As much as it hurts to admit, summer is over.听The aspens are nearly bare, frost has ravaged the tomato plants, and it鈥檚 time to put away your fair-weather gear. But if you don鈥檛 do it right, you might find things听covered in mold or damaged by creasing when you听take them听out in a few months. Here鈥檚 what you need to know to prevent听surprises before next spring鈥檚听first camping trip.
Vent Your Tent听
It may seem counterintuitive, but听you need to set up your tent before putting it away. Check for rips or broken zippers, and hand-wash any caked-on dirt with diluted soap (not detergent). Then听let it air out somewhere shady. Unfold tent poles as much as possible to preserve the shock cords鈥 elasticity. Once it鈥檚 clean and dry, store it flat and away from animals in a temperature-controlled area, like the back of a closet. You can also loosely roll the tent,听just don鈥檛 store it in a stuffsack. Justin Bradshaw, a rental-gear associate at , says that packing a tent tightly can cause creasing and weak spots.听
Unpack Your Pad
As you did with the tent, wipe down your sleeping pad with a soapy cloth, then rinse it with water. You鈥檙e aiming听to get dirt and your own stink off it, as well as any bug repellent, because deet听can break down the exterior. If it鈥檚听inflatable, use a hair dryer听or a pump to inflate and deflate your pad听a few times, which will flush moisture from the interior. Let the pad dry in a shady spot. Once dry, store it unfolded or loosely rolled听and partially inflated with the valve open, if applicable.
Stash (Not听Stuff) Your Sleeping Bag
If your sleeping bag is smelly, you can wash it听in cold water in a front-loading washer (top loaders may rip the fabric) with gear-friendly soap. Use Nikwax ($11) for down and a gentle, unscented detergent for synthetics.听Then听run it in an unheated dryer with a tennis ball to restore loft. If it smells OK, just unzip your sleeping bag all the way and put it in a shady spot to make sure it鈥檚 entirely dry: hang it over a rack or chairs to make sure that both sides get air. Like the tent, store it loose鈥攊n a mesh storage bag like REI鈥檚 ($18) or a king-size pillowcase鈥攊n a cool, dry place.
Hang Your Hydration Bladder
Even if you empty your hydration bladder, there鈥檚 often moisture left inside, which is why Bradshaw uses a modified coat hanger to store his. Cut a plastic hanger in half听to get a hanging storage device that will encourage airflow听(be careful of sharp points), or purchase the CamelBak鈥檚听 ($12). If the bladder does mildew, he recommends cleaning it with a gallon of hot water mixed with a teaspoon of bleach. You can also freeze it to slow the growth of mold.
Blow Up Your SUP
Like tents, inflatable watercraft, like SUPs, kayaks, and canoes, should be set up completely and left to dry. Their PVC walls can break down in sunlight, however, so find a spot that鈥檚 shady or indoors. Then听let its air out听until it鈥檚 about a quarter inflated, and store it out of the elements. Bradshaw says that people like to fully deflate and roll their boats up听during the winter to save space, but this puts pressure on the seams, leading听to tears. Inflatable watercraft听stored in a roll听might only last a season or two, he says, while one that鈥檚 stored partially inflated can last decades.