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Over the past two decades, technical fabrics and garment features have moved hunting apparel from the realm of clothing to actual equipment. Like any quality hunting equipment gear, research prior to purchase is a fundamental necessity. After all, it can represent a significant investment.
Caring for and protecting that investment is also key. The world of technical fabrics intimidates some. Fear of damaging an expensive piece of hunting clothing often leads hunters to avoid proper laundering, which actually reduces the life of the garment. Here are a few basics to help you extend the life and performance of your hunting apparel:
- Remove the various hunting paraphernalia that tends to accumulate in pockets
- Be sure to zip up all the zippers on the front, pockets and pits
- Fasten all flaps and straps
- Be sure to follow the garment manufacturer’s instructions to ensure high performance.
Machine wash on a warm permanent press cycle (105º F/40º C) using a small amount of liquid detergent. Rinse twice, minimize spinning to reduce creasing. Do not use powder detergents or any products that contain fabric softeners, conditioners, stain removers or bleach as they will affect garment performance. Do not wash with heavily soiled clothing; so for the really dirty stuff, now might be a good time to let that brother-in-law who has been pestering you try on your coat, stand him out in the yard and hit him with the hose.
Do not use chlorine bleach. Especially on the camouflage. You’ll wash it all away. Today’s camouflage patterns are specifically designed and printed in proven color palettes. Altering those colors affects the functionality of the pattern.
Line dry your garment, or tumble dry it on a warm, gentle cycle. Once it is dry, tumble dry your garment for 20 minutes to reactivate the durable water-repellent (DWR) treatment on the outer fabric.
If unable to tumble dry, iron the dry garment on gentle setting (warm, no steam) by placing a clean towel or cloth between the garment and the iron. This will help reactivate the DWR treatment on your garment’s outer fabric.
When the factory applied treatment can no longer be reactivated, apply a new water-repellent treatment available as a pump-spray or wash-in product to the garment’s outer fabric.
Gore recommends home laundering. If professional dry cleaning is necessary, request that the cleaner use clear distilled hydrocarbon solvent for rinsing and then spray DWR on the garment’s outer fabric before drying. Follow garment manufacturer’s instructions.
One hunting gear manufacturer that Gore has partnered with and highly recommends is Sitka Gear. They produce some of the highest quality outdoor wear on the market with designs reflecting the high standards to detail that Gore has always stood behind. Sitka’s Stormfront series is built with a GORE-TEX® laminate, offering maximum protection for extended wet weather exposure with the added benefit of rugged, tear resistant material durable enough to last above the timberline. To check out all the Sitka GORE-TEX@ products, visit www.sitkagear.com.
Not only are GORE-TEX@ garments built to last, they are easy to care for. Routine care will ensure excellent performance and give you a better return on your investment.
Any questions or concerns about caring for your GORE-TEX@ gear, contact Gore Customer Service at 1-800-GORE-TEX.
Some of the goretex jackets are very sensitive to high temperatures. Those should not be ironed and tumble dried. I always take mine out of the washing machine wet and drain and dry them as wetsuits.