Your Gore-Tex waterproof hiking jacket is a vital piece of gear, designed to protect you from the elements while keeping you dry and comfortable. Proper care is essential to maintaining its performance and longevity. Here's a comprehensive guide on how to care for your Gore-Tex jacket to ensure it lasts for many adventures.

1. Regular Cleaning

While it might seem counterintuitive, regular cleaning is essential for maintaining the waterproof and breathable qualities of your Gore-Tex jacket. Dirt, oils, and sweat can clog the pores in the fabric, reducing breathability and causing the jacket to feel damp.

• Wash Frequency: Wash your jacket with a product like Nikwax's Techwash after extended use or when it looks dirty, especially after exposure to saltwater, mud, or sweat.

• Machine Washing:

  • Close all zippers, flaps, and Velcro closures to avoid snagging.
  • Use a gentle cycle with cold water (or follow the jkt's wash instructions - a lot of them are 30 degree washes).
  • Use a mild, liquid detergent like Techwash from Nikwax. Avoid powdered detergents, fabric softeners, bleach, or stain removers, as they can damage the waterproof membrane.

• Hand Washing: If machine washing isn't possible, gently hand wash your jacket using cold water and techwash.

2. Drying Your Jacket

Proper drying is just as important as washing. It helps restore the jacket's Durable Water Repellent (DWR) finish.

• Tumble Drying: After washing, tumble dry your jacket on a low or medium heat setting. The heat helps reactivate the DWR coating on the jacket’s exterior. Avoid high heat, as it can damage the fabric.

• Air Drying: If you don't have access to a dryer, hang the jacket in a well-ventilated area. Once it’s fully dry, you can use an iron on a low setting to reactivate the DWR coating by placing a cloth between the iron and the jacket.

3. Reapplying DWR Treatment

Over time, your jacket’s DWR finish will wear off. This doesn’t mean the jacket is no longer waterproof, but it may not shed water as effectively, causing the fabric to absorb water on the surface. When water no longer beads up, it’s time to reapply DWR.

• Spray-on or Wash-in Treatment: Purchase a DWR reproofing spray (we recommend TX Direct from Nikwax) or wash-in treatment from outdoor gear stores. After cleaning your jacket, apply the DWR product following the instructions provided.

• Heat Activation: Most DWR products require heat activation. After applying, either tumble dry the jacket on low or use an iron to finish the process.

4. Storage Tips

Storing your Gore-Tex jacket properly ensures that it maintains its shape and protective qualities.

• Hang it up: Avoid stuffing your jacket into a backpack or storage bin for long periods. Instead, hang it in a cool, dry place with adequate air circulation.

• Avoid Compression: Continuous compression can damage the jacket’s fabric and membrane. If you need to pack it, make sure it’s loosely folded, not crammed tightly into a small space.

5. Avoiding Common Pitfalls

Certain practices can damage the delicate waterproof membrane of your Gore-Tex jacket. Here’s what to avoid:

• Don’t Use Fabric Softeners: These can leave a coating on the jacket that interferes with its breathability and water resistance.

• Avoid High Heat: Whether drying or ironing, high heat can permanently damage the jacket. Stick to low or medium settings.

• Stay Away from Harsh Chemicals: Bleach, dry cleaning solvents, and harsh detergents can degrade the jacket’s waterproof layer. Stick with mild, non-abrasive cleaning agents designed for outdoor gear.

6. Repairing Minor Damage

Even with the best care, accidents can happen. If your jacket gets a tear or hole, you can often repair it with a Gore-Tex-specific patch or repair tape.

• Gore-Tex Repair Kit: Carry a small repair kit during hikes in case you need to make quick fixes in the field. Permanent repairs can often be done with a more durable patch or by sending the jacket to a specialized repair service.

Final Thoughts

With proper care, your Gore-Tex hiking jacket will continue to protect you from rain, snow, and wind for years. By regularly washing it, reapplying the DWR treatment, and avoiding practices that could damage the fabric, you’ll preserve its waterproof and breathable qualities, ensuring that your adventures stay dry and comfortable.

Sarah and Lucy, both keen hikers, recently headed out to Gougane Barra to check out the trails.

Within the park itself, there are six Coillte walking trails to suit all levels of fitness.

The Slí an Ghaorthaidh (0.5kms, 30mins, multi-access) is a nature trail with 10 stops; Sli na Laoi (1.3kms, 1hr, moderate) is a delightful trek along the floor of Coomroe following the course of the infant Lee to the head of the valley; Slí Dhoire na Coise (1.8kms, 45mins, easy) is a gentle walk along the Lee to the lake and back; the more energetic can tackle the Slí an Easa (1.8kms, 1.5hrs, strenuous); Slí na Sléibhe (2.5kms, 2hrs, strenuous) is the most majestic of all the trails in the park – high into the mountains with spectacular views; for those pressed for time, Slí an Choim Rua (0.5kms, 30mins, moderate) gives a glimpse into the wonder of the park at the back of the forest valley.

Outside of the park there is the 11.5km Gougane Barra Loop which is a beautiful more challenging hike (boots, maps, poles, etc required). Will share details of that again soon. Posted it way back when 🙂
Remember to bring coins for the carpark (€5) and make sure to stop into the fab Gougane Barra Hotel afterward.

Last day for pre-Christmas delivery within Ireland is Wednesday Dec 13th 2023

We're recommending that all web orders are placed by the 13th of December for pre Christmas delivery. We will continue to ship after that, and our staff make every effort to get web orders out on the same day they are placed (the couriers pick up at about lunchtime so if it's after that you roll into the next day) but we can't promise anything. 

We also offer click and collect if you'd prefer to err on the side of caution. 

In summary, the 13th of December was the last day for guaranteed delivery before Christmas but we will continue shipping daily. However, we won't be able to do too much chasing of the couriers for any order placed after the 13th that doesn't make it in time. 

If you have any questions don't hesitate to get in touch!

Laurie

Black Friday is not for us! Whilst there are lots of great bargains to be had in our shop at the moment, we don't agree with the Black Friday madness. And frankly, we're much more about encouraging people to make the right purchase that suits their needs as opposed to buying stuff they don't need at an artificially deflated price. Rant over!  

Instead (and for the seventh year in a row) we are picking a charity to donate a percentage of the days sales towards. This year the charity we've picked is Pieta House.
So this year,  shop small, shop local and buy stuff that lasts. 

It's great to see so many Irish businesses thinking this way and getting behind @championgreen and #greenfriday this year. #supportlocal #pietahouse #greenfridayireland

Resoling your old Meindl boots is a great way to extend their life but it is an expensive process, with prices going up again on May 1st. It's important your boots are in good enough condition to go through the process so here is some useful information and costings. 

• Boots are sent back to Germany to be re-soled. This can take up to 8 weeks and longer during holiday periods. 
• Please note that if your footwear is leaking, we cannot guarantee any repairs carried out will rectify this.
• IMPORTANT: Clean your boots before dropping them in

Excessive grease/wax may prevent the adhesive from bonding correctly, we therefore kindly request that you remove as much as possible before sending your boots to us.​​

• Please remove footbed/insole and laces before dropping them in. 

Costings are below. We now charge a €20 service fee for processing the boots, filling out the paperwork and liasing with Meindl. 

The first step of the process is that we take pictures of the boots and send them to Meindl to ask their opinion on whether they can handle the re-sole process. If they say they're okay they then get shipped to Germany and are resoled. This can take up to 8 weeks. They come back with new insoles and new laces. 

If you have any questions about the process please don't hesitate to get in touch.