Ma Nikwax to the Rescue

As they say, redder is better for ski photography. With a little help from Ma, this jacket is red.

A favorite jacket covered with a long ski season worth of grime is as sad as a one eyed, bedraggled teddy bear. Even if you’re comfortable with the grunge look, performance starts to decrease when hi tech fabrics get clogged with sunscreen, dirt, grease, taco sauce and the region’s best beer (PBR is said to not have as deleterious an effect — testing is ongoing). And when Mom shows up for a visit, it’s not a question of if it gets washed, but when.

Before Nikwax but after washing with regular laundry detergent. Some of that black smudge is Cherokee engine oil. We used regular dish soap that contained a grease cutting formula to dissolve the grease and rinsed it thoroughly before the final wash with Nikwax.

Concerns about destructing the weather repellent finish are legit, especially since gear must perform in harsh conditions and we’ll admit we have wrecked a piece or two while zealously scrubbing. Out, damned spot. Out, I say.

But no more Lady MacBeth episodes for us, thanks to Nikwax. We used Nikwax Softshell wash-in treatment and the softshell came out looking and performing like new. Downside to Nikwax is it doesn’t last forever, and it’s more expensive than regular laundry detergent.

After. Nikwax treatment passes the water bottle test.

Fabric experts say that storing a garment clean will extend its life. Care for your gear so it’ll work next season. Get your Nikwax products here.