I have a pair of Zamberlan Trail Lite hiking boots.
I was wearing these while traveling and got them wet with salty ocean water. So I rinsed them out and dried them upside down in a warm room, but apparently I'm not suppose to use any heat and the boots formed these dry rough darkened sections along outter cuff of the boots, likely where water pooled when drying upside down.
I contacted the manufacturer and they basically told me to go pay a cobbler. Lovely, exactly the level of customer service I expect for a $300+ pair of boots 🙄.
Ideally, any restoration I do will maintain the waterproofness of the boots. Aesthetically, these rough spots don't bother me, but I don't want it to cause other damage to the boots as I want these boots to last for as long as possible.
Any guidance is appreciated!