How to Correctly Look After Your First Ascent Down Jacket

If your down jacket is not properly cared for and maintained over time, it will begin to lose its loft and will become less insulated over time. Washing and caring for your down jacket is extremely easy - but it is important to ensure the right methods are used to avoid unnecessary damage to these vital pieces of outdoor apparel.

Washing your down jacket

Follow the below steps when cleaning your down jacket, to ensure it stays in 'adventure-ready' condition:

Pre-wash Instructions:

• Remove any excess mud and dirt
• Close main zipper and velcro
• Close pocket zips and loosen all elastic tensioners
  

Hand Wash (Preferable Option):

• Wash separately by hand in 40°C water
• Use only down specific soap. Shop Nikwax Down Wash here
• Rinse well with clean water
  

Machine Wash (Front-loader ONLY):

• Remove all excess detergent
• Machine to be placed on 40°C temperature and put on a gentle cycle with a slow spin
• Place down jacket in a mesh washing bag or pillowcase.
• Preferable only wash one jacket per cycle for the the best results

Drying your down jacket

Drying Instructions:

• Remove excess moisture by pressing gently with a clean towel
• Place drying balls or use two clean tennis balls into the dryer, this will help to redistribute the loft and prevent clumping.
• Place jacket in the tumble dryer on a low heat and secure all zips and closures
• Tumble dry for up to 15 minutes at a time on low heat (please note this process can take up to 3 hours depending on the bulkiness of your jacket)
• Turn garment periodically inside out throughout the dry cycle
• Shake garment to loosen down clumps and to bring back the loft and shape of the jacket.
• Treat the DWR coating on the jacket with Nikwax Spray On TX Direct after drying
  

No tumble dryer?

• Dry out your jacket fully outdoors or in a warm room, refrain from placing it in direct sunlight.
• Once dry, simply shake out and pat the product to loosen clumps and return the jacket to its original shape.

What not to do when cleaning your down jacket

	Do not dry clean		Do not use fabric softener
	Do not bleach		Do not iron

How to Store your down jacket

When packing your down jacket away for the summer season make sure that you follow the below steps, to keep your jacket looking new and fresh for the next winter season

• Make sure your jacket is cleaned before storage (follow the above steps for cleaning)
• Jacket should always be stored uncompressed.
• Refrain from storing jacket in an area with high humidity or where moisture can penetrate.
• Let your jacket hang free to air it out and breathe

Repairing holes in your down jacket

If you find a hole in your down jacket, it can easily be repaired and patched. It is always best to repair a hole as soon as you find it, and if possible to keep a repair kit on hand during your hikes or outdoor adventures. Many garment repair kits will include a small patch of water-resistant adhesive fabric that you can cut to shape and press onto the outer material. This is a cost-effective and sustainable way of maximizing the lifetime of your down jacket. 

A good tip is to round the corners to make them less likely to catch and peel off. If you can push an escaping down feather back into the jacket, it is recommended to do so! Be careful to handle your jacket carefully while doing so, as this could expand the hole. It’s better to lose a down feather than to make the hole even bigger.

Follow the above care and storing instructions and your down jacket will be your best winter investment for many seasons to come. 

Browse our selection of First Ascent Down Jackets here.

Article Source: First Ascent