There is a lot to be said about picking the right boots for the right conditions. Schnees are not meant for the deserts of AZ. However the are the schit in snow or wet grass.
I have a pair of Schnees that have gone through almost as many configurations as MD's. Which gave me a bunch of opportunities to test different boot grease. In general someone makes something that is better for your boots than you can make at home. Here are my picks...
Nikkwax - its the stuff if you have chrome tanned leather, suede out or any breathable membrane in your boots. Just follow their instructions. Using anything that contains wax, fat, or petroleum product isn't meant for chrome tanned leather and/or will plug up or trash your "breathable" liner.
For oil tanned leather, the old time stuff...I have gone through the sno-seal type petroleum type stuff, definitely the worst for the leather and only marginally durable and waterproof. Next best is the "pitch blend" type stuff. Better than petroleum based, but the pitch and the animal fats attract dirt and rot. While better at waterproofing, the leather will eventually crack and rot. My current favorite...Obenaufs, hands down. Almost as waterproof as pitch blend, but really keeps the leather nice and resilient and prevents cracking and dirt accumulation. If you haven't really run it, you don't know what you are missing.
