PERSONAL BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
Rick Allnutt
52 Year old male
6' 0'' (183 cm) in height
163 lbs (74 kg) in weight
Email address: rick (at) BackpackGearTest (dot) org
Personal Hiking Page: http://www.imrisk.com
Trail name: Risk
I live in Dayton, Ohio

BACKPACKING BACKGROUND
Over the last several years, I have become an ultralight camper with a three-season base pack weight of about 17 lb (8 kg) and skin out weight of 25 lb (11 kg). I have completed many section hikes on the Appalachian Trail (AT) in all four seasons, with a total mileage of about 1100 miles (1770 km). I am a gearhead, a hammock camper, and I make much of my own equipment.

PRODUCT INFORMATION
Manufacturer: Atsco
Year Manufactured: 2005
Manufacturer's Link: http://www.atsko.com/
MSRP: US$6.95
Listed Weight: 7 oz (200 g)
Measured Weight: 8.1 oz (230 g) after waterproofing three items

REVIEW
Sno-Seal is a waterproofing compound. Its primary active ingredient is Beeswax, and this is suspended in a volatile solvent.  Sno-Seal is intended for boots, gloves and other leather garments. It is recommended for use on boots whether they have a GoreTex liner or not.  

The product comes in a clear plastic wide mouth jar with a metal screw top lid, whose volume is about 8 oz (1/4 L). Directions for use are printed on the jar.  The product comes with a caution that it may darken all leather and that suede and split leathers are likely to lose their manufactured finish if the product is used.  Imagine the leather wet with beeswax and this is the finish the product will impart.  

For the test period, I have chosen three initial items to treat with the Sno-Seal.  These include a pair of leather boots, a pair of hand-crafted natural deerskin moccasins, and a pair of unlined black leather gloves.  

To apply the dressing, I began to liberally smear the outside surface of leather with Sno-Seal.  This is not at all like applying boot polish to a shoe.  It is more like smearing the leather with Vaseline.  While doing this, a distinct smell of the solvent is present.  It smells much like paint thinner.

Then I began to use a heat gun to melt the dressing.  The milky thick material turns immediately into a clear thin liquid which is rapidly absorbed into dry leather. I found that is easy to play the heat gun around the surface of the boot, gloves and the bottom of the moccasins.  Taking care not to heat the joint between the boot's sole and the leather upper (for fear of melting glue) it still only takes a few minutes to melt the dressing and to absorb the liquid into the leather.  During this process, the odor of the thinner is dissipated.

The  leather feels a little waxy after the leather cools.  (The label says that regular shoe polish can be applied to the surface of the Sno-Seal treated boots.) The gloves feel slightly cool and almost damp, but there is no evidence of the material flaking off even in the creases of the gloves' fingers.  Initial testing of the moccasins on wet concrete after a rain shows that the bottom of the moccasins are much more water resistant than they were before treatment.  None of the items have any odor after the wax has cooled.

My hands feel a little waxy and smooth after applying the Sno-Seal.  I happen to have gotten my hands wet a lot today, and the waxy material on my dry skin feels good.  

In treating the three leather items, a little less than 1/4 of the Sno-Seal has been consumed.  I wonder how long it will be until the items need to be retreated?

As I evaluate the waterproofing over the next four months, I will be interested in the following:
- How long does the waterproofing last?  How often does the leather need to be re-treated?
- How waterproof is the leather?  Is it practical to use boots without a GoreTex lining in wet conditions?
- Are the gloves usable in rain? Do they keep my fingers warm despite being wet on the outside?
- Can the moccasins be used as a camp shoe in moist conditions, or in snow?
- How well do my feet and hands breathe in boots and gloves treated with Sno-Seal?

What I like so far:
- Natural Beeswax product
- Easy to apply with hands.  Melting can be accomplished with a campfire, heat gun, or hairdryer.
- Makes my hands feel good after using the product.

ANTICIPATED FIELD CONDITIONS FOR THE TEST PERIOD
For the Field reporting period, I plan to use the leather items for several overnight trips in and around Ohio. In addition, I will be using the boots, moccasins, and gloves for a number of day hikes as well as day-to-day use in our Ohio winter weather.   I will be using Sno-Seal protected items in cold, wet, and dry conditions. For the Long Term reporting period, I plan to use the leather in snow, rain, and bitter cold. Altitudes will range from river valleys to mountain tops.