Camping gear can be quite expensive, and if you’re adventurous, you want to make yours last as long as possible. While you’re out there in nature, your equipment can take a lot of blows for you — it can withstand wind, rain, mud, scratches, falls, and much more.
That’s why, when you get home from your trip, you need to make sure everything is in check, repair the damages, and clean the gear.
However, most of that equipment is made of various synthetic materials, and simply shoving it in the washing machine might do a lot of damage.
Here are some tips to help you take proper care of your camping gear.
Wash Your Apparel Before You Store It
When you return from your camping adventure, you may be tempted to toss everything to the side and just collapse and fall asleep immediately. However, your camping clothes won’t wash themselves, and the longer you leave them, the more difficult they will be to clean.
If you leave nasty stains for too long, they might cake and become permanent. What’s more, your jackets, vests, and other clothes have probably collected various body odors from your strenuous adventures. These unsavory scents might stick if you don’t wash the clothes right away.
First, you want to remove any visible dirt or residue. Then, read the label carefully so that you don’t damage your gear. Some garments may require dry cleaning. Others can only be washed in cold water. Some types of fabric are incompatible with the standard detergents.
You might even have to wash all your garments separately, but a little extra effort will help you make your outdoor clothes last longer.
You might need to hang some of the items to dry instead of putting them in the dryer.
What to Do With Your Sleeping Bag
You’ll spend a lot of time wrapped in your sleeping bag, so naturally, you want to keep it spotless. However, you shouldn’t wash it too often. Depending on how much you use it, you may wash it after every camping season, once a year, or even less often.
What’s more, you can take some preventative measures while camping to ensure your bag remains clean and fresh:
Turn it inside-out and air it out every day to make sure it’s dry and fresh;
Always sleep in clean clothes as you would in your bed;
Use a bag liner as a barrier between your body and the bag; it’s much easier to clean than your whole bag;
Protect it from the ground by using a pad.
When you return from your trip, you can spot clean it and hang it up for ventilation.
Read the label carefully before deciding how to wash and dry it when the time comes.
What to Do With Your Tent
First, make sure you choose a sturdy tent. When your adventure is over, you want to make sure your tent is clean and dry before you store it away. If you leave it as is in the compression bag, it may grow mold, and the material may get damaged.
So set up your tent somewhere dry to make sure all the moisture’s out before you pack it up and store it away. Inspect it from all sides to see if it needs any cleaning. Remove any debris, such as rock, food, grass, etc.
You can spot clean or even go over the whole tent with a simple damp cloth. If you’re using soap, make sure to use a mild kind and don’t rub too vigorously.
Don’t wash it in the washing machine as it can stretch and get seriously damaged. Before storing it, don’t put it in the compression bag, but find a looser one so that the tent can breathe.
Keep Your Waterproof Equipment Waterproof
Your waterproof outerwear and other equipment will last you a long time, but the waterproof coating will diminish with use and cleaning. If you want it to keep that protective layer, you need to make sure it stays waterproof.
You can buy a waterproof coating and reapply it yourself every once in a while. These reproofers usually come in the form of spay, so they are easy to use.
Don’t forget your hiking boots or shoes. They can use a little reinforcement every once in a while in order to keep your feet dry and warm.
Use a durable water repellent (DWR) for your tent too. A porous tent is as good as no tent. You can do it after you clean and dry it.
Let Professionals Handle Your Equipment
If you don’t feel like cleaning your equipment yourself, you can always let professionals handle it with utmost care. They will know exactly what to do to avoid causing additional wear and make it last longer.
What’s more, if there’s damage, and you’re not sure you can successfully fix it yourself, you should take it for repair. Even if you think your tent or sleeping pad valve is beyond repair, you can never be too sure.
You should always contact the manufacturer first. They can help you best because they know their gear well.
Furthermore, outdoor equipment manufacturers are aware that their products are made to endure wear and tear. That’s why many of them offer various replacement programs and offers. You may be able to bring your old, damaged gear to them and get a generous discount on new equipment.
Have a Repair Kit With You on the Go
Lastly, you don’t need to wait to get home before you start mending your tent, jacket, or something else. In some cases, you will be forced to act right away, such as if your backpack strap breaks.
If you don’t want an unfortunate accident like this to ruin your camping experience (or even cut it short), you should always bring an emergency repair kit with you. This way, you’ll be able to fix almost anything, even if only for the duration of your trip. Patching it up is better than nothing.
Some items you might consider having in your kit include:
Repair tape and duct tape
Pocket knife
Extra rope
Sewing kit
Scissors
