How to Protect Expensive Shoes & Boots for Winter

Winter can be particularly hard on good footwear.

Rain, snow, slush, road salt and wet sidewalks can quickly take their toll on leather shoes and boots—especially footwear with leather soles.

At Squirrel Hill Shoe Repair, we often see customers after the damage has already happened. But increasingly, customers are bringing us their better shoes and boots before winter arrives, asking what can be done to protect them.

That's a smart approach.

If you've invested in a quality pair of shoes or boots, a little preventive work before winter can help protect that investment and potentially add years to their life.

Here's what we recommend looking at before the Pittsburgh weather turns against your footwear.

1. Consider Sole Protectors for Leather-Soled Shoes

One of the first things to consider with high-quality leather-soled footwear is whether to add a protective sole.

Leather soles are beautiful, comfortable and a hallmark of many well-made shoes—but they weren't designed with wet, salty Pittsburgh sidewalks in mind.

A cobbler can add a thin rubber sole protector over the original leather sole.

This creates an additional barrier between the original sole and the ground.

A properly fitted sole protector can help:

·       Reduce wear to the original leather sole

·       Improve grip on wet surfaces

·       Protect the sole from moisture

·       Reduce exposure to road salt and grime

·       Extend the time before more extensive sole work is required

And importantly, it doesn't mean covering your beautiful shoes with a huge, heavy rubber sole.

Modern sole protectors can be relatively thin and discreet.

For someone who has invested hundreds of dollars in a good pair of shoes or boots, it's a relatively simple way to protect the part of the shoe that takes the greatest punishment.

If your soles are already showing significant wear, however, don't simply cover the problem. Have them inspected first. Our Shoe Repair Services page explains some of the repairs that may be possible before additional protection is added.

2. Should You Put Sole Protectors on Brand-New Shoes?

This is a question we're often asked.

And the answer is:

Sometimes.

It depends on the shoe, how you'll wear it and the type of sole.

If you've purchased a quality pair of leather-soled dress shoes or boots and intend to wear them regularly through fall and winter, fitting sole protectors before significant wear occurs can make a lot of sense.

You're protecting the original sole rather than waiting for it to become damaged.

However, not every shoe needs one.

A good cobbler can look at the construction, sole material and intended use and tell you whether adding protection is worthwhile.

This is especially worth considering with expensive footwear. If you've invested in designer shoes or boots, our Designer Shoe Restoration service isn't limited to repairing damaged footwear—we can also advise on ways to protect it before problems occur.

3. Waterproofing Doesn't Mean Making a Shoe Completely Waterproof

There's an important distinction here.

When people say they want their leather shoes or boots "waterproofed," what they're usually looking for is greater water resistance and protection from the elements.

Leather is a natural material, and different types of leather require different products and treatments.

The right treatment can help repel moisture and protect the leather from:

·       Rain

·       Snow

·       Slush

·       Road spray

·       Dirt

·       Salt exposure

But this isn't a case of simply spraying every shoe with the same product.

Smooth leather, suede and nubuck can require very different treatment.

Using an inappropriate product can alter the appearance or finish of the material, so particularly with expensive footwear, it's worth getting the treatment right.

We carry a range of professional shoe-care and weather-protection products in the store. You can see more of what we offer on our Shoe Care Products & Accessories page.

4. Don't Forget About Road Salt

For Pittsburgh footwear, water isn't the only problem.

Salt can be particularly hard on leather.

When salty slush gets onto a shoe and dries, it can leave the familiar white marks many people see during winter.

Repeated exposure can dry the leather and, if neglected, contribute to deterioration of the finish.

The best approach is prevention.

Treat appropriate footwear before winter, clean salt contamination promptly rather than allowing it to build up, and keep leather properly conditioned.

Regular leather care matters throughout the year, but winter makes it especially important. Our guide How Often Should You Polish Your Shoes? explains how polishing and conditioning help maintain quality leather.

5. Check the Heels Before Winter

The soles aren't the only part of a shoe that deserves attention.

Look at the heels.

Are they wearing unevenly?

Has the rubber worn particularly thin on one side?

Are you beginning to wear into the heel itself?

These are relatively minor issues when they're addressed early.

Leave them long enough and a simple repair can become more involved.

Winter also tends to expose weaknesses that may have gone unnoticed during summer.

If you're not sure what you're looking for, 10 Signs Your Shoes Need a Cobbler (Before They're Beyond Repair) covers some of the warning signs worth checking.

6. Inspect the Sole Edges and Stitching

Before wearing your good shoes or boots through winter, take a few seconds to inspect them closely.

Look around the edge where the upper meets the sole.

You're looking for things such as:

·       Small separations

·       Loose stitching

·       Cracks

·       Areas where the sole is lifting

·       Excessive sole wear

·       Damage around the heel

A small opening that isn't particularly troublesome on a dry summer day can become much more noticeable when you're walking through rain and slush.

If you're unsure whether something you're seeing is cosmetic or structural, bring the shoes in.

It's usually much better to address a small problem before winter than a much larger one afterwards.

7. Pay Particular Attention to Your Best Boots

There's an interesting contradiction with expensive boots.

They're often incredibly well made—which makes people assume they're indestructible.

They're not.

Good leather and quality construction can make a pair of boots last for many years, but they still need maintenance.

In fact, better footwear can often justify preventive maintenance because it is worth preserving.

If you own quality dress boots, cowboy boots, work boots or other premium leather footwear, winter is a good time to think about protecting them rather than waiting for visible damage.

The same principle is behind our article How to Tell If Your Shoes Can Be Repaired Before You Throw Them Away: quality construction often gives a cobbler far more options for extending the life of footwear.

8. Don't Assume New Shoes Don't Need Protection

Brand-new leather looks perfect.

That's precisely when you should be thinking about protecting it.

You wouldn't wait for a new car's paint to deteriorate before thinking about protecting the finish.

Quality footwear is similar.

Depending on the shoe, preparing it for winter might involve:

·       Applying an appropriate protective treatment

·       Adding sole protectors

·       Conditioning the leather

·       Checking whether the existing sole is suitable for wet conditions

·       Choosing the right maintenance products

The goal isn't to make the shoe indestructible.

It's to reduce unnecessary damage.

9. Rotate Your Shoes

One of the simplest things you can do costs nothing.

Don't wear the same pair every day.

Feet naturally produce moisture, and shoes benefit from having time to dry between wears.

This becomes even more important during winter when moisture may also be coming from outside.

If your shoes become wet, allow them to dry naturally. Avoid placing quality leather footwear directly against a radiator or other intense heat source, which can dry the leather too aggressively.

Shoe trees can also help quality footwear maintain its shape between wears. We explain their benefits in What Are Shoe Trees and Do You Really Need Them?

10. Keep One Thing in Mind: Prevention Is Usually Easier Than Restoration

As cobblers, we're very good at repairing damaged footwear.

But we'd rather help a customer protect a beautiful pair of shoes than see them come through the door after they've suffered avoidable damage.

That's particularly true with expensive footwear.

Imagine spending $400, $600 or considerably more on a pair of quality shoes or boots.

Protecting the soles, caring for the leather and dealing with minor wear early is a relatively small investment compared with replacing them.

That's one of the reasons we're seeing more customers bring their better footwear into the shop before winter starts rather than after it ends.

What Mario Recommends Before Winter

If you own a pair of shoes or boots you particularly care about, bring them into the shop before the worst weather arrives.

We can look at:

The soles. The heels. The leather. The construction. The existing wear. And how you intend to use them.

Then we can recommend what—if anything—makes sense.

Sometimes that may mean adding sole protectors.

Sometimes it may mean applying the right weather protection.

Sometimes there's a small repair worth taking care of first.

And sometimes the best advice may simply be to keep that particular pair away from Pittsburgh's worst winter days.

The important thing is that the advice should fit the shoe.

Protect Your Shoes Before Pittsburgh Winter Arrives

If you have expensive dress shoes, designer footwear, leather boots or another favorite pair you'd like to protect, don't wait until they're damaged.

Bring them into Squirrel Hill Shoe Repair and let Mario take a look.

With more than 35 years of shoe-repair experience, he can recommend the right combination of repair, maintenance and protection for the footwear you actually own.

You can also read our guide to the Best Shoes for Pittsburgh Weather if you're deciding which footwear makes the most sense when conditions get particularly unpleasant.

Protect them now. Enjoy them for years.

FAQ Section

Are sole protectors worth putting on expensive shoes?

They can be, particularly on quality footwear with leather soles. A thin rubber sole protector can help reduce wear to the original sole, improve traction and provide additional protection against wet surfaces. Whether one is appropriate depends on the shoe and how you intend to wear it.

Should I put sole protectors on new leather-soled shoes?

You don't necessarily need to wait for the original sole to wear down. For shoes that will be worn regularly outdoors, particularly in wet conditions, adding a sole protector while the original sole is still in good condition may help preserve it.

Can a cobbler waterproof leather boots?

A cobbler can recommend and apply appropriate treatments that improve the water resistance of many types of leather footwear. The correct treatment depends on the material and finish. No treatment should be assumed to make ordinary leather footwear completely waterproof.

How do I protect leather shoes from road salt?

Appropriate protective treatment before exposure can help. Salt should also be removed promptly rather than being allowed to remain on the leather, and regular conditioning can help prevent leather from becoming excessively dry.

Should I waterproof brand-new leather boots?

It can be a good idea if they'll be exposed to wet winter conditions, but the correct product depends on the leather. Suede, nubuck and smooth leather can require different treatments, so check what's appropriate before applying a product.

When should I prepare my shoes for winter?

Ideally, before winter weather arrives. This gives you time to address worn heels, damaged soles or stitching and apply any appropriate protective treatments before the footwear is exposed to snow, slush and road salt.