Regular care can extend the life of your high performance apparel and gear. Here are some tips to help keep your outdoor gear at peak performance. Always be sure to read and follow the care instructions on the manufacturer's label. Proper care will vary depending on the fiber content, finishes and linings and also drying requirements.

With that said, we will give you sound advice for cleaning fabric & leather products. We have found these to be sensible methods for caring for your outdoor gear.

Technical fabrics:

DWR, laminated, encapsulated and coated fabric manufacturers agree that is best to wash their products with a non-detergent soap. Never use detergents with fabric softeners, perfumes or any additive type product. Many detergents with additives leave "surfactants" behind on a fabric's fibers that inhibit the technical performance. Clean garments and gear regularly, or when it's needed. Built-up dirt can get ground deep into the fabric, making stains difficult to remove and can even damage the fabric.

Fabric softener and dryer sheets are not recommended for use in just about every category technical fabrics. Dryer sheets are a form of fabric softener that is commonly found in the United States. -Use mesh washing bags (we offer several brands of bags in our store) for small items such as slings, belts & socks to keep them from tangling and getting lost. On finer fabrics, use a "Gentle" cycle. Close all zippers and attach "hook and loop" closures on gloves.

Sort and launder items made of natural and manufactured fibers separately. Natural fibers can release oils which can be attracted to and stain manufactured fibers like polyester and nylon.

Be sure to use the low heat setting for the dryer. Fabrics, linings, or insulations could shrink or be otherwise damaged from using too hot a temperature or from leaving garments in the dryer too long. Take items out of the dryer when they're slightly damp. If they are hot to the touch, you waited too long.

Fibers such as acrylic, nylon, polyester, and polyolefin dry very quickly, and should be watched closely. Polyolefin can actually melt if the dryer temperature gets too high. -This will often restore the fabric and help the water and wind repellent qualities. If in doubt, hang the clothing to dry.

Cotton, Wool & Fleece:

Cotton :: Cotton can be easily laundered. Use a quality non-detergent soap and the results will be a brighter, longer lasting garment. Cotton can withstand high temperatures (boiling water does not hurt the fiber). Use of bleach as recommended by the manufacturer.

Don't overload the washer. If the washer is too full, the clothes won't get enough agitation, and may not get clean. Also, all the detergent may not be dissolved, leaving globs of detergent paste on fabric. Liquid detergents such as Nikwax Tech Wash or Atsko Sport Wash can be an economical way to care for fine natural fabrics.

Cleaning Backpacks & Tents ::

Given the amount of stitching and straps of most backpacks and the delicate fabrics used in modern lightweight tents. It's best to wash these by hand in a large basin or bath tub. Mix the appropriate amount of soap into a bath and hand wash each item. Its a little more labor intensive, but this will result in a clean and undamaged pack or tent. Once the tent has been cleaned and thoroughly rinsed. You can use the same tub for any waterproofing treatment you are planning.

Drying down filled clothing, sleeping bags :: Tumble drying is best. You can dry by using the hang drying method, but tumble drying in a large machine on low to medium heat, is far better. Bring a good book and a roll of quarters. If your laundromat has an 'extractor' machine, use it. This high speed drum will gently spin a lot of water out of the garment/sleeping bag and will speed up the drying process.

Tumble drying helps fluff-up the down and bringing back the loft. Some people recommend adding a few clean tennis balls or a pair of sneakers to the dryer in an effort to fluff the down and break-up the wet clumps. We feel that the light weight of tennis balls does very little to help. A pair of sneakers on the other hand could damage the item. We suggested pulling the item out of the dryer and manually checking for wet clumps breaking them up with your fingers every 15 minutes.

Boots & Leather ::

Cleaning leather :: There are many types of leather. The tanning process is different in many different applications. While some leather treatments never look the same after it has been washed. We'll try to break the cleaning process down into their respective categories. Make sure to choose the proper method as cleaning leather improperly can result in a less than desirable outcome.

Types of leather include ::

• Vegetable Tanned - Oak (bark) and other plants contain natural tannins. When these are used to make leather is called vegetable tanned (or vege-tanned). Vege-tanned leather can stretch especially when soaked in water. It can also be carved, molded, hardened, dyed, painted, oiled, waxed. It is also the most "period" leather available.
• Chrome Tanned - This leather is made by soaking the hide in an acidic bath high in chromium. When you cut a piece of chrome tanned leather, the edge will look gray. It is much less stretchy than vege-tanned, but it cannot be carved, molded etc. It should still take some dyes. Chrome tanned leather is relatively cheap, and for the price you may as well buy something that's been factory dyed to your color.

Boots & Leather

Cleaning :: The first step to proper boot and leather maintenance is regular cleaning. Small particles of dirt can work their way into the fibers of the leather causing it to dry out and break down. After use rinse off mud and dirt with tap water. To remove oil-based dirt, excess wax and stubborn grime that will not be cleaned by plain water use Nikwax Footwear Cleaning Gel or Revivex Leather Gel and a nylon brush. Be sure to clean the linings of your boots with a warm damp cloth after each use as well. Salt from perspiration can pass into the lining rapidly destroying the leather making it dry and cracked. Drying :: . Start by removing the laces and insoles.

Drying leather :: Dry boots slowly at room temperature. Do not expose boots to a direct heat source. Excessive heat can cause irreversible damage to the leather and is harmful to the adhesives used in boot construction. To help dry a boot that has been filled with water or is thoroughly soaked, we recommend stuffing it with newspaper. Replace wet newspaper and repeat until boot is dry. If you're in a bigger hurry to get them dry? We offer boot and glove dryers. Check out the store for more great ideas.