Cleaning boots is important to keep them at their best. Both fabric and leather boots need cleaning, properly drying and their water-repellency replacing - including boots with Gore-tex, Sympatex or other waterproof breathable membranes.

Boots which have been used and are muddy and wet need cleaning and drying as soon as possible. Proofing needs to be done when necessary - depending on how they are performing and how they look . Boots which are leaking or even just showing dark wet patches on the leather (an indication of moisture being absorbed by the leather) need treating , as does dry, rough-feeling, faded leather .

Cleaning

Muddy boots should be cleaned using a soft brush (old toothbrushes are small but effective and the right stiffness). If necessary (very muddy!), clean under a cold tap. Pay particular attention to seams.
It is possible for small pieces of grit to work through and puncture the waterproof lining of boots. To help prevent this, wipe the inside with a clean, damp cloth. (Boots that are really muddy could be filled with water and left to soak overnight before emptying and rinsing them).

Drying

Once your boots are clean, dry them gently and naturally. Too much heat will dry out and crack the leather and risks melting the glue holding the boots together. Do not put boots next to fires, stoves or heaters. The best place to dry your boots is warm, dry and airy.

To dry boots, remove footbeds and stuff with old newspaper. If the newspaper becomes wet, remove it and replace with fresh. Really wet boots can take several days to dry completely.

Proofing

Once the boots are completely dry and clean, they can be reproofed. This will restore water repellency and keep the leather supple and less likely to crack or stiffen. Fabric boots also benefit from reproofing. There are many products available for reproofing, supplied by Nikwax, Grangers and Brasher among others.

The traditional way to proof leather boots is to apply a soft wax (eg. Nikwax waterproofing wax or Grangers G-wax) using a cloth or your fingers. These waxes work best when applied to warm leather and left overnight to soak in. Any excess wax left on the surface of the boots can then be wiped off. It is better to apply several thin coats than one thick one - and applying too much can soften the leather.

However, this traditional method is not the most effective or efficient. More modern water-based treatments (eg. Nikwax aqueous wax, Nikwax fabric and leather waterproofing) are much more effective, can be applied to damp footwear (so you don't have to wait for your boots to dry before proofing), can't be over-applied and are less messy to use. They normally come with a sponge applicator which is simply rubbed over the boots, the residue being wiped off after allowing the wax to soak in for a few minutes. Boots should be left to dry for a few hours before using.

Aqueous wax will also work if applied to Nubuck or suede, but the result will be a shoe or boot with a leather look.. To keep the rough texture, use a product designed for the material - for example, Nikwax Nubuck and Suede waterproofing.

All outdoor clothing layers are more effective when clean. Most outdoor clothing is now made from synthetic materials, which as they become increasingly technical become increasingly complicated to care for.

There are however still basic steps involved in cleaning outdoor clothing. Generally, clothes should be washed in hand-hot water, using mild soap, not detergents. Stains should be removed by gently rubbing the face fabric with a soft brush.(It may be possible to use a proprietary stain remover, but you should check with your retailer or the garment manufacturer before using it, to make sure that it won't affect the performance of the fabric).

Sometimes clothes that are waterproof/breathable may appear to lose their breathability or to leak. Following the guidelines below should help to solve this:

2. Wearing absorbent clothing (eg cotton) under a jacket allows this clothing to soak up perspiration, giving the impression that the jacket is leaking. Always wear fast-wicking synthetic fibres under the jacket.

3. Sealing the areas around the neck, hem and cuffs of a jacket using its drawcords and velcro tabs stops water dripping in or being rawn up into the jacket, making it feel damp.

4. Carrying a rucksack can lead to damp patches under the areas in contact with its straps where perspiration cannot escape. The best thing to do is to open the front zip/underarm pit zips whenever you can to allow as much perspiration to escape as possible.

Most rucksacks sold today are made from nylon, which is hard-wearing and easy to care for.

Dirt and stains can be removed with water, a soft brush and a little soap if needed. You should not wash or clean rucksacks with detergents.

1. When you buy your rucksack, make sure that it fits you correctly. If it has an internal frame, make sure that you know how this can be shaped to fit your back. Once you have bought your rucksack, you should check every now and again that it is still set up to fit you correctly.

2. Pick the rucksack up by taking hold of the top loop (between the 2 shoulder straps) with one hand, slipping the other arm through one shoulder strap, then letting go of the loop and slipping the other arm through the other shoulder strap. The shoulder straps are only designed to support the load, not to pick the rucksack up with!

Check plastic parts for signs of wear and tear, and replace them before the pole loses its telescopic ability!