A quick note on cleaners/detergents for your gear: while I used my usual gentle laundry soap to wash my gear, there's a company called NikWax makes a comprehensive line of cleaners and treatments for all sport fabrics! If the DWR on your jacket still isn't repaired, consider using a TX.Direct wash-in or spray. If you want to be extra kind to the insulation in your jacket and bag, use the down wash! And if you find the armpits of your fave baselayer still smell like onions after washing, Tech Wash will get out that stench. Find the whole NixWax line here: alnk.to/8PD0li9
It is worth pointing out that many biological washing powders will actually strip the DWR coating off the jacket so it can be worth running a water-only cleansing cycle before putting the jacket in if you have been using one of those for your regular daily wash cycles. I use Nikwax and Graingers for washing but always Nikwax for reproofing.
Store the Sawyer squeeze, long term, with salt water. This keeps the membranes wet Prevents freezing (because of the salt) Inhibits microbial growth (because of the salt) Backwash before using.
I have a giant down coat I bought second-hand and use for winter farm chores. It gets very dirty. I usually wash it with a regular mild detergent but this year I am trying the NikWax products. It's been washed and waterproofed (even though that may not have been indicated, idk) It's still flopping around in the dryer, but soon I'll find out how it turned out.
Yep, taking them outside camping and then storing indoors between trips, with all those temperature and moisture/humidity changes adhesives especially take a beating.
Yep, any medications, topical treatments, bandages, mole, skin, tape, etc. All of these can degrade over time and need to be replaced periodically. Also examine the sterile wrappers on items, as these also can get beaten up and age.
Things like bandaids and tape often have no date on them, but if bandaids package come apart of their own, then they are too old. Check tape by pulling some off and checking how sticky it is.
Yes, learned this one the hard way on a family camping trip growing up; the only first aid kit we had was the one my uncle found in the back of his truck and everything in it that could expire was expired so when my cousin got burned trying to grab their marshmallow of the hot metal roasting stick we had nothing to put on the burn.
Washing and drying your DWR-coated jackets and rain pants will help with the breathablity and will help lock in the DWR that remains (Nikwax tech wash). A new DWR coating can be applied using the Nikwax spray or by using the wash-in Nikwax TX direct. I have only ever used the spray.
Thanks for the video Miranda. Just today after handwashing my backpack I remembered to lubricate all the zippers with silicon oil using a small paintbrush. Now they are smooth going like on day one.
So I decided to try LMNT and I absolutely LOVE it!! 🙌❤️ Unfortunately (or I guess fortunately, for LMNT lol!) my whole family loves it too and they started stealing my packets! 😱😅 Compromise: we just bought the biggest box LMNT has so we can share and pick our favorite flavors. Win, win, win 🙌 Thank you for recommending it! We all feel so much better hydrated on a daily basis and I never hike or camp without it now.
for those with washing machines that have agitoters - handwashing in the tub is easier than it sounds! one tip for this that has helped me a lot is to utilize your sleeping bag/quilt's stuff sack, i.e. puting it in the stuff sack first and then placing it under the faucet. gets the washing process started much faster. be extra extra careful when taking it out, massaging out pockets if air while washing, and especially while transfering to the dryer. it's totally worth the time to wash them.
Even if you take care of it, check it all in the spring before you take it out on a trip again. When I was a kid, my parents stored all the camping gear in our garage. We went out on a 2 week canoe trip and discovered night one that mice had nested in our sleeping bags and chewed up our tent. Since we were miles from nowhere, we had to use it and it worked, but it was kind of gross. And the tent leaked.
Thanks for the heads up on sleeping bag maintenance and washing detergents Miranda! I shall be clearing the farts and getting that extra floof back. I always thought running it through a low heated dry cycle was the norm but I'm glad its ok to use an actual wash. Also if you have equipment that has built in batteries i.e. power banks and certain headlamps etc that you aren't going to use over a month or so, keep them at 50-75% charge and then charge them full before a trip. This extends battery life significantly, but I dont think you and the crew will ever have to since you guys always have new adventures for us every week! Thanks so much for a great vid!
I keep seeing backpacking gear on TEMU.. 👀🧐 I really really really realllllly would love to see a review of some of the gear. 😂😂🤷♀️ like you are the best one for the Job. 🙃
Good to know about the detergents available nowadays for washing down and other gear. Decades ago when I worked at a laundromat while in college, I was constantly reminding people not to use ordinary laundry soap on their down items, and also recommending to them not to dry clean the down either. And regular laundry detergents will strip the oil out of the down feathers, which will lose loft over time. What I was recommending to people back then was using drift or other diaper soaps because they would get it clean without stripping the oil out of the feathers.
10 месяцев назад+2
What can I do if I don't have a dryer, for either hardshells or puffers?
Then you problem solve... Have any friends/family/neighbours that have one? If not skip that step, getting the oils and gunk from your skin out of the jacket material by washing helps quite a bit. If you can't do the dryer part then you can't do it 🤷♀️
I deserved it. 😂 That sleeping bag is rated for comfort down to like 25 degrees and I was cold on a 45 degree night because it was so dirty and clumpy it was barely holding in any heat. One wash and it’s like new!
11:54 sleeping pads with any sort of insulation (besides a Mylar membrane) should always be stored flat, with the valve open so they can air out. This is especially true if you inflate the pad with your breath, any pad you inflate with your breath needs to be aired out, or it _will_ get mold or mildew growing inside.
White vinegar will kill mold on your gear. Submerge the rain fly or bag in vinegar for a while, a couple of hours or so maybe overnight, then wash it. My tent and rain fly have flaky seam tape, so, I get to remove it and then apply more. Fun time for me. I need to heat up my rain jacket to get it to work again. I tried scotchgard but that didn't really do much, I still get soaked. It looks like she is hiking in Virginia on the AT.
Great timing, I have a down vest I just bought used and it's the next thing that i need to throw in the washer! Love your content and positive attitude ❤
When my jackets, quilts, and bags were new and dry I weighed them to the nearest gram or tenth of a gram. Then in the future after cleaning and drying them, I weigh them again. If they are heavier, then they need more drying. I've also observed that if left out in the house overnight, they will absorb some moisture as much as 30 g which is 30 mL of water, so Yes, I dry them again just before packing them for a trip. :)
Lithium batteries don’t do well in the cold so you store rechargeable items (such as your headlamp) at room temperature as well. Sleeping bags should be stored in the oversized cotton or mesh bag that nice sleeping bags come with (to Lee the stuffing from getting too compacted). Sleeping bags should also not be stored in moist conditions, so if your garage is not finished or heated, sleeping bags should stored in another location that dry and under some level of temperature control.
I notice you didn’t dry out your Sawyer Squeeze. To me, that makes sense- I only expect to store mine for 3-4 months, and completely drying it vs cleaning and storing seems more risky. Drying for storage is the manufacturer’s recommendation. Other influencers recommend replacing yearly instead, which to me seems extremely wasteful- the device is cheap, yes, but it is made of almost 100% plastic. Simultaneously, it’s designed to last for years. My only real concern is keeping the membrane viable. I don’t use mine anywhere near as much as a thru-hiker or RUclipsr, but it seems like there must be some sort of middle ground. Also, I appreciate your use of the word “farts”. Not just because it’s juvenile, but because it’s a real thing that everyone does.💨
Great video. I have a down REI sleeping bag from 1978 😳. Have washed it every year. Still works like a charm🥰. I throw in a pair (clean) of runners in the dryer with the bag. It helps to break up any clumps.
How do you know if your raincoat has DWR or not? Or does that apply to all raincoats? If it doesn't, how do you waterproof the coat. New to backpacking/camping and I'm still learning :) Thanks
Another tip for the filter, I do this with my life straw: mix a few teaspoons of salt into a cup of water and suck the water up into the straw until you taste it, then seal it up like normal. The water will keep the membrane fresh and the salt will prevent germ build up. Yes it's a filter and it will filter out the germs but less germs that have to pass through the filter means a longer lasting one!
I now inflate my sleeping pad before every trip to check - after a winter trip just recently in which I got to camp and found the valve had cracked and the mat would hold NO air. It was a cold and hard night sleep!
That’s pretty much right! The second dry is not meant to further dry the jacket but rather it’s to use the heat of the dryer to redistribute the DWR and repair it. So the most accurate description is to wash it to remove any dirt, any oils from your skin and other debris, then run a rinse cycle to make sure there’s no residual detergent left on the jacket, then completely dry it with the first dry cycle. The second dry cycle for 20 minutes on low heat is what’s actually repairing the DWR. The DWR repair process using the heat of the dryer needs the jacket to be totally clean and completely dry for it to work. Does that make sense?
Yes, question! If you haven't explained in another video, could you do a tutorial for washing merino base layers? I just bought a smartwool intraknit top, and an REI 185 bottom. The REI item says to use "wool wash," and honestly, I'm wondering if anyone skips the wool wash without bad things happening. I don't want to have to keep a special laundry soap around if I don't have to.
Definitely use a Wool detergent for woolen items. The lanolin which makes Merino and woolen items bacteria resistant and soft is an oil that will be removed by normal detergents, leaving your baselayers rough and stinky!
Great vid! Ditto what the peeps above said about dryer balls. They should help w loft but they also allegedly cut dryer time, thus saving money via saved energy bills. Also, if you have a washing machine w an agitator (I call mine the “clothes shredder”), I recommend washing stuff you care about in a mesh bag then unzipping the bag & throwing the whole thing into the dryer. You can get mesh laundry bags in oodles of sizes.
Just as an aside - at 8:30... I don't know if this was filmed in a garage, but if the space gets really cold, I wonder if putting a weather strip under the door in back would help with the drafts. It seems that light clearly peeks under the door.
Or even making a tube filled with rice/lentils to place in front of it - yes you have to move it by hand, but it's cheap and effective (if you're renting and not able to change anything about the door.
I backwash my filter after every hike. There's been hikes where I spent just a few days filtering water from crystal clear streams but backwashed the nastiest grime out of my filter when I got home. Mine's the Sawyer mini though, so maybe it cloggs up faster?
You can iron the outside of your jacket on a low, no steam setting, with a towel between the iron and the jacket! Just make sure the temp is warm, not hot, and the iron isn’t directly touching the garment.
I don't have one either. (In Europe only around 30% of households have a dryer). But chances that a friend or family member has one are still quite high. And most cities have a laundromat that has dryers.
I 'broke' my BeFree water filter on my last trip out.. I forgot to take it inside and it froze.. I did the test where you blow air back into and it bubbled.. At least it's only $20 bucks from REI. But yea, that thing now lives inside my bedroom in my desk drawer where it's warm and dry!
I'm confused about the dwr thing... you just dry it twice? I thought you had to reapply a dwr treatment spray. You're telling me i just need to dry it longer and it will repair itself?
Question for raincoats like that use laminates! Mine always have the interiors start flaking off in a year or less so i have concerns about washing them. What am I doing wrong? How can i extend the life of these, or should I instead invest in better rain shells?
When you pulled out his sleeping back and he said OKAY before the cut like he was ready to go in on how it wasn't that bad before getting proven that it Was That Bad, perfect editing.
You have so much personality, tis surprising that there is any left for others 🙂🙂Thanks for another informative, as well as very entertaining video, please keep them coming ... Cheers.
A request, please: can you do a video about tents, backpacks, and other gear and what storage conditions can do to them? For instance, I have been stuck in southeast Texas for the past two and a half decades. During this time I have gone many years where I could not get out my gear and get out to go camping or hiking. As a result, my husband stashed it in the attics, where high heat and high humidity (think triple digit temperatures with 90+ % humidity for several months in the summer) runs rampant for at least 9 months out of every year. My favorite day pack from college, my backpack, and my tent all feel very sticky now where coatings on the fabrics have degraded. I had to throw out the two packs, but I still have my tent though it is stored inside now. I haven't quite got the heart to just throw it away, and I am hoping there might be some way to restore the fabric, in addition to renewing the seam seals. I also found my husband had vacuum sealed feather pillows and down jackets. I immediately pulled those out and fluffed them up again, and then explained to him why you do not treat down and feathers that way for storage. Basically, can you go over why gear should be kept in better conditions for long-term storage, even though it is intended to be used outside?
Great advice! For anyone with an especially stubborn rain jacket (like my old OR jacket) that just won't keep out water, try using the DWR detergent and DWR spray before drying. And, if it's no longer worth being kind to the gortex any more, just use the water repellent down detergent. It lasts longer at the cost of breathability.
So grateful for your channel on content! Wish I had discovered this years ago when I was working part time at REI. I always walk away learning something new from your content. I do have a question for you Miranda…do you have a fix for shockcords that have lost their elasticity and don’t exactly keep the tent poles together any more? Is there a way to replace them or does the entire set of poles or tent kit need to be replaced?
Someone may have asked this already but can you do a video on how to re-waterproof a tent? Including the fly. You showed how to re-waterproof your raincoat but having some tips for doing tents would be great too.
Any advice on how to deal with a water filter when hiking in freezing temperatures? Also, tried googling electrolytes (in my own language) to see if it’s similar to what I usually use and what I got was stuff about horses😅🤷♀️
I always clean my gear, as needed, when we get back from a trip. Things can get moldy fast where I live if put away dirty. I also put everything in large bags that allow them room, so they aren't stored compressed, including the tent. I put wool balls in with my sleeping bags, I think it helps fluff up the down. I'm definitely going to try the dryer trick for the rain gear. I usually line dry it.
In addition to washing my sleeping bag recently, I just washed my day pack for the first time in 5 years! The water was so brown and reddish from Utah dirt! I am so disgusted with myself.
Great advice, especially about the sleeping bags. I’m a novice to camping and tried my first outing in a RV in November. We learned the hard way, to check everything ourselves and not rely on the rental company. But it did not discourage us. I hope to try tent camping in spring.
Tumble drying your down articles with 3 tennis balls will help bring the loft back. Also, putting a weak bleach solution through your water filter will help sanitize it.
I have an MSR Guardian filter, similar technology and they say once you use it you can never let it dry out! Come back from a trip and run bleach solution through it, close it up and it’s good for up to a year before you have to wet it again. I like it because unlike the Sawyer and others you can test whether the filter has been compromised. And wow what a gear room! So clean and organized! All my gear is hidden in random unlabeled totes in the loft of my barn.
Solid video. glad you made it. I have a windproof/waterproof jacket that isn't acting like that anymore. I've heard about a spray to put on to re-waterproof it. thoughts?
Good video Miranda on caring for your hiking/camp gear. Often, we neglect this because we are usually tired after being up in the mountains and just put it off, never a good idea especially with damp gear. Your technique for re-lofting is great but many will have to go to a laundromat to perform the cleaning and drying. Luckily, I store my gear in my heated basement, so my Sawyer filter is safe, was unaware of the freezing could damage the membrane. Great video kiddo.
My biggest mistake when I started buying more expensive gear was a Mt hardware ratio down sleeping bag. I had no idea they used different down quality (fill power) and different fowl i.e duck/goose. Also the % of down vs feather. Goose down is more expensive but worth the investment.
Do rain jackets need to be washed/dried on their own? Its basically rhe same process for my normal laundry so itd be great to combine everything and save some energy/water
Can the rain coat be washed in a household washer that has an agitator? I have a traditional washing machine with one of the pole things in the middle (i guess its an agitator?).
Water filter question: I have a Katadyn filter system, and they are without fail always completely clogged every time I go to re-use. I even try to flush out after each use, but it doesn't matter. I end up having to run strong jets of water through them for several minutes before they go back to normal. Anything else I should be doing to help this process? Thanks!
My sleeping bag is still new buf got messed up after the 2nd wash. Now the down is stuck together in some parts. I got cold when I used it. I had to buy a new one. Do you have any recommendation for revitalizing it?
Oooo yes!! Throw it in the dryer with some dryer balls (or tennis balls) on LOW heat for like... a long time. I mean an hour plus. If that doesn't do it, use a down wash to wash the bag, then try the dryer again!
@@MirandaGoesOutside Thank you. I’ll try that. My sleeping bag wasn’t dry after 3 days. All those spots were still wet no matter how much I dried it. 😕
A quick note on cleaners/detergents for your gear: while I used my usual gentle laundry soap to wash my gear, there's a company called NikWax makes a comprehensive line of cleaners and treatments for all sport fabrics! If the DWR on your jacket still isn't repaired, consider using a TX.Direct wash-in or spray. If you want to be extra kind to the insulation in your jacket and bag, use the down wash! And if you find the armpits of your fave baselayer still smell like onions after washing, Tech Wash will get out that stench. Find the whole NixWax line here: alnk.to/8PD0li9
Spray your Baselayer armpits with White Vinegar 10 minutes before washing with your usual detergent. The Vinegar kills the funk producing Bacteria.
The NikWax products are amazing, I swear by them for all of my technical gear!
It is worth pointing out that many biological washing powders will actually strip the DWR coating off the jacket so it can be worth running a water-only cleansing cycle before putting the jacket in if you have been using one of those for your regular daily wash cycles. I use Nikwax and Graingers for washing but always Nikwax for reproofing.
Store the Sawyer squeeze, long term, with salt water.
This keeps the membranes wet
Prevents freezing (because of the salt)
Inhibits microbial growth (because of the salt)
Backwash before using.
I have a giant down coat I bought second-hand and use for winter farm chores. It gets very dirty. I usually wash it with a regular mild detergent but this year I am trying the NikWax products. It's been washed and waterproofed (even though that may not have been indicated, idk) It's still flopping around in the dryer, but soon I'll find out how it turned out.
I think it's also a great time to check the dates on stuff in your first aid kit! Don't just replace what's missing, but also stuff that's expired.
Oh that’s a GREAT tip! I found some expired bandaids once - I didn’t realize how truly un-sticky they can become 😅
Yep, taking them outside camping and then storing indoors between trips, with all those temperature and moisture/humidity changes adhesives especially take a beating.
Yep, any medications, topical treatments, bandages, mole, skin, tape, etc. All of these can degrade over time and need to be replaced periodically. Also examine the sterile wrappers on items, as these also can get beaten up and age.
Things like bandaids and tape often have no date on them, but if bandaids package come apart of their own, then they are too old. Check tape by pulling some off and checking how sticky it is.
Yes, learned this one the hard way on a family camping trip growing up; the only first aid kit we had was the one my uncle found in the back of his truck and everything in it that could expire was expired so when my cousin got burned trying to grab their marshmallow of the hot metal roasting stick we had nothing to put on the burn.
Another gosh darn fantastic video from our friendly neighborhood backpacking buddy, Miranda.
you can throw 2~3 tennis ball into the dryer with the sleeping bag to help the down loosen up,
I always thought you needed to apply some sort of water sealant to your rain jacket, not just wash and dry it. Thanks for the info!
Me too! I thought u need to add nikwax????
You do. You also need special down detergent when washing down products (also not mentioned).
Washing and drying your DWR-coated jackets and rain pants will help with the breathablity and will help lock in the DWR that remains (Nikwax tech wash). A new DWR coating can be applied using the Nikwax spray or by using the wash-in Nikwax TX direct. I have only ever used the spray.
Thanks for the video Miranda. Just today after handwashing my backpack I remembered to lubricate all the zippers with silicon oil using a small paintbrush. Now they are smooth going like on day one.
"Do you have to wash your sleeping bag..... yes." I FEEL SO CALLED OUT 😂
So I decided to try LMNT and I absolutely LOVE it!! 🙌❤️ Unfortunately (or I guess fortunately, for LMNT lol!) my whole family loves it too and they started stealing my packets! 😱😅 Compromise: we just bought the biggest box LMNT has so we can share and pick our favorite flavors. Win, win, win 🙌 Thank you for recommending it! We all feel so much better hydrated on a daily basis and I never hike or camp without it now.
Great video!!! I'm already eagerly awaiting next year's installment of Miranda Washes Rainer's Sleeping Bag! 🤣
Totally came here to say that
for those with washing machines that have agitoters - handwashing in the tub is easier than it sounds! one tip for this that has helped me a lot is to utilize your sleeping bag/quilt's stuff sack, i.e. puting it in the stuff sack first and then placing it under the faucet. gets the washing process started much faster. be extra extra careful when taking it out, massaging out pockets if air while washing, and especially while transfering to the dryer. it's totally worth the time to wash them.
Great tip! I also like a 5 gallon bucket for smaller items I want to hand wash as it takes less water than filling the tub for one or two items.
Even if you take care of it, check it all in the spring before you take it out on a trip again. When I was a kid, my parents stored all the camping gear in our garage. We went out on a 2 week canoe trip and discovered night one that mice had nested in our sleeping bags and chewed up our tent. Since we were miles from nowhere, we had to use it and it worked, but it was kind of gross. And the tent leaked.
Miranda, my sleeping bag is ready for its bath now.
Thanks for the heads up on sleeping bag maintenance and washing detergents Miranda! I shall be clearing the farts and getting that extra floof back. I always thought running it through a low heated dry cycle was the norm but I'm glad its ok to use an actual wash. Also if you have equipment that has built in batteries i.e. power banks and certain headlamps etc that you aren't going to use over a month or so, keep them at 50-75% charge and then charge them full before a trip. This extends battery life significantly, but I dont think you and the crew will ever have to since you guys always have new adventures for us every week! Thanks so much for a great vid!
And if you have stuff that uses replaceable batteries, take them out!
Perfect timing, just got back from a trip and was cleaning my stuff today!
I keep seeing backpacking gear on TEMU.. 👀🧐 I really really really realllllly would love to see a review of some of the gear. 😂😂🤷♀️ like you are the best one for the Job. 🙃
Good to know about the detergents available nowadays for washing down and other gear. Decades ago when I worked at a laundromat while in college, I was constantly reminding people not to use ordinary laundry soap on their down items, and also recommending to them not to dry clean the down either. And regular laundry detergents will strip the oil out of the down feathers, which will lose loft over time. What I was recommending to people back then was using drift or other diaper soaps because they would get it clean without stripping the oil out of the feathers.
What can I do if I don't have a dryer, for either hardshells or puffers?
Then you problem solve... Have any friends/family/neighbours that have one? If not skip that step, getting the oils and gunk from your skin out of the jacket material by washing helps quite a bit. If you can't do the dryer part then you can't do it 🤷♀️
Just puttin' Rainer on BLAST with his ratchet sleeping bag 😂
It was, in Rainer's words, full of a "bioweapon level of farts" so YEAH
I deserved it. 😂 That sleeping bag is rated for comfort down to like 25 degrees and I was cold on a 45 degree night because it was so dirty and clumpy it was barely holding in any heat. One wash and it’s like new!
@@RainerGolden sir. Your sleeping bag's butler needs a raise
😊
11:54 sleeping pads with any sort of insulation (besides a Mylar membrane) should always be stored flat, with the valve open so they can air out. This is especially true if you inflate the pad with your breath, any pad you inflate with your breath needs to be aired out, or it _will_ get mold or mildew growing inside.
Putting a tennis ball in the dryer with your bag/quilt will also help with agitation to ensure loft.
Ooo yeah! I've heard this tip before but haven't tried it!
I'd imagine dryer balls would provide the same benefit. Not that I would have either handy. 😂
I was told to do this with my duvet. It seems to work 🤷🏻
I have FriendSheep brand wool dryer balls and they are fantastic for all my down items.
I always forget that with my down comforters! I have one that is sadly missing loft in the center of the blanket. Oops.
White vinegar will kill mold on your gear. Submerge the rain fly or bag in vinegar for a while, a couple of hours or so maybe overnight, then wash it. My tent and rain fly have flaky seam tape, so, I get to remove it and then apply more. Fun time for me. I need to heat up my rain jacket to get it to work again. I tried scotchgard but that didn't really do much, I still get soaked. It looks like she is hiking in Virginia on the AT.
Have you tried tennis balls in the dryer to help fluff?
Consecutive Miranda Goes Outside!! videos without a burp: 1
The Thumbnail: Miranda caught a snow shark!
Well now I can't unsee THAT
@@MirandaGoesOutside it's okay. You released it back into the snow.
Great timing, I have a down vest I just bought used and it's the next thing that i need to throw in the washer! Love your content and positive attitude ❤
That's fantastic!! I love finding gear used. Thank you for watching 🥰
When my jackets, quilts, and bags were new and dry I weighed them to the nearest gram or tenth of a gram. Then in the future after cleaning and drying them, I weigh them again. If they are heavier, then they need more drying. I've also observed that if left out in the house overnight, they will absorb some moisture as much as 30 g which is 30 mL of water, so Yes, I dry them again just before packing them for a trip. :)
Lithium batteries don’t do well in the cold so you store rechargeable items (such as your headlamp) at room temperature as well. Sleeping bags should be stored in the oversized cotton or mesh bag that nice sleeping bags come with (to Lee the stuffing from getting too compacted).
Sleeping bags should also not be stored in moist conditions, so if your garage is not finished or heated, sleeping bags should stored in another location that dry and under some level of temperature control.
I notice you didn’t dry out your Sawyer Squeeze. To me, that makes sense- I only expect to store mine for 3-4 months, and completely drying it vs cleaning and storing seems more risky. Drying for storage is the manufacturer’s recommendation.
Other influencers recommend replacing yearly instead, which to me seems extremely wasteful- the device is cheap, yes, but it is made of almost 100% plastic. Simultaneously, it’s designed to last for years. My only real concern is keeping the membrane viable.
I don’t use mine anywhere near as much as a thru-hiker or RUclipsr, but it seems like there must be some sort of middle ground.
Also, I appreciate your use of the word “farts”. Not just because it’s juvenile, but because it’s a real thing that everyone does.💨
Great video. I have a down REI sleeping bag from 1978 😳. Have washed it every year. Still works like a charm🥰. I throw in a pair (clean) of runners in the dryer with the bag. It helps to break up any clumps.
I have been disabled of my original belief that down sleeping bags shouldn't be washed. Time to wash out decades of farts lol!!
WOOHOO YES!!! Free the sleeping bag of all the farts!!!
How do you know if your raincoat has DWR or not? Or does that apply to all raincoats? If it doesn't, how do you waterproof the coat. New to backpacking/camping and I'm still learning :) Thanks
Oooh...to care for your washing machine, leave to door open to minimize mold opportunity.
Another tip for the filter, I do this with my life straw: mix a few teaspoons of salt into a cup of water and suck the water up into the straw until you taste it, then seal it up like normal. The water will keep the membrane fresh and the salt will prevent germ build up. Yes it's a filter and it will filter out the germs but less germs that have to pass through the filter means a longer lasting one!
I always throw in three tennis balls when drying my quilt.
Oh that is a good idea.
I now inflate my sleeping pad before every trip to check - after a winter trip just recently in which I got to camp and found the valve had cracked and the mat would hold NO air. It was a cold and hard night sleep!
Put dryer wool balls & tennis balls in dryer to refluff & redistribute down.
When you wash the down sleeping bags, do you leave them zipped or unzip them?
Miranda have you done a favorite rain gear video?! I’m assuming yes and i just cant find it???
You didn’t cover backpack cleaning, can I throw it in the washing machine?
What about the tent rain fly? Ours is definitely not waterproof anymore. 😢
I've heard that a couple of tennis balls in the dryer with the bag/quilt helps fluff them up. Thoughts?
Wool dryer balls, for the win.
SkyGOAT cameo at the sponsor segment!
Miranda, you are like the twin sibling i never had gosh darn ❤️ love your spirit! Don’t change, stay blessed! 😊
Off topic but what shirt are you wearing in this video?
About the rainjacket step:
You washed it, dry it and then dry it again?
That’s pretty much right! The second dry is not meant to further dry the jacket but rather it’s to use the heat of the dryer to redistribute the DWR and repair it. So the most accurate description is to wash it to remove any dirt, any oils from your skin and other debris, then run a rinse cycle to make sure there’s no residual detergent left on the jacket, then completely dry it with the first dry cycle. The second dry cycle for 20 minutes on low heat is what’s actually repairing the DWR. The DWR repair process using the heat of the dryer needs the jacket to be totally clean and completely dry for it to work. Does that make sense?
@@MirandaGoesOutside That makes total sense, thanks for the quick and in-depth answer!
Greetings from Western Jutland in Denmark.
I'm scared to wash my sleeping bag
Yes, question! If you haven't explained in another video, could you do a tutorial for washing merino base layers? I just bought a smartwool intraknit top, and an REI 185 bottom. The REI item says to use "wool wash," and honestly, I'm wondering if anyone skips the wool wash without bad things happening. I don't want to have to keep a special laundry soap around if I don't have to.
Definitely use a Wool detergent for woolen items. The lanolin which makes Merino and woolen items bacteria resistant and soft is an oil that will be removed by normal detergents, leaving your baselayers rough and stinky!
@@kalararanelThank you for that! What detergent do you use yourself?
Great vid! Ditto what the peeps above said about dryer balls. They should help w loft but they also allegedly cut dryer time, thus saving money via saved energy bills. Also, if you have a washing machine w an agitator (I call mine the “clothes shredder”), I recommend washing stuff you care about in a mesh bag then unzipping the bag & throwing the whole thing into the dryer. You can get mesh laundry bags in oodles of sizes.
I was going to ask about using tennis balls for drying down items. I used some last time, and it seemed to help.
Any tips on cleaning tent rainfly to remove oily spots?
Just as an aside - at 8:30... I don't know if this was filmed in a garage, but if the space gets really cold, I wonder if putting a weather strip under the door in back would help with the drafts. It seems that light clearly peeks under the door.
Or even making a tube filled with rice/lentils to place in front of it - yes you have to move it by hand, but it's cheap and effective (if you're renting and not able to change anything about the door.
I backwash my filter after every hike. There's been hikes where I spent just a few days filtering water from crystal clear streams but backwashed the nastiest grime out of my filter when I got home. Mine's the Sawyer mini though, so maybe it cloggs up faster?
Mother Nature before she ascended
I haven't got a dryer how to do I make it my jacket warm ready for DWR?
You can iron the outside of your jacket on a low, no steam setting, with a towel between the iron and the jacket! Just make sure the temp is warm, not hot, and the iron isn’t directly touching the garment.
@@MirandaGoesOutsideI dont have a dryer ( is kaputt), and I dont have an Iron.😔
Thanks @@MirandaGoesOutside
I don't have one either. (In Europe only around 30% of households have a dryer). But chances that a friend or family member has one are still quite high. And most cities have a laundromat that has dryers.
Any truth to the idea of putting tennis balls in the dryer to help fluff down items
Not just a good idea it’s essential. The down won’t fluff on its own, you have to put something in with it.
Miranda goes Martha Stewart
Put a tennis ball in with your sleeping bag
be nice to it... wash it... lol
Does she live with Rainer?
I 'broke' my BeFree water filter on my last trip out.. I forgot to take it inside and it froze.. I did the test where you blow air back into and it bubbled.. At least it's only $20 bucks from REI. But yea, that thing now lives inside my bedroom in my desk drawer where it's warm and dry!
Citrus salts is where it’s at 😍
I'm confused about the dwr thing... you just dry it twice? I thought you had to reapply a dwr treatment spray. You're telling me i just need to dry it longer and it will repair itself?
I don't have a dryer.
Question for raincoats like that use laminates! Mine always have the interiors start flaking off in a year or less so i have concerns about washing them. What am I doing wrong? How can i extend the life of these, or should I instead invest in better rain shells?
When you pulled out his sleeping back and he said OKAY before the cut like he was ready to go in on how it wasn't that bad before getting proven that it Was That Bad, perfect editing.
That was awesome
You have so much personality, tis surprising that there is any left for others 🙂🙂Thanks for another informative, as well as very entertaining video, please keep them coming ... Cheers.
A request, please: can you do a video about tents, backpacks, and other gear and what storage conditions can do to them? For instance, I have been stuck in southeast Texas for the past two and a half decades. During this time I have gone many years where I could not get out my gear and get out to go camping or hiking. As a result, my husband stashed it in the attics, where high heat and high humidity (think triple digit temperatures with 90+ % humidity for several months in the summer) runs rampant for at least 9 months out of every year. My favorite day pack from college, my backpack, and my tent all feel very sticky now where coatings on the fabrics have degraded. I had to throw out the two packs, but I still have my tent though it is stored inside now. I haven't quite got the heart to just throw it away, and I am hoping there might be some way to restore the fabric, in addition to renewing the seam seals.
I also found my husband had vacuum sealed feather pillows and down jackets. I immediately pulled those out and fluffed them up again, and then explained to him why you do not treat down and feathers that way for storage.
Basically, can you go over why gear should be kept in better conditions for long-term storage, even though it is intended to be used outside?
Great advice! For anyone with an especially stubborn rain jacket (like my old OR jacket) that just won't keep out water, try using the DWR detergent and DWR spray before drying. And, if it's no longer worth being kind to the gortex any more, just use the water repellent down detergent. It lasts longer at the cost of breathability.
Oh No I don’t have dryer, where I live most people use dryer where you hang clothes and etc… afraid my sleeping bag will stay dirty forever 🥴
So grateful for your channel on content! Wish I had discovered this years ago when I was working part time at REI. I always walk away learning something new from your content. I do have a question for you Miranda…do you have a fix for shockcords that have lost their elasticity and don’t exactly keep the tent poles together any more? Is there a way to replace them or does the entire set of poles or tent kit need to be replaced?
So, just to clarify, to revitalize the water proofing, just needs to run in the dryer on low? No other additives?
Someone may have asked this already but can you do a video on how to re-waterproof a tent? Including the fly. You showed how to re-waterproof your raincoat but having some tips for doing tents would be great too.
Any advice on how to deal with a water filter when hiking in freezing temperatures?
Also, tried googling electrolytes (in my own language) to see if it’s similar to what I usually use and what I got was stuff about horses😅🤷♀️
I always clean my gear, as needed, when we get back from a trip. Things can get moldy fast where I live if put away dirty. I also put everything in large bags that allow them room, so they aren't stored compressed, including the tent. I put wool balls in with my sleeping bags, I think it helps fluff up the down. I'm definitely going to try the dryer trick for the rain gear. I usually line dry it.
In addition to washing my sleeping bag recently, I just washed my day pack for the first time in 5 years! The water was so brown and reddish from Utah dirt! I am so disgusted with myself.
Thanks, we just got back from camping so it’s perfect timing!
😂😂😂 thanks for all the tips and tricks. This video was ABSOLUTELY necessary and we all appreciate you ❤❤❤❤
Great advice, especially about the sleeping bags. I’m a novice to camping and tried my first outing in a RV in November. We learned the hard way, to check everything ourselves and not rely on the rental company. But it did not discourage us. I hope to try tent camping in spring.
Tumble drying your down articles with 3 tennis balls will help bring the loft back. Also, putting a weak bleach solution through your water filter will help sanitize it.
I have an MSR Guardian filter, similar technology and they say once you use it you can never let it dry out! Come back from a trip and run bleach solution through it, close it up and it’s good for up to a year before you have to wet it again. I like it because unlike the Sawyer and others you can test whether the filter has been compromised. And wow what a gear room! So clean and organized! All my gear is hidden in random unlabeled totes in the loft of my barn.
Solid video. glad you made it. I have a windproof/waterproof jacket that isn't acting like that anymore. I've heard about a spray to put on to re-waterproof it. thoughts?
Good video Miranda on caring for your hiking/camp gear. Often, we neglect this because we are usually tired after being up in the mountains and just put it off, never a good idea especially with damp gear. Your technique for re-lofting is great but many will have to go to a laundromat to perform the cleaning and drying. Luckily, I store my gear in my heated basement, so my Sawyer filter is safe, was unaware of the freezing could damage the membrane. Great video kiddo.
Replacing the shock cord is very easy! And the aftermarket stuff is great and cheap.
My biggest mistake when I started buying more expensive gear was a Mt hardware ratio down sleeping bag. I had no idea they used different down quality (fill power) and different fowl i.e duck/goose. Also the % of down vs feather. Goose down is more expensive but worth the investment.
Its raining here too, looks like I know what I'm gonna do today!
Do rain jackets need to be washed/dried on their own? Its basically rhe same process for my normal laundry so itd be great to combine everything and save some energy/water
Great video!! it's so important to take care of your gear to keep it longer. Thank you!!
I love the Bridesmaids clip! Perfect placement!!!!!!!!
Can the rain coat be washed in a household washer that has an agitator? I have a traditional washing machine with one of the pole things in the middle (i guess its an agitator?).
I'm freaking out about how smart it is that your washer and dryer is in your closet.
Water filter question: I have a Katadyn filter system, and they are without fail always completely clogged every time I go to re-use. I even try to flush out after each use, but it doesn't matter. I end up having to run strong jets of water through them for several minutes before they go back to normal. Anything else I should be doing to help this process? Thanks!
Hmmm what type of Katadyn filter?
@@MirandaGoesOutside a Katadyn BeFree 1.0 liter.
My favorite part was the slightly threatening tone with that last "Wash it" as you hand the sleeping bag back to Rainer. 😂 Great video!!
My sleeping bag is still new buf got messed up after the 2nd wash. Now the down is stuck together in some parts. I got cold when I used it. I had to buy a new one. Do you have any recommendation for revitalizing it?
Oooo yes!! Throw it in the dryer with some dryer balls (or tennis balls) on LOW heat for like... a long time. I mean an hour plus. If that doesn't do it, use a down wash to wash the bag, then try the dryer again!
@@MirandaGoesOutside Thank you. I’ll try that. My sleeping bag wasn’t dry after 3 days. All those spots were still wet no matter how much I dried it. 😕
Sad to say I recently saw recs. that say side loader only for my heavy down jacket.
Great video, thank you! : )
Tap your filter and flush it again to get more sediments out of your filter!
Be sure to use a special down detergent. Regular detergent could strip the down of natural essential oils.
❤️
is it ok to put down (feathers) gear in a washing machine?
How the thing is sewn matters for cold spots more than anything.