Cowboy Clinic

Buying Quality Snake Skin Boots

No piece of Western clothing is quite as ruggedly striking as a good pair of snake skin boots. Not only do they feature great eye appeal, but a quality made pair is very durable as well. Snake skin is superbly soft, and will mold to your foot like a hand to a glove.

When buying boots made from snake, insist only on genuine, high quality leather. The boots should be loose enough in the toes so as to pinch but not so loose as to move around on the foot during locomotion causing blisters on the heel. When you try the boots on for size, they should feel a bit tight on your feet. They will stretch out with wear to accommodate your foot, eventually becoming as comfortable and as easy to slip in and out of as a well-worn pair of house slippers. If you are going to wear your boots to dance (and what better way to draw attention to yourself while two stepping than a gorgeous pair of snake skin boots?) or to walk a great deal, then consider going with a lower heel. Leave the very high heels for those who actually spend a lot of time on horse back. In addition, while there are many ready-made boots that are quite nice and comfortable, nothing will ever have quite the heavenly feel on your feet as a pair of broken in hand made snake skin boots. A boot of this quality will not be cheap, and if a pair is offered to you cheaply, do not buy them. They are certainly a low quality imitation that will have neither the durability nor comfort of the genuine article. Quality snake skin boots are one of the soundest fashion investments you can make, for they will never go out of style in the Western lands and will last out one's life given proper care.

Caring for your boots is equally important as care in selecting them. Begin any cleaning regimen by wiping off dust, dirt and mud with a dry cloth or soft brush, going with the directional grain of the scale growth of the boot leather. Be sure to remove any built up crud from the more difficult to access cracks and crevices. With a slightly damp cloth, wipe once again to remove the remainder of fine particles. Then, and this is the most critical step, apply a high quality conditioner specifically designed for reptile leathers. This last part cannot be emphasized enough; the proper conditioner is the absolute key to keeping your boots intact and lustrous for years to come. If you want to bring out the shine in your boots, apply one layer of a neutral colored leather polish, once again one designed specifically for reptile leather. Apply a single coat and then buff with a soft cloth. One may also use a silicon free water and stain protector after cleaning if so desired. The only other step required to keep your boots in good condition for years is to take them to a skilled cobbler periodically for resoling.