For those of you who are fans of camping and outdoor activities, there is a high likelihood that you already own at least a pair of hiking pants. Much as effective as the gear’s ability to keep you warm, dry and protected against all kinds of weather, there will come one day when you have to wash it for the first time. If you are a bit nervous and not knowing how to properly care for some high-tech backpacking pants, we are here to show you the way.
To not ruin your investment, you can read our 5 tips below to make sure no irreversible harms will be done to your best hiking pants on the market
.1. Study the label carefully
It would be a great idea to start off by reading the manufacturer’s instructions on a specific item. You should be able to acquire the basic information including the appropriate water temperature to wash your hiking pants in, no ironing or any kind of special treatments if required.
It is totally up to you to decide what you do with your outdoor gear if you think following the instructions is too time-consuming. Nevertheless, you will run the risks of having to throw away your once good pair.
2. Prepare your hiking pants for washing
If you notice some dry mud on your pants, you can try brushing them off or soaking them in lukewarm water first. Also, remember to check all pockets and turn the piece inside out before loading it in the washing machine. These preparation steps will provide better protection for the gear against any unforeseeable incident that might happen during the wash.
3. Pick the right detergent
Be conscious about the cleaning agent that you intend to use washing your good hiking pants. Real damages can just be around the corner if you choose the wrong one. We would highly recommend you to obtain one of those that are intended for rain gears. If not, try to stay close to non-biological detergents and never even think about applying fabric softeners – the technical hiking pants’ worst enemy.
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4. Retreat the fabric
it may seem necessary to point out that almost all the top-rated hiking pants today are water-resistant. Thanks to the final coat of Durable Water Repellent (DWR) on your outerwear of choice, your hiking pants can repel water, stop it from soaking inward and dampen the underneath layers. However, the chemical bond in the DWR finish, after a long time wearing, will break down becomes useless. When the time comes, you would need to retreat your gear to recover its waterproofing elements. Reapplying DWR is easy enough with the help of specialized wash-in chemicals, and the process is basically similar to regular washing but at low water temperature and in short cycles.
5. Dry the garment
In many cases of top hiking pants, it is heat that plays as the catalyst in reinforcing the items’ water-repellent ability. Therefore, many manufacturers advise their consumers to tumble dry their pairs of pants for hiking once in a while though it is not compulsory. The other times, you can air-dry your piece of outdoor gear by spreading it somewhere cool and airy but not directly under the sun.
If you choose to strictly stick to the 5 tips from above, we firmly believe that your favourite pair of hiking pants will be kept in great condition for a long time to come. You can also read more on our hiking pants review if you are interested in finding the best backpacking pants
to go on your next adventures.
