Care and maintenance

A Longstone boot is leather, a membrane and a rubber sole, stitched and lasted in Nicosia. Twenty minutes after a wet week is the difference between a boot that lasts years and one that cracks in a season.

What the boot is made of

Leather. Perwanger waterproof leather on the chainsaw and outdoor models (2.6 and 2.0 mm); waterproof full-grain leather on the hunting models (2.4 mm). It is tanned to repel water, and it stays that way as long as it is kept clean and fed.

Membrane. A Sympatex or Tepor membrane lines every model: waterproof and breathable.

Sole. Vibram rubber: Teton on the chainsaw boots, Curcuma on the hunting boots, New Winkler or Tubava on the outdoor boots. Rubber is cleaned, not treated.

After every use

Knock the soles together, pull out the insole and loosen the laces. Brush off mud and sawdust while they are still damp: dried mud draws moisture and salts out of the leather. For a dirty boot, lukewarm water and a soft brush. No detergent, no solvent, no pressure washer.

Drying

Dry at room temperature, insole out, laces loose, tongue open. Stuff the boot with newspaper and change it after a few hours. A soaked boot takes 24 to 48 hours.

Never on a radiator, next to a stove, in front of a heater or with a hairdryer. Leather dried fast shrinks and cracks, and the glue lines suffer.

Grease and wax

Feed the leather when it looks dry and pale, or after a run of wet days. Clean and dry first, then a thin layer of leather grease or wax, worked in with a cloth or your fingers, seams included. Leave it to soak in overnight; wipe off any excess.

Which product: use a product made for membrane-lined leather boots; avoid mineral oils and silicone sprays, which seal the leather and can reach the membrane.

The membrane

Sympatex works as long as water vapour can get to it; what blocks it is dirt inside the boot and a leather soaked with the wrong product. A clean sock, a dry insole, the care above: there is nothing to apply to the membrane itself.

Laces

Chainsaw boots take 220 cm polyester laces; hunting and outdoor boots 180 cm. Change them when the sheath is frayed or the tip is gone: a lace that snaps in the field is a boot that no longer holds the heel. Replacement laces: write to us and we tell you how to order them.

Insole

Felt with 3.5 mm memory foam, the same on every model. Take it out to dry every evening. Replace it when it is flattened or it smells even after airing. Replacement insoles: write to us and we tell you how to order them.

Storage

Clean, dry, greased, laces loose, in a dry and ventilated place. Not in a plastic bag, not in a damp cellar, not in the sun. If you store them for the season, grease them before, not after.

The sole and resoling

A Vibram sole wears from the heel and the ball of the foot. When the tread is gone there, the grip is gone too. Resoling: write to the factory with photos of the sole, info@longstone.it.

Chainsaw boots: what care does not fix

A chainsaw boot is Category III personal protective equipment. After any contact with the chain, replace it: the cut-resistant layers may be damaged under an upper that looks fine. A torn upper or a sole worn through the tread also means replacement. Read the instructions supplied with the boot.