Boot Polish?

A question about : Boot Polish?

Hi there,
My DS aged 16 had his army selection last week and is off to AFC Harrogate in September. We've not yet got the kit list but looking at last year's I've been spreading the cost and buying bits n pieces each week.
The list just says Boot Polish, but from reading around I understand it is Kiwi brand only. I've bought a couple of tins of the Parade Gloss black, but I wondered if the normal black was suitable. It's half the price so if it will do I'll just get this one.

or
?

Thanks in advance.

Best answers:

• In the past, I have used No 2.
  My boots are just brush polished, however the toe cap of shoes needs to be mirror finished. There are plenty of methods out there which no doubt they will learn.
• Thanks, that's the cheaper one! Every little helps and all that.
• Number 2! .........
• Never use parade gloss.
• Parade gloss cracks.
• Agree. And often leads to a slightly greyish tint. Normal black kiwi is always the way to go....
• Young , stupid and all of us were up for short cuts, Instant floor polish on our shoes, it rained, the out come? extra duties and more shoe polishing...
  OP,, No2, bit of spit and rubbing
• Thank you! I'll try to return the Parade gloss and swap for the cheaper one.
• He will be issued the new brown boots which are made by Altberg or Haix depending on which he is issued.
  The Altberg boots are supposed to be used with a specific Altberg polish*. I know we issued the JS with this polish for the last intake but I'm unsure if this was a one off till it became stocked by the shop on camp.
  I would advise buying him 1 tin of black kiwi and 1 tin of brown. That's it. This will cover him incase he gets issued any black boots (highly unlikely but he will be issued black shoes later in the course for his No2 uniform) but also cover him for the brown ones till he can either buy the Altberg polish from the shop or be issued with it.
  *No idea if it makes a difference or it's an Altberg sales pitch
• Am sure I remember using the floor polish stuff, was it called Bloo or did it just go blue?? I remember the girls in my platoon getting out the clear nail polish for a short cut.............. in the end, nothing works better than graft!!
• Chances are he'll have brown boots for day to day and black shoes/boots for parades.
  Normal Kiwi black is better than parade for the black option.
  But if he's issued the brown boots don't get the Kiwi Dark Tan for the brown as the Officer Cadets at Sandhurst found it turned their boots an odd pinkish colour.
  TBH the Spar shop at the AFC will have the polish he needs so don't send too much as the DS will make sure that if it's needed someone will go to the shop for it at some point (first few weeks are very restricted but usually the DS will 'treat' them to a visit for essentials like polish at some point).
• TBH and from current experience, but the only polish I would only use the Altberg polish. it is more expensive but it is so much better than kiwi which turns the boots deep red.
  PS only Altbergs or haix are issued
• Thanks for your replies.
  When we finally got the kit list ( just over a week ago ffs, how would someone on a low income manage to get it together in such a short time if they waited til then?) it didn't actually have boot polish on it, that and he's finally managed to contact a mate who started there in March who said he was given brown boots suggests he'll probably not even need the Kiwi stuff.
  He wants to take a tin and see how it goes. If he doesn't need it at least my Doc Marten's will have no excuse not to be nice and shiny .
• I work at the Army Training Centre Pirbright. The new issue brown boots are made by Altberg. They recommend Leder Gris Polish, MOD Brown. This is not just a money making exercise. Kiwi Mid or Dark Tan alter the colour of the boots and it is impossible to reverse. Also because of the leather treatment, the petro chemicals in Kiwi cause the leather to harden and crack.
• Sorry to jump on this thread but my son has just got his intake date through and was thinking of making a start on buying what he will need to take with him, he will be going to Pirbright to do his basic. would anyone know where i could get a list of what he will need to take with him as has not been given one yet thanks.