Your waterproof jacket has not failed. You have probably just been washing it wrong.
It is a familiar feeling. You spend good money on a shell or a softshell, and a season or two later it feels cold, clammy and about as waterproof as a tea towel. So you write it off and start pricing up a replacement you do not actually need.
Here is the good news. Most kit that seems finished is simply dirty and tired, not broken. This guide shows you how to wash and reproof your airsoft and tactical kit properly, so it keeps you dry and comfortable for years instead of months.
We have been kitting out Kent players since 2006, and we see a lot of well-used gear. The pieces that last are the ones that get cleaned and cared for, not the ones left crusted in mud in the boot of a car.
In this guide:
- Why your field kit stops performing
- The golden rules of washing tactical clothing
- Washing camo, MTP and combat trousers
- Reproofing your waterproofs: wash-in vs spray-on
- Caring for plate carriers, webbing and boots
- Drying and storing your kit
- Frequently asked questions
Why your field kit stops performing
Technical clothing relies on two things working together. The outer face fabric has a Durable Water Repellent (DWR) finish, a treatment that makes rain bead up and roll off. Underneath a waterproof shell there is usually a breathable membrane, a very thin layer that lets sweat vapour escape while blocking liquid water from getting in.
Both get clogged with use. Mud, sweat, sun cream, camo cream and the greasy residue off BBs all sit on the surface and stop water beading. When the DWR gives up, the face fabric soaks up water instead of shedding it.
This is called wetting out. The jacket is not actually leaking, but the sodden outer layer kills breathability, so you feel cold and clammy and assume the waterproofing has failed. Most of the time it just needs cleaning and reproofing, not replacing. The membrane maker Gore-Tex sets out the same three-step routine: wash, dry, and reapply DWR when needed.
Jordan, a regular at a Kent woodland site, brought his three-year-old shell in last November convinced it was leaking. He had been getting soaked on every wet game and had already added a replacement to his basket. When we looked, the outer fabric was soaking up water like blotting paper, dark and heavy across the shoulders, but the membrane was fine. One wash with a technical cleaner and 20 minutes in a cool tumble dryer, and the rain beaded straight off again. He saved himself the best part of £150.
The lesson is simple. Before you condemn a piece of kit, clean it properly first. You will need the right products to do that, and you can find wash and reproof products in our Grangers range if you need to stock up before the next game.
The golden rules of washing tactical clothing
Get these right and you avoid almost every common mistake. None of them are difficult, and none of them cost you extra time once they become habit.
- Never use fabric softener. This is the big one. Softener coats every fibre with a thin film to reduce friction, and that film is exactly what stops a DWR finish beading water and clogs the pores of a breathable membrane. One wash with softener can undo a full reproof.
- Skip ordinary detergent and bleach. Standard biological detergent is built to strip grease, and a DWR coating looks like grease to it. It also leaves water-attracting residue behind. Use a technical wash instead, and never put bleach near camo or coated fabrics.
- Wash cool. A 30 degree cycle is plenty for most kit. Hot washes can damage membranes, seam tapes and printed camo, so keep the temperature down and the spin gentle.
- Prep the garment. Empty every pocket, do up all zips, storm flaps and Velcro, and turn heavily soiled items inside out. Loose Velcro pills and snags everything else in the drum.
- Do not overload. Wash technical gear on its own or in small loads so it can move freely. Add an extra rinse to flush out every last trace of cleaner.
A technical wash, sometimes called a performance wash, cleans without leaving the water-attracting residue that ordinary detergent does. It is safe on membranes, softshells and base layers alike. If your machine has ever had softener through it, run an empty rinse cycle first to clear the drawer and drum.
Here is the quick version to pin above the machine.
| Do | Don’t |
|---|---|
| Use a technical or performance wash | Use biological detergent or bleach |
| Wash cool, around 30 degrees | Run a hot wash or a harsh high-spin cycle |
| Do up zips, flaps and Velcro first | Leave Velcro open to pill and snag |
| Wash technical kit in small loads | Cram the drum so nothing can move |
| Add an extra rinse | Add fabric softener (ever) |
| Reactivate the DWR with gentle heat | Force-dry on a scorching radiator |
Washing camo, MTP and combat trousers
Combat trousers take the worst of it: kneeling in mud, sliding into cover and general abuse. The good news is that most combat trousers built in cotton-polyester ripstop are hard-wearing and simple to clean.
How you care for camo depends on the fabric and any coating, not the pattern itself. Multi-Terrain Pattern (MTP), Disruptive Pattern Material (DPM) and Multicam all follow the same basic rules: a gentle cool wash, no bleach and no softener.
To protect the colour and any print, turn trousers inside out before washing and dry them away from direct sunlight, because strong UV fades dyed and printed fabric over time. Knock off the worst of the dried mud before it goes in, then treat ground-in stains with a little technical wash worked in by hand rather than a harsh stain remover.
Trousers with reinforced knee pad pockets should have the pads removed first. Foam pads hold water, take an age to dry, and can distort in a hot machine. If you want to pick the right pattern for your local sites in the first place, our guide to airsoft camo in the UK walks through what works where.
Nadia had a favourite set of MTP trousers she wore to every game. To freshen them up she ran them through a hot wash with a big slug of fabric softener, the same way she did her towels. They came out soft, but the light water resistance the fabric once had was gone for good, and the colours had dulled a shade. Softener had coated every fibre. It is a five-minute mistake that quietly ruins good kit, and it is completely avoidable.
Base layers and merino
Base layers live or die on their ability to wick sweat away from your skin. Softener destroys that wicking, so the same no-softener rule applies here more than anywhere. Wash them cool with a technical wash and air dry them.
Merino wool base layers need even less washing than synthetics, because wool is naturally odour resistant. When they do need a clean, follow the Woolmark care guidance for wool and use a gentle wool-safe wash rather than anything aggressive.
Reproofing your waterproofs: wash-in vs spray-on
Reproofing simply means restoring the DWR finish once cleaning alone no longer brings the water beading back. Two things bring a tired outer face back to life, and it is worth doing them in the right order.
First, try heat
Heat reactivates DWR that is worn but not gone. After washing, tumble dry the garment on a low setting for around 20 to 30 minutes, or until it is warm and dry.
No dryer? A cool iron works instead. Let the garment air dry fully, set the iron to low with no steam, and press it through a thin dry cloth so the plate never touches the fabric directly. Check the maximum temperature on the label before you start.
Then, reproof if water still soaks in
If rain still wets out after a clean and a warm dry, it is time to add a fresh water-repellent treatment. You have two options, and choosing the right one matters more than most people realise.
- Wash-in reproofer. Added to the machine like a detergent, it coats the whole garment evenly and is the quickest way to treat a full jacket or trousers. It is the better choice for non-membrane items such as softshells, fleeces and standard field jackets.
- Spray-on reproofer. Applied by hand to the outer face, it is the right pick for waterproofs built on a breathable membrane like Gore-Tex. It treats only the outside and leaves the inner surface free to keep wicking sweat away.
The reason comes down to how a membrane works. A wash-in treatment coats the inside as well as the outside, which can dull the breathability you paid for on a high-end shell. Spray-on keeps that inner surface clear. On a softshell with no membrane, there is nothing to block, so wash-in is the faster, easier route.
| Wash-in reproofer | Spray-on reproofer | |
|---|---|---|
| How it is applied | In the machine, like detergent | By hand onto the outer face |
| Best for | Softshells, fleece, non-membrane jackets | Membrane waterproofs (e.g. Gore-Tex) |
| Coverage | Whole garment, fast and even | Targeted, outer face only |
| Keeps inner wicking free? | No, it coats the inside too | Yes |
| Ideal use | Full reproof of the whole garment | Spot top-ups on high-wear areas |
A sensible routine is a full wash-in or spray reproof every 6 to 12 months, with a quick spray touch-up on the shoulders, elbows and forearms in between. Those high-wear areas, and anywhere your rig sits, always give out first.
Ready to bring your kit back to life? Our Grangers wash and reproof range covers cleaning and proofing in one place, and Grangers’ own how-to videos show the exact steps for each product. Whichever route you take, reactivate the treatment with heat afterwards and follow the instructions on the bottle.
Caring for plate carriers, webbing and boots
Hard gear does not belong in a washing machine. Buckles, moulded panels, laser-cut laminate and stiffeners can crack, warp or shred in the drum, and they can wreck the machine on the way. Spot clean instead.
- Plate carriers and webbing. Remove plates, pouches and any padded inserts first. Brush off the dried dirt, then sponge the nylon with warm water and a little technical wash. Rinse and air dry it fully before storing, because trapped damp breeds mildew and smells.
- Boots. Knock off the mud, remove the laces and insoles, and clean the uppers with a brush and mild soapy water. Leather boots benefit from a proper conditioner, while fabric and suede areas can take a suitable spray proofer.
- Gloves and soft pouches. Most are fine with a hand wash in cool water and a technical wash, then air dried. Check the label first for anything with a membrane or padding.
Reece learned the boot lesson the hard way. After a muddy weekend he jammed his leather boots against the radiator overnight to dry them fast for work on Monday. By morning the leather had cracked across both toe boxes and one sole had started to lift. Slow drying with newspaper would have cost him nothing, yet a £120 pair of boots was ruined in a single night.
Never force-dry boots on a radiator, which cracks leather and can unstick soles. Stuff them with newspaper and let them dry naturally at room temperature. For a broader look at building and looking after a loadout, our tactical gear guide covers how the pieces fit together.
Quick reference: kit care at a glance
| Item | Best method | Drying |
|---|---|---|
| Combat trousers / camo | Cool wash, technical wash, inside out | Line dry, away from direct sun |
| Waterproof shell | Technical wash, then reproof | Low tumble or cool iron to set DWR |
| Base layers | Cool wash, technical wash, no softener | Air dry, flat or hung |
| Plate carrier / webbing | Spot clean, sponge with technical wash | Air dry fully before storing |
| Boots | Brush off, mild soapy water, condition leather | Newspaper stuffing, natural dry |
| Gloves / soft pouches | Hand wash, cool, technical wash | Air dry |
Drying and storing your kit
Dry everything completely before it goes away. Air dry base layers and softshells rather than blasting them on high heat, which can damage elastic and prints. Waterproofs get a low tumble or a cool iron to set the DWR, as covered above.
Store kit somewhere cool, dark and dry. Use wide hangers where you can so shoulders keep their shape and creases do not set into coated fabrics. Do not vacuum-pack technical clothing for months on end, and never bag anything up while it is still damp.
A single day drying properly after each game is the cheapest thing you can do to make kit last. It also means your gear is ready to go when the next game lands, rather than sitting in a bin bag turning musty.
The same care pays off most on premium kit. As Kent’s only authorised 5.11 Tactical retailer, we see plenty of well-used gear come through the shop, and the pieces that go the distance are the ones that get cleaned and reproofed. If you are investing in tactical clothing built to last, browse the 5.11 range and then look after it from day one.
To recap: wash cool with a technical wash, never use softener, reactivate the DWR with gentle heat, reproof when water stops beading, and keep hard gear out of the machine. Do those five things and good kit will serve you for years. And whatever any guide tells you, the final word always belongs to the garment care label.
Frequently asked questions
Can I wash my waterproof jacket in a normal washing machine?
Yes, a normal machine is fine as long as you use a technical wash instead of ordinary detergent, skip the fabric softener, and wash cool on a gentle cycle. Do up the zips, add an extra rinse, and check the care label for the temperature. The machine is not the problem, the wrong products are.
How often should I reproof my kit?
Roughly every 6 to 12 months for regular use, or sooner if you play most weekends. The real trigger is behaviour, not the calendar: when water stops beading on the outer fabric and starts soaking in, it is time to clean and reproof. High-wear areas like shoulders and forearms usually go first and can be topped up with a spray in between full treatments.
Should I use wash-in or spray-on reproofer?
Use wash-in for softshells and standard field jackets where you want fast, even coverage over the whole garment. Use spray-on for waterproofs with a breathable membrane like Gore-Tex, because it treats only the outer face and keeps the inside free to wick sweat. Spray is also best for spot touch-ups on the areas that wear first.
Why does fabric softener damage tactical clothing?
Softener coats the fibres with a thin film to make them feel soft. That film blocks the pores of a breathable membrane, stops a DWR finish beading water, and kills the wicking on base layers. Even leftover softener in the machine drawer can affect the next load, so run a quick empty rinse before washing technical kit.
Can I put my plate carrier or webbing in the machine?
No. Buckles, stiffeners and moulded panels can crack or warp in the drum and may damage the machine too. Strip off pouches and inserts, brush off the dirt, then sponge the nylon with warm water and a little technical wash. Rinse and air dry it completely before storing so it does not go mouldy.
How do I get the water repellency back without buying anything?
Often you just need to clean it and add heat. A wash with a technical cleaner removes the grime blocking the DWR, and a low tumble dry or a cool iron through a cloth reactivates the finish that is still there. If water still soaks in after that, the coating has genuinely worn off and a reproofer is the next step. Either way, always check the garment care label.
