I reviewed a variety of Nikwax products on the old version of this blog in years past, like wool wash and sandal wash. They made other formulations that are specially meant for washing base layers, down, or technical waterproof gear. After all, you can’t just toss all this apparel in the washing machine and hope for the best, plus on the road you’re often doing sink washing. So these solutions keep your gear clean and fresh.

Something else handy I’ve used a lot is their waterproofing wax for leather, which will turn a plain pair of leather shoes or boots into waterproof ones, usually without altering the color. There’s a nice applicator sponge on the end so you can do a good job without getting messy.

You would think that stuff like this would be a big mess of toxic chemicals, but the Nikwax products have been getting more and more environmentally friendly all the time. Water-based, no flourocarbons, no propellants, not tested on animals, and put out by a company that strives hard to reduce it’s impact. (Nikwax recently earned the ISO 14001 certificate for environmental awareness.) And of course by extending the life of existing shoes and apparel, Nikwax cuts down on churn and tossing of old stuff into landfills.

Another big improvement is one the way. At the Outdoor Retailers show I attended Nikwax was showing off some handy 1.7-ounce sizes coming out later this year. That puts them below the TSA liquids ban cut-off, so you will be able to take something in your carry-on to spruce up your hiking boots mid-trek or your sandals mid-vacation.

I’ve used a variety of these washes and waterproofing solutions before and during my travels and they have helped me keep my older gear looking good and working longer. Considering most of these solutions retail for somewhere between six and nine dollars, they’re an easy investment to justify.

You can easily find Nikwax products at your local independent retailer or you can order them online from REI, Backcountry, or Rock Creek.