Hey Fellow Campers,
Ya, I know the title of this blog brings some mixed opinions. Yet this is the time when backpacking, camping and hiking are limited due to all this rainy weather. Times like these you stare out the window watching a leaf float down the street and wish the rain would stop. That is no way to be! Why not go clean and organize your gear for when that weather changes for the better!
You may think that I am one who is always on top of things and have everything neatly organized and better yet it is packed and ready to go. WRONG!!! I am the worst when it comes down to cleaning gear. I usually try to clean/rinse off everything before I put it up but sometimes that does not always happen. Yes, you guessed it. I on occasion find those smelly unknown areas in the gear box. I struggle through the gut wrenching stench to clean and cuss my self internally for letting it get this bad. Enough of my horror stories.
This is the time to clean and organize your gear. Several stores have plastic bins on sale and these bins make great for organization for your stuff. You can label the boxes with duct tape and post notes. I try to separate summer from winter gear. I have a bin for cooking stuff and so on. I have a little more gear than some because we like to backpack and car camp at different times of the year. These bins once organize can be loaded up in the truck and off you go.
Cleaning some of the high dollar gear can be a challenge. Be sure to check with the outdoor gear company of your local gear store to see what products you can use. There are several products by Nixwax that can help that smelly sleeping bag or rain coat. A helpful hint when cleaning your sleeping bag throw in a few tennis balls to help in the drying process.
For more information on Nikwax visit there site:
http://www.nikwax.com/
Bentley - VentureTree Team
Saturday, January 23, 2010
