(Photo Credit: U.S. Department of Defense)

Military service is an all-terrain profession. Depending on your MOS and service branch, however, you might be trudging through mud in combat boots that aren’t waterproof. The same goes for veterans, military families and civilians who like camping and hiking, but don’t have footwear that can survive more than a few dunks in the river.

According to Columbia Sportswear, constant water damage will doom your leather shoes.

Leather and even suede are naturally hydrophilic and will leak if there’s enough moisture applied. Once leather becomes wet, water moves from pore to pore while you walk (as the boot flexes there’s a natural pumping action). It stretches and weakens, then as it dries, it shrinks and becomes brittle, drastically impacting the half-life of your boots and potentially damaging the weatherproofness you so desperately need while on the trail.

While buying snazzy waterproofed boots is the obvious solution, Columbia offers a second option for people who want to get some use out of their old boots first: waterproof them yourself.

How to Waterproof Leather Hiking and Combat Boots

Treat your own shoes so that they can keep your feet warm and dry on your next excursion. Waterproofing can be achieved through seven easy steps.

1) Acquire a water repellant finish and seam sealant. There are three types of treatment you can get: oil, wax and silicone. Oil-based waterproofing treatments are best for new boots that haven’t been broken in because oil softens leather. Wax works best when applied in several coats to smooth leather. Silicone isn’t as strong as oil or wax, but it’s great for synthetic and leather shoes.

2) Break in your boots. If you are working with an old pair, this step is probably already completed. If not, walk around in them in a dry location.

3) Clean the leather to maximize the waterproofing effect. Brush off the caked mud around the soles, the streaks of dirt along the seams and any wildlife that may have made a home in your shoes.

4) Seal the stitched seams on your shoes. This will prevent moisture from seeping into your boot. Columbia writes that the best way to seal your seams is to apply thin lines with a syringe.

5) Remove the laces and apply the leather treatment.

6) Let your shoes sit and the treatment to cure overnight. When you return, wipe any excess treatment off.

7) Place your combat boots in a sunny place and leave them so the finish can really soak into the leather. A fully-cured shoe should feel sticky, not tacky. When you believe they are ready, test your shoes with a water droplet test. If the drop glides off the shoe like rain on a duck’s back, your boots are ready.

Columbia Sportswear offers a 15 percent discount to military community members verified through Troop ID.