Our friends at Nikwax shared some tips for keeping your fishing apparel in the best shape in the “off-season”. We’ve used Nikwax products for years and can say without a doubt they are exceptional products that work as advertised. Plus, their products are all water based and incredibly environmentally conscientious of their environmental footprint with no propellant gases uses, chemicals that are non-persistant, and environmentally safe. Their product contains no fluorocarbon and have not been tested on animals. Plus they are the first company in the world to become carbon balanced since its founding.
We spoke to Heidi Allen, a VP at the company, and got some great tips and feedback that are listed below. Here’s what she had to say…
1. We’ve worked with a number of fly fishing guides and companies in the past in regards to waders. Like other gear with a DWR finish, waders need care to stay happy. Clean by hand (in your bathtub) with Tech Wash. Hang to dry, or if needed, use TX. Direct spray-on to re-apply water-repellency. Be sure to clean them even more frequently if you are fishing in salt water, as salt water will corrode things like zippers, and can hurt the DWR.
2. If you’re fishing in the rain- you’ll need a rain jacket (and possible rain pants). Tech Wash is great at getting out fish blood and guts if you stain your outer layer while gutting and filleting your fish. We actually cleaned and re-waterproofed a wading jacket for Gear Rehab (before and after combo image above).
3. Another hot tip for fisherpeople is Sandal Wash. Many anglers I have met wear sandals (getting in and out of boats, etc.) and they get FUNKY!
4. Throughout my travels, I have talked to a lot of avid anglers. Base Wash is another hit for warm-weather fishing, as it works great on sun protection layers helping them to dry fast, and get ride of funky smells.
