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How to Care for Your Gore-Tex Waterproof Hiking Jacket

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.

Thinking about getting new soles on your Meindl boots, find out more here...

Updated with Prices as of March 2025 - please note these prices are subject to change so get in touch with us to find out more (info@wildsidesports.ie)

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. 

Resoling Fees for Meindl Boots 

as of March 2025. (Prices subject to change).

A, AB, B Grade

C Grade

Shipping to Germany from WSS

€18.00

€18.00

Resoling incl. Shipping from Germany

€140.00

€160

 

 

Vat @ 13.5%

€21.33

€24.03

 

 

WSS Service Fee (incl VAT at 23%)

€20.00

€222.03

Total

€199.33

€222.03

Things to do while in Lockdown - Footwear Maintenance

Here is an important one for all you hikers out there, how to take good care of what's on your feet. When choosing footwear we tell people about the two main types they need to decide between. Leather and synthetic.
Pic above L-R - Leather Nova Tour Mammut, Synthetic/Nubuck Quest 4d GTX Salomon, Synthetic Moab Mid Gtx Merrell
Both are good and both have their uses. Leather is more durable and will last you longer. However it costs more and is heavier. Synthetic is lighter, easier to break in and is cheaper. On the downside it is not as durable as leather. Many hikers will choose a heavy solid leather boot as their winter boot for Ireland and then pick a lightweight synthetic for the summer months where they know the conditions will not be as harsh and the ground doesn't need as much grip underfoot. No matter what footwear you choose it is vital that you know how to take care of it. If you take good care of your boots/shoes they will last you longer and save you money in the long run. 
Firstly, lets talk about leather. If leather boots are not waxed from day one every step taken will produce creases in the leather. In time, these creases turn into cracks once dried out and result in the boot breaking down faster.
So from day one, wax the boots. Meindl produce their own clear wax and creams for boots. Once rubbed into the boot with a cloth, the boots will darken in colour and give an oily look. This softens the leather and gives them a coat that helps them endure tougher outside conditions and stops the leather from cracking. 
In regards to synthetic, the care is slightly different. Instead of using a wax, the boots/shoes need to be sprayed with the likes of Meindl's wetproof spray or their conditioner and proofer.
Both do the trick. In the case of the wetproof which I use, spray the boots all round the outside, wait 5 minutes and re-spray again and leave to dry in. This gives the boots a coating of waterproofing again and tops them up. If you are ever walking through wet grass with your waterproof shoes/boots and feel wet toes then you know it is time for a spray.
The key thing to remember with all footwear is to wash off the boots/shoes when they come in off the land to get the mud off.
After you wash them off you can re-proof or re-wax them to keep them in check. What I use is an old toothbrush and the garden hose or bucket to get off the mud from the boots. In Ireland we have a lot of agricultural land and so much of our soil is acidic from the likes of manure etc. This acidic soil eats away at the shoes if mud is left on. The mud simply dries onto the boot and destroys the boots over time. You can see this on boots that don't get washed and the soles of the boots disintegrate and fall apart.
Another tip apart from cleaning is to remember to keep toe nails short. Sounds obvious but this is the number one reason we find boots leak. The toe nail if too long (or if the boot size is too small), tears away at the inside of the boot causing a leak and can be sore on the toe. If ever you are wondering about this, run your fingers inside the toe of the boot and if you feel a roughness where the end of the toes should be you can be fairly sure its from a toenail. So in short make sure to wash the boots and keep the toenails trimmed. Your boots and toes will thank you for it! 
The finished product
Blog by: Liam - any questions? Get in touch info@wildsidesports.ie