Product Care
Why wash your technical Outerwear?
- Better Performance: Outdoor adventures can be physical ordeals, Regular cleaning helps remove dirt, grime, sweat and oil build ups which block the performance characteristics of the materials and fabrics.
- Extend the Life of your gear: Regular maintenance elevates your gears performance by revitalizing the functional features of the materials and treatments applied at the factory during manufacturing.
- Reduce Waste/Environmental Footprint: Maintaining your favourite gear gives you long term use and less strain on precious resources.
- Save Money! Maintaining your gear for long term use is also a financially smart thing to do.
But doesn’t washing outerwear damage the Fabric / Gore-Tex / DWR?
NO! here is a misconception that washing gear that is DWR-treated degrades the DWR itself. While this is true for your brand new item, as soon as you start wearing it in the wild, it begins to get dirty.
Dirt, oil and sweat decrease the effectiveness of all DWR treatments. Washing your dirty outerwear will help revitalise the performance of the DWR treatment.
However, not all cleaning products are the same, Standard detergents and washing powders leave a hydrophilic residue behind that will block the DWR’s effectiveness. Nikwax cleaning products safely clean your outerwear, accessories, and gear. Revitalising DWR, breathability and insulation properties.
FAQ's
How does DWR work?
Water beads because it has high surface tension. A Durable Water Repellent (DWR) treatment takes advantage of this property by creating a rough spikey surface at the molecular level on the fabric so water beads rather than seeping through. Making your gear becoming hydrophobic rather than hydrophilic (repel rather than attract).
When and how often should I wash my gear?
We think that the general rule is: the more you use it, the more you wash it. You do not have to wash your outerwear after every use, and you don't need to re-waterproof your gear every time you clean.
But regular cleaning revitalizes the item's DWR, so we recommend washing your gear when it shows signs of wetting out and re-waterproofing when cleaning alone does not revitalize the DWR (i.e., water no longer beads on the fabric surface).
What type of detergent should I use?
Choosing the right detergent is just as important as the washing itself. Conventional laundry detergents leave a water-attractive (hydrophilic) residue that masks DWR, causing fabrics to absorb water and "wet out." Nikwax produce multiple cleaning products tailored to do specific applications, it is our recommended cleaning option.
Do I need to reapply DWR treatment after every wash?
Regular cleaning allows you to clean your gear multiple times before re-waterproofing. When cleaning alone does not revitalize your gear's DWR (e.g., water does not bead on the fabric surface), it's time to re-waterproof using a suitable waterproofer like Nikwak Reproofer.
My gear is still wetting out, even after washing and reapplying DWR. What am I doing wrong?
You may have standard detergent residue still in your washing machine, Before washing your outerwear, run a rinse cycle, that might help.
Before cleaning, it's a good idea to check it over, How are the zips? Is your gear fraying at the edges or coming apart at the seams? Fabrics naturally break down over time, as do waterproof/breathable material laminates - even with regular cleaning and care.
Hard Shell and Soft Shell Outerwear
Technical Hard shell outerwear is constructed with 2-3 layers of fabric laminated together to create a waterproof, breathable barrier against the elements. Soft shell outerwear is just that, softer and stretchier than a hardshell, offering a fantastic range of motion and comfort.
To maintain the performance and breathability of either type of shell, a technical detergent and DWR waterproofer are required. Our preferred cleaner is Nikwax, who make outerwear-specific detergent specifically for both hard and soft shells.
Like any product that requires cleaning, follow the instructions on the garment care label, outerwear detergent, and waterproofer. For best results, we recommend Nikwax Tech Wash and Nikwax TX.Direct for hard shells.
Tips for washing hard and soft shells:
- Do not use conventional detergents. For best results, we recommend using Nikwax Tech Wash
- Run the rinse cycle one time on your washing machine before adding your item to rinse remaining detergent residue from washer.
- Check and empty pockets, close all zippers and Velcro.
- Select ‘Extra Rinse’ cycle on washing machine if available.
- Follow instructions on garment care label and aftercare products.
Tips for drying hard and soft shells:
- Line dry or tumble on low setting if the care label allows. The warm air in the dryer reactivates the item’s DWR.
- If you do hang your gear to dry, the DWR can also be reactivated by using an iron to warm the fabric. Be sure to place a towel or other fabric between the iron and your outerwear item, making sure the iron is on a low setting.
Down Insulation
Duck and Goose Down is one of nature's best insulators, offering superior warmth-to-weight and excellent packability. Washing down gear removes surface stains and revitalizes down that has compacted after extended wear.
Tips for washing Down:
- Do not use conventional detergents. For best results, we recommend using Nikwax Down Wash Direct
- Use a front-loading washing machine or a top-loading machine that does not have an agitator. The agitator will damage the baffles on your down item.
- Run the rinse cycle one time on your washing machine before adding your down item to rinse remaining conventional detergent residue from washer.
- Pre-soak your down item in a sink with clean water to thoroughly soak its materials. This will allow the detergent to fully penetrate and clean more effectively.
- Select ‘Extra Rinse’ cycle on washing machine if available.
- Follow instructions on garment care label and aftercare products.
- Run spin cycle multiple times beginning on low speed, incrementally increasing the spin speed to remove excess water. Wet down is heavy, so if items are spun too quickly while holding a large amount of water, you may damage the internal baffles.>
Tips for drying Down:
- Do not leave it wet. Leaving Down wet can ruin it completely.
- If garment care label allows, tumble dry on a low setting until the down clumps have disappeared. This may take multiple drying cycles, and the shell of the item will dry much quicker than the down inside. Teasing apart clumps by hand between drying cycles will help restore the loft more quickly.
- Add one or two dryer balls or clean tennis balls to dryer during cycle to help break up clumps. This will not damage your dryer.
- Ensure sufficient room in the tumble dryer to house the item once dry, as items will return to their original size during the drying process.
Synthetic Insulation
Gear that uses synthetic insulation requires less attention than its down-filled counterparts and can be cleaned similarly to hard and softshell outerwear. We recommend following the same guidelines for cleaning synthetic outerwear.
Tips for washing Synthetic Insulation:
- Do not use conventional detergents. For best results, we recommend using Nikwax Tech Wash.
- Run the rinse cycle one time on your washing machine before adding your item to rinse remaining detergent residue from washer.
- Check and empty pockets, close all zippers and Velcro.
- Select ‘Extra Rinse’ cycle on washing machine if available.
- Follow instructions on garment care label and aftercare products.
Tips for drying Synthetic Insulation:
- Line dry or tumble on low setting if the care label allows. The warm air in the dryer reactivates the item’s DWR.
- If you do hang your gear to dry, the DWR can also be reactivated by using an iron to warm the fabric. Be sure to place a towel or other fabric between the iron and your outerwear item, making sure the iron is on a low setting.
Gloves and Gear
Gloves take a lot of abuse, receiving the most abrasion and grime of all outerwear. Damaging UV rays can can take their toll on tents and shelters and is often overlooked. The same amount of care allotted to your outerwear should be used on your gloves, tent rain fly, and bivy sacks. We recommend Nikwax Tech Wash for gloves and Nikwax Tent & Gear SolarWash to reproof your tents and bivy sacks.
Tips for washing Gloves:
- Do not use conventional detergents. For best results, we recommend using Nikwax Tech.
- Run the rinse cycle one time on your washing machine before adding your item to rinse remaining detergent residue from washer.
- Check and empty pockets, close all zippers and Velcro.
- Select 'gentle cycle' and ‘Extra Rinse’ cycle (low speed) on washing machine if available.
- Follow instructions on garment care label and aftercare products.
Tips for drying Gloves and Gear:
- Line dry or tumble on low setting if the care label allows. The warm air in the dryer reactivates the item’s DWR.
- If you do hang your gear to dry, the DWR can also be reactivated by using an iron to warm the fabric. Be sure to place a towel or other fabric between the iron and your outerwear item, making sure the iron is on a low setting.
