Winter’s approach is the perfect time to re-proof your wet weather gear.

Matt Hobbs from TwinNeedle Outdoor Equipment Repairs in Christchurch offers some tips on how to ensure you stay dry when you brave the elements.

• Check your garment’s care instructions. If it can’t withstand a washing machine, be prepared to get your hands soapy.
• Wash your garment using a mild soap and cold water.
• Hang your garment and apply a waterproofing spray while still wet.
• Put your garment in a tumble dryer on a medium setting for an hour. The heat from the dryer is an important element, as it reactivates the existing waterproof coating, and sets the new coating into the pores of the garment’s membrane.
• “Wash your waterproof garment as often as you wash your jeans,” Hobbs recommends. You don’t have to reapply the waterproof coating each time you wash it, but keeping the garment clean will prolong the life of your gear.