Gear does not usually wear out, it is stored to death#
The failure modes that end the life of expensive equipment are boring and almost entirely preventable.
Body oils on down. Oils coat the clusters and stop them lofting. A bag that feels flat after four seasons is usually a bag that has never been washed, and washing it correctly restores most of the loft.
Compression in storage. Insulation left compressed in a stuff sack for months loses loft it never fully regains. A large mesh sack in a cupboard costs nothing and adds years.
Damp and heat. Polyurethane coatings hydrolyse, and warm humid conditions accelerate it. A tent packed away slightly damp in a hot loft is a tent that will be sticky and peeling in a few seasons, and no repair puts a coating back.
Failed DWR misdiagnosed as a failed jacket. When the face fabric wets out, breathability collapses and the wearer gets wet from the inside. The jacket usually has years left in it.
Where to start#
- Washing down bags and jackets
- Reproofing rain gear and DWR
- The field repair kit, under 100 grams
- Storing gear between trips, including the cleaning schedule table
Frequently asked questions#
How often should I wash a sleeping bag?#
Roughly every 20 to 30 nights of use for down, or whenever loft has visibly dropped and the fill feels lifeless. Washing is not the thing that damages a bag; not washing it is. The method matters, and it is set out in washing down gear.
Can I put a tent in a washing machine?#
No. A machine abrades the coating and stresses the seams. Sponge it with cold water, never use detergent on coated fabrics, and dry it completely before storage.
My jacket is leaking through the fabric. Is it finished?#
Usually not. Water soaking into the face fabric is failed DWR, which is renewable. Real end of life is delamination or a coating that is peeling and sticky. The reproofing guide has a sink test that tells the two apart in five minutes.
What should I carry to repair things in the field?#
Under 100 g covers almost everything that ends trips: fabric repair tape, a pole splint, pad patches, a needle and dental floss, a few metres of cord and some cable ties. The field repair kit lists the weights and what each item fixes.