Far too many of us forget to remove our ski gear from our bags after the last day of the season. Then when it comes around to October, November, or December, we find ourselves assaulted by the stinky smell of unwashed ski clothing as we’re just starting to pack for the days ahead.
Washing ski gear isn’t just a question of smell. It also ensures that any waterproofing or wicking technology is working to its best degree. For a lot of ski clothing, you can use regular laundry detergent and the directions on the tag to make sure it’s clean, but technical gear, like GORE-TEX, generally needs a bit more care.
GORE-TEX and other tech clothing, whether it’s a jacket, snowpants, or a different piece of gear, should be washed when it looks or feels dirty, or when it stops beading water. A build up of dirt, sweat, or grime can stop waterproofing from working properly, so it’s important you give your gear a wash if you want to stay dry.
Make sure there’s nothing hidden away in the pockets, zip up any zippers, release the tension on any elastic draw cords, and loosen and secure any cuff velcro. Grab a tech specific detergent, like the NikWax Tech Wash or the Arc’teryx Nu Technical Detergent, to wash your gear. Don’t use fabric softener, whitener, colorants, or fragrance.
You can then wash the gear on a regular cycle at medium heat, rinsing the gear twice after the wash to ensure any soap is completely removed. Drying the gear on medium heat for roughly 45 minutes will both dry the clothing and reactivate the Durable Water Repellent.
You can test the gear to ensure water is beading properly once you’re done washing it. If it’s not, try again or consider rewaterproofing it possible.
