Alden Leather Defender: Alden Shoes in the Rain

Protecting Your Alden Shoes From Wet Weather

In last week's blog, we discussed suede shoe care, including using rain and stain repellents to protect suede. This week, we're going to discuss some other leathers Alden uses and how to protect them from rain as well. Plus, we'll explain Alden's Leather Defender: what it is and how to use it on your  Alden shoes.

Protect Alden Shell Cordovan Shoes

Horween's Shell Cordovan leather can go a very long time without conditioning or maintenance as it is already highly impregnated with waxes and oils--and it has a dense surface that allows it a high shine. For the most part, all your Shell Cordovan Shoes need is a good brushing with a horsehair brush. They only really need to be polished once a month--or even less, depending on how often you wear them. We'll talk a bit more about regular care and maintenance for Shell Cordovan shoes next week.

We recommend inserting a pair of shoe trees before you begin your shoe care routine. This not only helps your shoes dry out and retain their shape, but also gives you a good surface to work on so you can use a lighter touch. You really do not need to use that much product on Shell Cordovan shoes, a light application is all you need.

Always be sure to clean the dirt off your shell cordovan shoes before applying wax or other shoe care products. Applying shoe care products over dirt can cause that dirt to settle in and become very difficult to remove. You can brush your shoes with an  Alden Horsehair Brush or use a slightly damp cotton cloth to remove dirt.

You can also help protect your shell cordovan shoes by using Alden's leather defender. See the instructions below.

If you want to be extra safe or you live in an area with a lot of rain, you might want to look into purchasing a pair of SWIMS Galoshes. Read  more about SWIMS here.

Protecting Alden Chromexcel Shoes

Chromexcel is a special type of leather made by  Horween Leather Co in Chicago. This tannage has remained mostly unchanged for over a century. It is well known for it's durability despite its suppleness.

Chromexcel usually doesn't need conditioning for a very long time and typically, no treatment is necessary before your first wear. Nick Horween mentions that the final step for Chromexcel is a coat of neatsfoot oil, so that is what he most often recommends for conditioning. Venetian Cream or Saphir Renovateur are also options. At TheShoeMart, we like  Skidmore's Leather Cream for Chromexcel, particularly the Navy CXL, as the cream is natural and colorless.

When it is time to clean your shoes, all you need is a few cotton cloths, a horsehair brush, and your conditioner of choice. Use a slightly damp cloth to clean, allow to dry, brush, apply lightly your conditioner, set about 10 minutes. Then buff lightly with a soft cloth.

You can add a layer of Alden leather defender to Chromexcel shoes as a rain and stain repellent that adds a bit of a shine. If you're looking for something with a bit less shine for your chromexcel Alden Indy Boots, you can try out  Skidmore's beeswax waterproofing.

Using Alden Leather Defender

It started raining while you were at work and you're wearing your new shell cordovan Alden shoes. Alden advises against using silicone-based sprays or aerosols on Shell Cordovan, so what're you to do? Introducing   Alden Leather Defender.

Alden Leather Defender is a water-based spray that helps protect your smooth leather shoes from rain and stains. Alden's Leather Defender provides water-resistance, but it is not a waterproofing spray.  It works by creating a layer between your shell cordovan shoes and water or stains, making it harder for them to penetrate the leather. It is the safest option for your shell cordovan footwear. 

Alden Leather Defender is also safe on Chromexcel leather, but it really shines (pardon the pun) on Shell Cordovan. It is not recommended for use on suede. If you're looking to protect your Alden suede shoes, take a look at last week's blog.

How To Use Alden Leather Defender:

Spray on a soft cotton or white tee shirt cloth and wipe shoes thoroughly. Allow to dry for approximately 5 minutes, and finish using the reverse side of the clean soft cloth.

You can apply Alden Leather Defender right away, before you wear your shoes for the first time, for best results. 

It can also be used as the last step after cleaning and caring for your shoes. As mentioned above, you will not need to use wax or conditioner often on Shell Cordovan, but you should brush them regularly. 

Alden Leather Defender should be re-applied every few months.