Our man Gear, Richard Gear, has been hard at work answering
your kit questions and feeding scraps of roadkill to his cat.
So far Richard has manfully answered over 500 kit questions and
you can find all his past answers together with a search mechanism at
the Ask
Richard Gear section of the site.
Browse through his past answers or ask
a question of your own...
This week Richard ponders whether it's safe to use biological
powder when the label says non-bio only, looks into the mysteries of
the 100 per-cent cotton fabric that could be the earliest soft shell
material and has some suggestions for street-friendly post-kayaking
insulated clothing.
|
|
Q: If you have a base layer that says use non-bio for
washing is it still OK to use bio to get rid of stubborn
stains and then wash in non-bio? Also what about using stain
removers before washing? ?
A: Gear here. Richard 'Washes Whiter Gear, the
difference between biological and non-biological washing
detergents is that biological versions contain enzymes which
help them to break down organic, protein-based dirt - food
mainly - and makes them generally more effective than
non-bio equivalents.
Biological detergents can also eave tiny traces of active
residue in the clothing which continue to break down dirt,
but can also cause skin irritation in sensitive people.
If your care label suggests that you use non-biological
detergents, then ...
Full
Answer
|
|
|
Q: I am looking for an insulating top that I can throw
on when I get out of a kayak in winter. Ideally it needs to
be warm and cope with moisture as it would be put on
straight after getting off the water when I am getting very
cold very quickly ... I am looking for something that will
also be useful in other uses including leisure off the hill
if this is possible. ?
A: Gear here, Richard 'Insulation' Gear, master of
the warm throwover. Basically you're after a quick to don,
windproof or wind-resistant insulation top that will also
handle moisture well and look good enough to wear off the
hill at the same time. Blimey, you don't ask for much, do
you...
Functionally I think the Montane Extreme pile-Pertex
combo will do pretty much what you want in functional terms.
The Pertex outer....
Full
Answer
|
|
|
Q: I'd like to ask about Ventile clothing. I'd
like to buy a jacket of two layers of Ventile - is it a
ultimate protections almost in all conditions? I thing it
handles every possible conditions out there except heavy
rain. Is it quite expensive?
A: The name is Gear, Richard 'Ventile' Gear. As
you're no doubt aware, only a few small outdoors brands now
use Ventile for protective clothing and it's been largely
replaced by synthetic alternatives, but it still has some
significant pluses.
Ventile is a closely woven cotton fabric which is
extremely breathable. In a single layer version, it's
windproof and reasonably water resistant. Used in a double
layer version, it's actually waterproof in addition to its
other qualities.
The way it works is interesting in waterproof mode, the
fibres of the fabric ... '
Full
Answer
|
Check out the full
Ask
Richard Gear section of the site for a searchable archive of
all Richard's past answers, some of which make sense, or ask a
question of your own...
Our kit query king answers questions on fill power ratings, Gore-Tex Paclite and dressing for warm weather.
