# Recommendations for washing snowboard pants and jacket?



## lab49232 (Sep 13, 2011)

Do you have to wash it? If not, DONT. They're not really made to be washed. Yes you'll hear all sorts of things, see wash instructions on tags, but if you speak honestly with manufacturers they recommend avoiding washing. There's lots of ways to remove odor. You can actually just freeze lots of clothing to remove many smells.

now if you MUST wash it for some reason yes they make special soaps/detergents. Nikwax is the most popular, they all work some but none will work as good as the product was new. Of course if your gear is particularly old anyone it may end up better than it was before.


----------



## elstinky (Jan 24, 2010)

+1 on not washing if possible. I don't have the impression much smell (i.e. bacteria) accumulates in jacket/pants to begin with, and just hanging gear outside a couple of dry days/nights makes it smell very neutral.


----------



## mojo maestro (Jan 6, 2009)

I only wash my shit........when a stranger......on the chair.........asks me.........."Do you smell that?"..............


----------



## deagol (Mar 26, 2014)

I've used the Nikwax stuff several times and agree that once you wash, even with the special products, it' never regains that initial water repellency. This is even when washing with Nikwax and then spraying it with the Nikwax spray after washing.


----------



## Aztrailerhawk (May 4, 2014)

mojo maestro said:


> I only wash my shit........when a stranger......on the chair.........asks me.........."Do you smell that?"..............


I like the "stranger" part. People you know, like forum members, don't count....


----------



## SteezyRidah303 (Oct 5, 2010)

+1 for freezing, put it in a garbage bag and freeze it... works well for shoes/boots too just make sure they are DRY


----------



## SGboarder (Jun 24, 2012)

lab49232 said:


> Do you have to wash it? If not, DONT. They're not really made to be washed. Yes you'll hear all sorts of things, see wash instructions on tags, but if you speak honestly with manufacturers they recommend avoiding washing. There's lots of ways to remove odor. You can actually just freeze lots of clothing to remove many smells.
> 
> now if you MUST wash it for some reason yes they make special soaps/detergents. Nikwax is the most popular, they all work some but none will work as good as the product was new. Of course if your gear is particularly old anyone it may end up better than it was before.


That is a common misconception. Quality outerwear actually benefits from washing and (proper) washing and care will enhance both the water proofing and the breathability.


----------



## Mike256 (Oct 13, 2013)

I wash my gortex jacket and pants in the wash once or twice a season using whatever detergent is on the shelf. Never noticed any change in waterproofing, breathability, colour. Only change is it no longer smells like half a seasons worth of farts


----------



## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

What r u guys eating???

I just rode nine days straight in a non gore jacket. It rained, misted, snowed a bit & I sweat like a pig. Inside was soaked at the end of *every* session. I turned it inside out & dried it out thoroughly every night. Doesn't smell at all. No BO. No "season's worth of farts smell, nothing. 

Now my BASE layers....? That's another issue entirely! Peeeee-Yeeeeuw!  LoL!


----------



## lab49232 (Sep 13, 2011)

SGboarder said:


> That is a common misconception. Quality outerwear actually benefits from washing and (proper) washing and care will enhance both the water proofing and the breathability.


Actually no. You're referencing only Gore-Tex items. Gore-Tex when done completely correctly can be ok. Not remotely the same for traditional waterproofing.


----------



## Mike256 (Oct 13, 2013)

chomps1211 said:


> Now my BASE layers....? That's another issue entirely! Peeeee-Yeeeeuw!  LoL!


Get Ice breaker base layers! Can rewear that stuff over and over and never stinks. Way more comfortable and fitted then smart wool too.


----------



## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

I have 2 sets of IB base layers. Great stuff. Just wish they would lengthen the shirt tails or offer them in tall sizes. (...say NO to crack!) ??


----------



## lab49232 (Sep 13, 2011)

Mike256 said:


> I wash my gortex jacket and pants in the wash once or twice a season using whatever detergent is on the shelf. Never noticed any change in waterproofing, breathability, colour. Only change is it no longer smells like half a seasons worth of farts


Ya no idea how you're getting your outerwear to smell like old farts, that's a new problem on it's own. Outside of that you gotta be careful with Gore-Tex, no powders, no bleach, no heavy detergent.


----------



## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

lab49232 said:


> Ya no idea how you're getting your outerwear to smell like old farts, that's a new problem on it's own. Outside of that you gotta be careful with Gore-Tex, no powders, no bleach, no heavy detergent.


Wait.... last instructions I read for breathable fabrics specifically *recommended* powdered as opposed to liquid detergent. 

Now I'm TOTALLY confused. ?‍♂


----------



## lab49232 (Sep 13, 2011)

chomps1211 said:


> Wait.... last instructions I read for breathable fabrics specifically *recommended* powdered as opposed to liquid detergent.
> 
> Now I'm TOTALLY confused. ?‍♂


Gore-Tex is liquid only, It should say on their care instructions and website. That's what they always specifically would tell us when we were at trade shows and the like.


----------



## Mike256 (Oct 13, 2013)

Website says liquid soap warm cycle and Tumble dry once dry for 20 minutes to make it water repellent again


----------



## SGboarder (Jun 24, 2012)

Paxford said:


> Ok cool BA doesn’t like him. How does that equate to him giving 100% bad advice we should all ignore? Do you all just follow BA like sheep? Don’t get me wrong I follow BA’s reviews as well for a different perspective.
> 
> Having a hard time ignoring a wealth of information here.





lab49232 said:


> Actually no. You're referencing only Gore-Tex items. Gore-Tex when done completely correctly can be ok. Not remotely the same for traditional waterproofing.





lab49232 said:


> Ya no idea how you're getting your outerwear to smell like old farts, that's a new problem on it's own. Outside of that you gotta be careful with Gore-Tex, no powders, no bleach, no heavy detergent.





lab49232 said:


> Gore-Tex is liquid only, It should say on their care instructions and website. That's what they always specifically would tell us when we were at trade shows and the like.





Mike256 said:


> Website says liquid soap warm cycle and Tumble dry once dry for 20 minutes to make it water repellent again


Still a lot of misinformation/confusion here. In simple terms:

Gore and pretty much all other membrane based gear can be washed - and generally does benefit from washing.
For washing use tech wash or simple detergent only (powder vs. liquid does not really matter). Do not not use bleach, softener, etc.
What will happen in prolonged use is that the DWR wears off (DWR = durable water repellent - does not make the garment waterproof, but makes the water bead off the surface and prevents wetting out of the outer fabric layer). Washing can also do this but too a _much_ lesser extent. The DWR can be somewhat 're-activated' in the dryer but if it wars off it is gone and needs to be replaced. Either use a wash-in or spray-on (after washing) and put the damp garment briefly in the dryer to maximize the DWR effect.


----------



## Manicmouse (Apr 7, 2014)

Only wash your outerwear if it's smelly  Spot clean visible dirt. Buy dark colours!

If you're a really stinky kind of sweaty person... sorry to hear that.


----------



## lab49232 (Sep 13, 2011)

SGboarder said:


> Still a lot of misinformation/confusion here. In simple terms:
> 
> Gore and pretty much all other membrane based gear can be washed - and generally does benefit from washing.
> For washing use tech wash or simple detergent only (powder vs. liquid does not really matter). Do not not use bleach, softener, etc.
> What will happen in prolonged use is that the DWR wears off (DWR = durable water repellent - does not make the garment waterproof, but makes the water bead off the surface and prevents wetting out of the outer fabric layer). Washing can also do this but too a _much_ lesser extent. The DWR can be somewhat 're-activated' in the dryer but if it wars off it is gone and needs to be replaced. Either use a wash-in or spray-on (after washing) and put the damp garment briefly in the dryer to maximize the DWR effect.


You seem to have left out the idea of breathability AND DWR. Again You have to talk Gore-Tex and most "other tech" in different conversations. And there is absolutely a reason to not use powder detergents on Gore-Tex and that has all to do with certain types of powdered detergents. When talking to the public you err on

In lamens terms though, waterproofing is easy, replacing waterproofing is easy as well. Put a plastic bag on your hand and put it in water, water won't get through but your hand won't breathe. Recreating a waterproof and breathable fabric at the same time is where things get difficult. None of this is misinformation unless all brands and manufacturers have lied to me.


----------



## Scalpelman (Dec 5, 2017)

I ty to limit washing to once a season. Black pants never look dirty.


----------



## SGboarder (Jun 24, 2012)

lab49232 said:


> You seem to have left out the idea of breathability AND DWR. Again You have to talk Gore-Tex and most "other tech" in different conversations. And there is absolutely a reason to not use powder detergents on Gore-Tex and that has all to do with certain types of powdered detergents. When talking to the public you err on
> 
> In lamens terms though, waterproofing is easy, replacing waterproofing is easy as well. Put a plastic bag on your hand and put it in water, water won't get through but your hand won't breathe. Recreating a waterproof and breathable fabric at the same time is where things get difficult. None of this is misinformation unless all brands and manufacturers have lied to me.


Not really. And I was the first one to bring up breathability in this thread.

Anyway, for Goretex is not inherently different from most other tech and certainly from most other membranes. Just some limitations on additives.
And for detergent: general liquid detergent is just general powder detergent mixed with water. There used to be a some other things in liquid detergents, that is why the original manufacturer recommendation for somewhat fiddly garments was powder. Now that liquid detergents are practically equivalent they are the manufacturers pick because it easier to get the dosage right and consistent.

But this is not rocket science. If you want to enhance/maintain the performance of the garment, wash it regularly with general detergent or tech wash and do not use bleach, softeners or additives. If necessary reactivate or re-apply the DWR (more crucial for non-membrane garments, membrane ones might wet out but will stay waterproof even without DWR).
Only real exception are down and to a much lesser extent some other insulated garments.


----------



## kalev (Dec 17, 2013)

I always found this to be helpful


----------



## DaveMcI (Aug 19, 2013)

Graingers make the best gear wash in my opinion. They have the biodegradable and the other with waterproofing mixed in. Clean waterproof gear works better. I follow up with graingers spray.


----------



## PlanB (Nov 21, 2014)

lab49232 said:


> They're not really made to be washed.


I have always been told by salespeople, product reps and my local professional cleaner that a performance outer layer garment (jacket) actually will perform better and last longer if it is washed regularly (and properly). Yes, I know there are several different types of 'water-proofing' system out there and Gore-Tex is just one of them, but I was told directly by a Gore-Tex sales-rep at an Arc'teryx product information session at MEC in Vancouver BC that their products are _supposed _to be washed regularly. Gore-Tex jointly engineers their fabrics with the manufacturers (in this case Arc'teryx) with the intent that the owner cleans the garment (properly mind you) regularly after rigerous use. A lot of it has to do with, as mentioned already, breathability since sweat, dirt, grime, ect....all works against overall breathability of a garment and the only way to get rid of this is to wash the garment. If new products are not supposed to be washed that's news to me, but I admit haven't bought a performance outer layer garment in some time other than a pair of gore-tex gloves I just got for Christmas this year which I've only really used for shoveling the driveway thus far sadly.


----------



## deagol (Mar 26, 2014)

This is interesting and I admit that I never put the stuff in the dryer, as many posters have said is a part of the process. I guess I might try that in the future.


----------

