leather conditioner
Brand: Outback Survival Gear
Horse Trail Chicks rating: 4 out of 5 carrots
There are a lot of products out there for taking care of your leather items such as boots and tack. Like many riders, I have a dizzying array of products in my tack trunk; sometimes I use one, sometimes another. Obviously, I have not landed on one particular method.
There is one product that I do keep close at hand for my boots: Leather Seal, made in the USA by an Australian company, Outback Survival Gear. It’s made primarily of beeswax, as well as Eucalyptus, avocado, lavender, and vitamin E oils.
I am no expert in leather care, but from what I have read, oil penetrates leather to keep it soft and supple and prevent drying and cracking, while wax tends to stay on the surface of the leather and provides waterproofing as well as shine. Leather Seal contains both oils and wax so it has the benefit of both types or protection, although it is primarily a wax product.
What I like about Leather Seal is that it is really easy and quick to apply. You can use either a rag or your hands. I always use my hands because I find it easier to work into the nooks and crannies in my boots, and it is not oily and leaves my hands feeling nice and soft. Before I go out to the pasture on a wet or muddy day, if my boots are looking dry I can quickly give them a little touch up and the water will just bead up beautifully.
Before 
After
I do find that the protection does not last very long – just a few days if I am wearing my boots every day, so I have to apply it often, but I don’t mind because it takes only a minute or so. From time to time I give my boots the full cleaning and conditioning treatment as recommended by the manufacturer, but in between I use the Leather Seal for a little extra protection.
You can also use Leather Seal to condition tack. I tried this a few times but didn’t feel that it was penetrating the leather as much as I would like. I did notice that it repairs small scratches, so it’s good for a quick touch up or to get a nice shine on your saddle or bridle.
Price: $20 for a 5.5 oz/150 g tin. It lasts a long time.
Available from: Outback Survival Gear
