So with the success with my one article on How to Wash and Waterproof a Softshell Jacket I decided I should write another article on how to take care of hardshell rain garments too. I think I will title this one "How to waterproof a rain jacket." I should throw something in there too about DWR too for those google results. Anyway, it got me thinking today about how we maintain our gear.
How many of us in the outdoors, especially those of us with copious amounts of gear, actually take care of everything the way we should? A part of me expects to replace a pack every couple of years, though realistically if I took care of it better and took it to be sewn when ripped, I could get many more years out of it. The eco-conscious person inside me knows that I should try to stretch equipment as much as I can to avoid the production of new materials.
Then again, as an avid outdoorsman that always has the latest and greatest, I really like getting a new pack every couple of years. Of course, do I really like it? Maybe I am just following the fashion of the outdoor advertising industry. With promises of going farther and faster, it is hard to ignore all those flashy images.
Of course, for those that know me, it isn't like I throw away my gear. Often I keep it as backup, donate it, or resell it. Still however, I realize I am putting a bigger strain on the environment by feeding my gear addiction. Anyway, I am going to try and maintain what I have as best I can in an effort to be greener.
Of course, having the right stuff makes all the difference. I wonder how many people have thrown out that goretex jacket "because it leaks" without every trying a product like nikwax to retreat the material.
So check out my latest article on "How to Wash and Waterproof a Rain Jacket: Restore the DWR."
How many of us in the outdoors, especially those of us with copious amounts of gear, actually take care of everything the way we should? A part of me expects to replace a pack every couple of years, though realistically if I took care of it better and took it to be sewn when ripped, I could get many more years out of it. The eco-conscious person inside me knows that I should try to stretch equipment as much as I can to avoid the production of new materials.
Then again, as an avid outdoorsman that always has the latest and greatest, I really like getting a new pack every couple of years. Of course, do I really like it? Maybe I am just following the fashion of the outdoor advertising industry. With promises of going farther and faster, it is hard to ignore all those flashy images.
Of course, for those that know me, it isn't like I throw away my gear. Often I keep it as backup, donate it, or resell it. Still however, I realize I am putting a bigger strain on the environment by feeding my gear addiction. Anyway, I am going to try and maintain what I have as best I can in an effort to be greener.
Of course, having the right stuff makes all the difference. I wonder how many people have thrown out that goretex jacket "because it leaks" without every trying a product like nikwax to retreat the material.
So check out my latest article on "How to Wash and Waterproof a Rain Jacket: Restore the DWR."
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