Taking Your gear The Distance (With Tips from the Rab Lab)
At our recent Sustainable Slopes Gear Repair & Care Event, the POW NZ community came together to fix, refresh, and show some love to the gear that keeps us out in the wild.
Between sewing up well-worn ski pants, patching jackets, and getting a fresh wax on our boards (thanks to the MT Outdoors team), we also got the inside scoop from Neil at the Rab Lab on how to make our gear last.
We all know first hand that outdoor gear doesn’t last forever if you don’t take care of it. But every repair, every wash done the right way, and every time you reproof your jacket, you’re giving your gear a second (or third, forth, fifth etc) life.
That’s a win not just for your wallet but for the planet. Less gear in landfill means fewer resources spent making new stuff – and that’s exactly the kind of easy climate-friendly action we love.
So, below we’ve compiled Neil’s best advice for keeping your gear adventure-ready, from reproofing waterproof jackets to reviving tired down sleeping bags. These tips are all about making your kit last longer, perform better, and keep you comfortable while you’re out chasing powder or exploring the backcountry.
Why Modern Waterproof Gear Needs More TLC
As Neil explains, once upon a time, you could buy a Gore-Tex jacket, wear it for 8 years straight, and barely think about reproofing it. But for better and for worse, those days are gone. Old waterproof treatments relied on PFAS (nasty “forever chemicals”) which kept your gear dryer for longer at the detriment to both your health and the planet. Thankfully nowadays lots of brands like Rab have ditched those for safer, PFAS-free coatings. The trade-off? These coatings need more regular maintenance—think every 3–6 months.
When your jacket starts to “wet out” (where water stops beading off and soaks into the outer fabric), it’s not that the waterproof membrane has failed—your jacket’s still keeping water out, but it’s not breathing properly anymore. That’s when you start feeling clammy or soaked from sweat, even though rain isn’t getting through.
The fix is simple: clean and reproof it before your next trip, so it can shed water like new and keep you dry and comfortable in all conditions.
Base Layers That Work With Your Gear
Here’s Neil’s controversial hot take for the night: merino under waterproof jackets isn’t your best friend. While merino is warm, it can soak up nearly 40% of its own weight in water. That means moisture (i.e. your sweat) lingers and your jacket has a harder time pushing it out.
If you want your gear to breathe properly, apparently synthetic base layers are the way to go. They wick moisture away from your body and allow your jacket to do what it’s designed to do – keep water out while letting sweat escape.
How to Wash and Reproof Your Waterproof Jacket
Your jacket goes through a lot: sweat, grime, trail dust, sunscreen, and oils from your skin—all of which clog the tiny pores in waterproof-breathable fabrics. Regular washing and reproofing not only restores performance but actually extends its life.
So here’s Neil’s 4-Step Gear Care Method:
- Clean your washing machine first. Detergent residue is a waterproof jacket’s worst enemy. Run a rinse cycle (or use white vinegar) before you start.
- Use a proper tech wash. Skip regular laundry detergent—it’s designed to make water soak in, not bead off. Use a specialised shell wash.
- Add a DWR treatment. During the rinse cycle, apply a reproofing solution to bring back that water-beading magic.
- Dry with care. Air dry first, then throw it in the dryer on low heat to lock in the DWR.
No dryer? A medium-heat iron (with a cloth barrier) will do the trick—just don’t crank it up or you’ll have a sticky mess on your hands. None of the above? The sun will suffice, it just won’t lock that treatment in for quite as long.
Down Jackets & Sleeping Bags: Easier Than You Think
Down used to be a nightmare to wash. Get it wet and you’d be stuck with a clumpy, heavy mess that could ruin your jacket or sleeping bag. Thankfully, modern hydrophobic down has changed the game—it resists water and is far more forgiving when cleaned properly.
Neil’s Tips for Washing Down:
- Wash with a down-specific detergent to preserve the hydrophobic coating.
- Never wring out down garments. Gently press out water instead.
- Use a dryer with clean tennis balls (or sneakers) to break up clumps and restore loft. Dry longer than you think to ensure there’s no hidden moisture.
- No dryer? Manually fluff the down by shaking and patting it during air drying.
Bonus little brag for Rab: Rab’s new tech means you can wash their hydrophobic down gear up to 43 times without losing its performance. That’s huge for extending the life of sleeping bags and jackets.
Gear Care = Climate Action
Every extra season you get out of your jacket, sleeping bag, or base layer is one less item that needs to be manufactured, shipped, and sold. That’s fewer emissions, less waste, and more time for you to enjoy the mountains with a clear conscience.
At events like our Sustainable Slopes, we saw firsthand how small actions—fixing a zipper, adding a patch, or giving an old jacket a proper wash—add up to something bigger. We can all do our part by taking care of what we already own.
Want to learn more hands-on tips? Keep an eye out on our events page to see what we’ve got coming up next for your chance to learn some new skills, hangout with our outdoor community, or take a few simple steps to help protect the places we all love.
