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I’m not an advocate of spending too much time
washing my rainwear - after all it’s just going to get filthy
again on the next outing, but a trip to the laundromat can be a
good thing and it does allow one the opportunity to audition for
the next Levis advertisement.
Industrial Revolution
An occasional wash will help prolong the functional life of your
Storm Trooper or Flash Gordon. Unless you’re in the back of
beyond or suffering a power blackout you’re best to avoid hand
washing. Machines clean better, rinse better (it’s important
not to leave soap or detergent residue lurking in technical fabrics
like HydroFoil™)… and leave you to indulge in more enjoyable
pursuits while your gear takes a spin. A warm cycle is the go. Try
to avoid using cold-water detergents - they contain enzymes that
are super-charged to brave the cold but can damage technical fabrics
and may cause skin irritation too. Chlorine bleach is also a no-no.
So it’s quite the health spa on offer for your jacket. Select
a soap-based product - ideally use a specific sport wash like Grangers
Extreme Cleaner, Nikwax Tech Wash or our new favourite Atsko 'Sport Wash' (from the makers of 'Sno Seal'). Around NZ$30 from most outdoor
shops. Check out www.grangers.co.uk ; www.nikwax.com
; www.atsko.com for more info.
Heat Treatment
General wear ‘n’ tear, rolling around in the mud and
subsequent washing progressively removes the 'Durable Water-Repellent
Coating' (DWR) from the outside of the HydroFoil™ fabric.
The DWR causes rain to bead and run off - enhancing the overall
performance of the fabric by prolonging the time before the fabric
'wets-out'. Even when saturated, the fabric remains waterproof but
wetting-out does inhibit its breathability so is best prevented.
Aside from that it’s unpleasant to feel like you’re wearing
a sodden Weet-Bix. The DWR is easily restored after each wash by
chucking your jacket in the dryer using a warm (not hot) cycle.
This 'recharges' the water-repellent treatment so it lasts a bit
longer.
Face Lift
With time, the trick with the dryer no longer does its magic
to revitalise the DWR. That’s OK though as it is easy to reapply
the treatment with a wash-in product like Grangers Extreme Synthetics or
Nikwax TX Direct (around NZ$30-40 from most outdoor shops). A bottle
is good for two or three rounds with your jacket. It’s simple
to use…
- Get your jacket nice and clean as per the above
instructions.
- Empty the specified amount of gunk into the detergent
reservoir. Fill with sufficient water to let the jacket move freely
in the wash.
- Titillate for at least half an hour in a warm (not
hot) dryer. This activates the waterproofing treatment and increases
the durability of the water repellency. Being a neo-luddite, Ernie
doesn’t actually own a dryer, but a full day on the rack
in the bell tower seems to do the trick!
Atsko Permanent Water Guard is a spray on DWR treatment, a solvent free water-based product that 'wet's out' the fabric before throwing into the dryer (again). Guaranteed for an inordinate amount of washes (25) if used in conjunction with their Sports Wash product. For more insight into the world of washing technical fabrics the www.atsko.com website is a huge resource.
Hey presto — old faithful is just like a new
one, fully prepared for your next encounter with mother nature.
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