Christophe Noel
Expedition Leader
I still don't think so. Don't get me wrong, I love me some leather, but modern synthetics, particularly when protected with heavy rands and reinforcements...pretty darn tough. With the latest crop of boots built with no exposed seams, they're even more durable.Leather will last far longer than synthetics. They are easier to clean and maintain with something like Nikwax or Obermans.
I think it's these generalizations that don't hold up. A leather boot can be made from premium leather like Idro Perwanger Rough-out, or it could be made with leather peeled from crapped out old dairy cows, which is pretty common. Likewise, not all synthetics are the same.