As the autumn begins to roll in, it is time to start sorting your winter gear. For me this means getting everything waterproofed and ready for the Manchester rain. A lot of people have been asking about the reproofing process so here’s How to Reproof your coat with Nikwax.
Although our coats are only around a year old, they get an incredible amount of wear all the way through the year. (take a look at my weekly vlogs!) Because of the amount of wear they get, they do start to be that little bit less waterproof. I have used Nikwax for years on our hiking coats and have had excellent results. This means that we get to keep our kit in tip-top condition for far longer.
How to reproof your coat with Nikwax
There are a couple of ways that you can reproof your gear, but in this post, I am going to share with you how to do it in your washing machine. Not only is this the less time-consuming method, it also gets a better coverage of the coat.
What you’ll need:
A washing machine
Somewhere to dry your coat
Steps for how to reproofing your coat
Step 1 – clean the machine
The first step is to clean all washing powder residue from your washing machine. You can do this by hand or as I do, set your machine to 60C and run the cycle. I do this because it helps to keep my machine running more efficiently by clearing out any buildup of produce in the pipes.
Step 2 – empty pockets and zip zips
Empty out all pockets on your coat, as you don’t want to have a tissue incident. Then zip all zips shut. This helps to keep the shape of the coat while it is in the washing machine.
Step 3 – Tech Wash
To make sure that your coat gets the best reproofing, I recommend that you give it a clean first using Nikwax Tech Wash. Place your coat in the washing machine and pour two measured cap-fulls of shaken product into the detergent drawer. Set to the temperature recommended on the label of your coat and set the cycle. My Rab coat asks for a 40C wash. I chose a “special” cycle so that it would have a more gentle spin at the end.
Step 4 – Waterproofing with TX Direct
Without removing your coat from the washing machine, shake the Nikwax TX Direct and add two caps full into the detergent drawer, as you did with the Tech Wash. This time, set the cycle to 30C delicates so that the coat gets a good coating of the reproofer and doesn’t get a hard spin at the end. (a hard fast spin can cause a coat to lose shape)
Step 5 – Drying
Once the cycle has finished, remove the coat from the machine. Pop it onto a hanger then leave to dry completely. Once dry, you’re ready to head out into the rain for your next adventure!
EDIT: I have found laying them over a warm radiator over night speeds up the process and really sets the waterproofing. (plus, you can do the whole thing in an evening ready for your next adventure in the morning)
The whole reproofing process to a morning between the cycles that I was running. The coats dried in a few hours and we were able to get out for our next wet day adventure as soon as we could afterwards.
How to know when you need to reproof your coat
One of the questions that comes up when I share about how to reproof your coat with Nikwax is how to know whether it needs doing or not. I read somewhere that it is recommended that you should reproof your coat quarterly if you wear it a few times per month. Honestly, I am not going to be doing this that often and we were our coats daily through the majority of the year. (we do live in Manchester, after all!)
I would recommend reproofing them when the water stops beading on the material. Or once a year before the winter, even if it is still a bit beady. This is because It keeps the material in good nick and also ensures that you don’t get an absolute drenching because you haven’t waterproofed your gear.
Reproofing other gear
You can use the same technique I have shared here for reproofing your other outdoor gear too, just follow the steps on how to reproof your coat and you’re good to go…
NOTE: Remember to check the label before getting going though as the process I have shared is based on my Rab jacket. Yours might differ, so it is worth double checking before reproofing.
Now you can make sure that you’re prepared for winter by getting your outdoor kit ready, reproofing your coat and other bits and bobs.
When you have your kit in order, there really is no excuse not to get out and about. You’ll be dry in the rain, sheltered from the wind and ready for your next adventure. And your kit will last far longer when you look after it, saving you money for other trips and kit!
Have you reproofed your gear lately? Are you ready for winter?
Let me know in the comments below
For more information about reproofing outdoor gear, check out the following posts:
How to Reproof your Tent Groundsheet