How to Care for Kangaroo Leather Football Boots

Kangaroo leather is the classic choice for football boots because it is thin, strong and molds to your foot. It also needs a little care. Treat it well and a leather pair can outlast several synthetic ones, especially if you resole it when the studs wear out.

Why kangaroo leather feels different

At the same thickness, kangaroo leather has about three times the tensile strength of calfskin. That lets the upper be thinner, so you feel the ball better. It also molds to your foot quickly, usually within two or three hours of wear. The trade-off is that thin leather dries out and stretches if you neglect it.

After every session

1. Knock off the mud while it is still soft. Clean the studs and the sole with a stiff brush.
2. Wipe the upper with a damp cloth. No dishwasher, no washing machine, no soaking.
3. Open the boots up. Loosen the laces fully and pull the tongue forward so air reaches the inside.
4. Stuff them with newspaper if they are wet. It soaks up moisture and helps them keep their shape. Change the paper when it gets damp.

How to dry them

Let leather boots dry slowly at room temperature in a well-ventilated place. Keep them away from radiators, heaters, hair dryers and direct sun. Fast heat makes leather stiff, cracks it and can weaken the glue that holds the sole on.

Condition the leather

Once the boots are fully dry, rub a thin layer of leather conditioner into the upper with a soft cloth, then wipe off the excess. Do this every few weeks, or more often if you play in rain. In our workshop we use a natural leather moisturizer on leather uppers. A conditioned upper stays soft and resists cracking at the flex point.

Things that shorten a leather boot's life

• Leaving them in a sports bag, wet, until the next game
• Drying them on a heater
• Wearing firm ground studs on hard artificial turf every week, which wears the studs and stresses the sole
• Ignoring a small separation between the upper and the sole until it tears wider

When the sole wears out first

With good care, the leather upper often outlives the studs. That is the moment to resole instead of replacing the boots: the worn soleplate comes off, a new one goes on, and you keep the upper you have broken in. See how resoling works and what it costs.