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Hiking Light
– Caring For Your Ultralight Performance Clothing and Gear High performance backpacking clothing and gear can be a substantial investment. Since most of the fabrics are synthetics, it’s good to know how to clean them and make them last.
The most obvious instructions are those on the care tag. If you are a super fanatic and remove tags to save weight, at least save the tags and write a brief note as to what tag goes with each piece of clothing.
It’s a pretty safe bet that many hikers throw their hiking gear in with the rest of the wash. Depending on your settings and detergents, this might work or it might damage the performance qualities of the fabric.
If you keep your apparel clean it will last longer and perform better. When you do have to wash gear, remember that the washing process is stressful to any fabric, so it’s better to hand wash. This doesn’t have to be a long, tedious job. Soaking for a few minutes is usually more beneficial than having your clothes twist back and forth in a washing machine. Very few hiking garments should be dry cleaned. It’s always best to avoid those chemicals anyway. Harsh detergents and dry cleaning chemicals can harm your clothing’s performance coatings.
When cleaning your synthetic fabrics, use a minimum of laundry products. Their additives can clog fabric, reducing the wicking power of the fiber. Never use scented detergents, bleach, dryer sheets, or fabric softeners. You can turn garments inside out to avoid snags. Always wash your synthetic clothing separate from cotton garments. This keeps cotton fibers out of the fabric and greatly reduces drying time. Wash on a cold, gentle setting. Never get your synthetic gear too hot. Cool tumble dry, or better yet, hang to dry – that’s what they are made to do. They’ll avoid gradual shrinkage, and they’ll look better, too.
Remember that not all synthetics are alike. Some can go in a washing machine. Some can be tumble dried, while others should never go in the dryer. Some garments can have their performance qualities restored by using commercially purchased products suited to the gear.
For cleaning Gore-Tex and other breathable synthetic outer shell clothing, follow the instructions on the label. These can usually be machine-washed in cold water using a special Gore-Tex cleaner or gentle powder soap that contains no bleach.
Polar fleece can be cleaned in the washing machine using cold to warm water. Turn it inside out to avoid pilling. Don’t wash with other items because the fleece will attract fluff and leave fluff on other non-fleece clothing. It can be tumble dried. Pilling gets worse with each wash.
You can wash your down jacket much the
same as you care for your down sleeping bag. Extend
the life of your jacket by keeping it as clean as possible so you
don’t have to wash it too often. Wear
clean clothing when possible to protect against trail dirt, body
oils, sweat, and lotions that can harm the down.
You need to rinse with clear water several
times to make sure you get the soap out. Some
manufacturers tell you to rinse 3 or more times, but even using small
amounts of soap, you may want to rinse 10 times or more. Getting
all of the soap out is critical. Empty the sink or tub with each
rinse and let the water drain out. The thing you want to be
really careful about is pulling or lifting your jacket went it is wet
and at its heaviest. The stitching or
interior baffles can be ripped loose. One
trick you can use is to put the jacket in a mesh bag and carefully and
slowly lifting that bag to knead the soap in and to rinse the water
out. Press on your jacket to remove the water after each rinse,
but don’t ring out the water. If you wash your jacket in a
front loading washer, run it through a second cycle without soap to get
all the suds out.
When you return home from a hike, letting your sleeping bag and other gear dry out is one of the most important things to do. Place your sleeping bag and tent in a warm area away from kids and pets. Letting your gear dry thoroughly is far easier than removing that mildew smell later. Your lightweight
running shoes are efficient and comfortable for ultralight hiking, and
they’re easy to clean after a dusty hike. Just
let them soak in a sink or small tub. You
can quickly scrub them with a brush, rinse them, and let them dry with
the help of a fan. Take care of your ultralight performance clothing and gear and they will continue to take care of you. Click here to see our
clothing and other ultralight gear Contact |
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