How to Care for Ski Pants

Proper clothing is needed to stay comfortable on the slopes.

Ski gear is expensive. After making an investment in skis, boots, bindings and other hard gear, you still a jacket, warm inner layers and ski pants. To maintain your ski pants and extend their useful life, know how to care for them. Ski pants are usually insulated with either goose down or a synthetic insulation. Each requires its own method of washing, drying and storage.

Things You'll Need

• Wooden hanger
• Gentle laundry detergent (down insulation)
• Normal laundry detergent (synthetic insulation)
• Washing machine
• Sponge (for spot cleaning)
• Iron (for repairs)

Instructions

1. Find the materials label and care label on your ski pants and verify if they are insulated and, if so, with what. Each ski pant maker provides laundry instructions on the care label. In order to care for your ski pants properly, follow the label instructions when washing and drying. If your care label is missing, find out the insulation. If it is down, wash the pants using a gentle laundry detergent. Use the gentle cycle and tumble dry at low heat with a tennis ball in the dryer to ensure the fluff of the down remains full. If the insulation is synthetic, wash the pants using normal laundry detergent. Use the gentle cycle and dry using medium heat. Wash your ski pants once or twice a season.

2. If the pants do not need an overall cleaning, spot-remove stains with warm water in a sink using a little detergent and a sponge. Line dry the pants once the stains are removed.

3. Store goose down pants on a hanger in a closet. Don't pack them down. You want the down to stay fluffed out. If down is compressed for extended periods, the fibers beak down and the heat-retaining qualities of the down are diminished. Store synthetic pants folded up in a drawer or hung on a hanger in a closet.

4. If you get a tear, glue a patch over the tear. Most ski pants come with a piece of patch material that is color matched to the pants. Use seam sealer glue to iron the patch over the tear.

Tips & Warnings

• After a season or two, the waterproof quality of ski pants and jackets may diminish. Wash-in waterproof liquids are available in many ski specialty shops to re-waterproof your ski outerwear.

• Be careful when using a dryer. Ski pants are made from synthetic, waterproof nylon or similar materials and will burn if left in too long. Heat from the dryer is beneficial because it activates many waterproof treatments applied to the pants by the manufacturer, but be sure to remove the pants before they scorch.

References

• Barker Group: Ski Wear - Look After Your Purchase
• Ski and Board: Waterproofing Tips