One aspect of footwear that doesn’t get enough attention is the aftercare. Sure, we can all pick out great-looking loafers, sneakers, dress shoes, and boots… but truth be told, it’s pretty difficult to keep them in tip-top shape.
Short of moving next door to a cobbler or hanging out way too often at airports, you’ve got to invest in some kind of shoe polish. There are lots of different brands on the market and today, we’ll look at three popular polishes from Red Moose, Saphir, and Kiwi!
If You’re Looking For Quality… Red Moose or Saphir
Saphir is the premium product and comes with the premium price tag. Red Moose is made in the USA and acts and feels like a premium product, but it doesn’t come with the premium price tag. Red Moose’s Cream Shoe Polish is $10.98, and Saphir’s jar of polish costs around $20.
When I tried Red Moose on one of my shoes and Saphir on the other, my shoe with the Red Moose polish felt and looked just as good as the one with the Saphir polish, but I felt better knowing that I spent far less on Red Moose. Kiwi is even more affordable, but like I mentioned above, it’s a lot more work to get to the same result and I wasn’t confident that it would last even a week before having to re-apply.
If Perks Are Important To You… Red Moose
I really like that Red Moose has membership perks through its Crimson Club, including sign-up store credits, discounts, free expedited shipping, early access to new products, exclusive access to members-only products, anniversary credits, and priority customer support. It really feels like joining a community of shoe addict guys just like me. And, with over 25,000 5-star reviews, I can tell that Red Moose really focuses on delivering a great customer experience.
If You’re On A Budget… Kiwi
Kiwi is definitely the low-cost option, but since I suspect that it would require more re-applications, that low price may actually end up costing me more. If you’re on vacation and just need a throwaway shoe polish in a pinch, Kiwi is a good option to pick up, but I wouldn’t necessarily keep it as my main polish.
If You’re Looking For Easy Application… Red Moose or Saphir
Red Moose and Saphir both apply very smoothly and only require one or two coats to achieve the desired result. Kiwi feels cakey and dry in comparison. While it was possible to get to the same end result with Kiwi, it required substantially more applications and some elbow grease. As a guy who wants to spend his time wearing his shoes rather than polishing them, easy application is a huge plus.
If You Have a Big Shoe Collection … Red Moose
I’m a shoe guy, so I have a large shoe collection. I know that my sneakers require different products than my dress shoes. Luckily, Red Moose offers a ton of different products and kits including sneaker-specific cleaners, whiteners, and deodorizers. If you have more than just black and brown dress shoes, Red Moose will spell out exactly what you need with their ready-made kits for home and travel, or you can build your own kit.
Red Moose’s customer service is pretty top-notch, too–if you’re not sure about the products you need, they’re happy to advise. Their website is also super easy to navigate and helped me get the exact products I needed.
The Ultimate Winner… Red Moose
Red Moose is my favorite because of how approachable their products are - both in spelling out what I need and for the price point. I like that I can create my own kit with anywhere from 2-15 pieces and that their cream polish is rich in natural waxes, oils, and pigments that clean, preserve and restore color to faded footwear and leather. I can also use the polish on other leather goods such as wallets, duffle bags, and furniture.
