#summitsafely week 18 - waterproof and take care of your kit before heading into the mountains.

It's week 18 of the 20 week #summitsafely campaign. This week’s #summitsafely top tip – waterproofing and taking care of your kit ensures everything is in perfect condition prior to heading into the mountains.

You would never set out without checking your hardware’s in good condition, we advise treating your clothing, footwear and accessories with the same care and attention.

Getting wet can make your outdoor experience cold and uncomfortable and once you’re wet it’s hard to get your core-body temperature back up again.  If you’re planning on camping, your sleeping bag and tent also need checking: make sure your night in the mountains is warm and dry by putting your gear through its paces before leaving home.

By cleaning your kit with a technical cleaner such as Nikwax Tech Wash you can revive your gear to keep it waterproof, and you dry. It will improve the performance and longevity. We recommend reproofing every 4-6 months but this does depend on usage.

If you find that your jacket is still “wetting out” you can proof it with products such as Nikwax TX.Direct that can be used in a washing machine or sprayed on.  The awesome thing about Nikwax products are they water-based so safe for home use and kind to the environment – an important point when it’s the outdoor environment we turn to for our enjoyment.  

So our top tip this week is look after your gear, keep it waterproofed, it’ll last longer and keep you safer in the mountains.

Date: 31 Mar 2017