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Reviews > Footwear > Accessories > Sealers, Treatments, Conditioners > Atsko SNO-SEAL Beeswax Leather Treatment > Owner Review by Marina Batzke

ATSKO SNO-SEAL
BY MARINA BATZKE
OWNER REVIEW
February 23, 2014

TESTER INFORMATION

NAME: Marina Batzke
EMAIL: mbbp2013 (at) hotmail (dot) com
AGE: 54
LOCATION: Los Angeles County, California, USA
GENDER: F
HEIGHT: 5' 5" (1.65 m)
WEIGHT: 130 lb (59.00 kg)

I converted from day hiking and car camping to backpacking in Spring 2013. I borrowed various supplies for my first backpacking trip and am currently hiking with some newly acquired lightweight gear and some heavier gear from my car camping trips. I always hike with a group and I like the gear talk when in camp. I am a tent camper looking for ways to lighten my pack. My backpacking trips are currently weekend excursions in Southern California, USA. If my business travel allows me to get away, I try to backpack one or two weekends a month.

PRODUCT INFORMATION

Manufacturer: Atsko, Inc.
Year of Purchase: 2014
Manufacturer's Website: http://www.atsko.com/
MSRP: US $7.50
Listed NET Weight: 7 oz (200 g)
Measured GROSS Weight: 8.4 oz (238 g)
IMAGE 1
Bees-wax container size comparison

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

SNO-SEAL is a one-step polish and waterproofing beeswax product. SNO-SEAL lubricates leather and thereby protects it against drying and deterioration. SNO-SEAL is a registered trademark of ATSKO, Inc. and the SNO-SEAL I purchased was made in the USA for Penguin Brands, Inc. www.penguinbrands.com Their packing unit comes in a translucent 3 in (76 mm) tall by 2.75 in (70 mm) diameter plastic container with a dark-blue twist-off cap. The container is labeled with the product name and a Penguin logo on the front and the use instructions and warranty information in the back.
The manufacturer provides an unconditional guarantee upon return of any unused portion of the product, along with the purchase receipt.
IMAGE 2
The opened wax container

The round container contained a beige-colored paste. I applied it to new hiking leather boots.
IMAGE 3
My new boot before wax application

Used boots and shoes should first get cleaned. The manufacturer recommends warming up the boots or shoes, e.g., in the sun, with a hair dryer or in a preheated and extinguished oven. I warmed up my boots in the kitchen oven and made sure not to overheat my boots to avoid damage to the rubber and leather. Temperature shall not exceed a comfortable handling of the boots.
IMAGE 4
Applying the wax by latex-gloved hand

First I removed the shoelaces. Using latex gloves, I then applied the beeswax paste to the leather portions of my new boots. I slathered the beeswax paste on generously and the warm leather soaked it up quickly. I immediately noticed a darkening of the boot leather color and a smoothening of the leather nap. With my fingers protected by the latex gloves, I was able to apply the paste even in tight spots around the bootlace hooks.
IMAGE 5
My boots after 2 layers of wax applied

I applied two layers of beeswax to each boot. Afterwards I weighed the SNO-SEAL container and measured 7.6 oz (215 g) gross weight in comparison to the original 8.4 oz (238 g).

FIELD USE

One week of use in rainy Hannover, Northern Germany: February 2014
Temperature: 50 F (10 C)

2 days of snow in Brooklyn, New York: February 2014
Temperature: 32 F (0 C)

2-day trip to Joshua Tree National Park, California: February 2014
Temperature: 70 F (21 C) with boot use on dusty trails and on rocks

1-day hike up to Icehouse Canyon Saddle, Southern California: March 2014
Temperature: 50 F (10 C) with boot use in snow and on dusty and muddy trails

REVIEW

Once the boots were warmed, it was easy to apply the wax by latex glove-protected hand. The leather quickly absorbed the wax and after I had coated the second boot, I applied layer number 2 to the first boot without delay. All and all, I was done in about 30 minutes.
I let the boots dry overnight and exposed them to the warm California sun the next day. The wax dried up so well, I did not do any buffing.
I have since used the boots in rain and snow and feel the boots provided great protection against moisture. Afterwards I used the boots off-trail in dry desert conditions and while rock scrambling in Joshua Tree National Park and I felt the waxed surface provided a good protection against scrapes.
Before taking the final photo, I used the boots on a one-day hike up to Icehouse Canyon Saddle, California where we practiced kick stepping and plunge stepping in snow, plus hiked on the dusty trails at lower elevation and muddy trails at higher elevation.
I am amazed by how well-sealed my boots are: dust, mud, snow do not stick to the beeswax coated leather portion of my boots.
IMAGE 6
Water beading off the wax coated (field-used) boot

THINGS I LIKE

1. Easy to apply wax paste by hand
2. Little wax paste needed to do the job
3. Affordable
4. Protects my boots and my feet from moisture

THINGS I DO NOT LIKE

Nothing

SIGNATURE

Marina Batzke

This report was created with the BackpackGearTest.org Report Writer Version 1. Copyright 2014. All rights reserved.

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Reviews > Footwear > Accessories > Sealers, Treatments, Conditioners > Atsko SNO-SEAL Beeswax Leather Treatment > Owner Review by Marina Batzke



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