Aftercare. Maintain your kit
General Bivvy/Brolly Aftercare
When using any bivvy/brolly it is essential that after use it is completely dried out as soon as possible. Failure to do this will result in mildew forming in the damp conditions which could then attack the fabric and heat seal tape. This will result in reduced performance and in extreme cases a complete break down of the fabric and heat sealing tape.
Re-proofing
With all of our bivvies and brollys we recommend that they be re-proofed at least once a year. This is because the coating of the fabric that allows it to breathe will in time become less effective as the product is repeatedly used and packed away, this is a similar process to that of waxing a car.
The product we recommend is Fabsil Gold because it won't affect the breathability of the product. This can be bought at good angling stores or camping outlets. We prefer the brush on version rather than the aerosol type because the aerosol version is diluted slightly. Simply apply to the bivvy/brolly with either a brush or cloth, leave to dry for a couple of hours and you have added protection for another year.
Cleaning
It is possible to buy specialist cleaning fluids for bivvys, Fabsil Clean for instance. However in most cases simply hosing down the bivvy and removing mud and debris with a sponge should suffice in most cases, do not use detergents of any type. These will strip away the protective fluorocarbon coating of the fabric.
Again, take the time to dry the bivvy completely before packing the bivvy away.
Pioneer/ Ultralite bivvys
It is important that the following is carried out by anyone owning one of these products.
Before using for the first time ensure that the bolts on the spreader block are tight and not loose in any way. It is also important that the product is "fanned" out before the product is erected.
Once the Pioneer/Ultralite has been used several times you should re-tighten the nuts on the spreader block using a 10mm spanner. This may need checking until the bivvy has bedded in and will then just require an annual check.
Sleeping Bags and covers
Looking after your sleeping bag is a fairly simple procedure. All of our sleeping bags are designed to be cleaned on a 40ºC wash cycle. The tricky part is drying them. The best way is to dry them naturally i.e. hang them on a washing line for a day or so to let the fibres regain their natural form.
If the sleeping bag or cover is just slightly soiled simply sponge down the outer with clean water and leave to dry.
