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Equipment Cleaners/Treatments

The best equipment cleaners/treatments, reviewed and curated by the Trailspace community. Stores' prices and availability are updated daily.

Recent Equipment Cleaner/Treatment Reviews

rated 2 of 5 stars
KIWI Camp Dry Heavy Duty Water Repellent

Not sure if it works, and it will discolour fabrics.     I bought this to waterproof our tents in 2019; one tent was only a few years old, very large, and the other was quite old and small. I bought four cans and it took almost one to do the small tent and the rest didn't get all of the large one. We took them camping for three days of rain, sometimes heavy rain, and the small tent was swamped—completely swamped. The kids had to sleep in my aunt's camper a few sites down. The large tent had… Full review

rated 4 of 5 stars
Nikwax Tent & Gear SolarProof

I tried a number of products to restore the water repellence of my gear and this stuff did the job. I have a winter coat that was waterproof at 15000ml and a pair of pants that were hydrophobic repelling light rain and wet underbrush. After a few washes though the pants stopped being hydrophobic and the jacket began to soak through in harder rains. I tried the Nikwax wash-in stuff and it worked on the jacket the first few washes but then stopped. I looked online for a product and ordered the Nikwax… Full review

rated 4.5 of 5 stars
Guppyfriend Washing Bag

The Guppyfriend helps prevent your fleece gear from spewing micro fibers into the water supply. The concept is pretty simple—a bag with pores too fine to allow micro fibers out, but water gets in during a normal wash cycle to clean your fleece. Cleaning micro fibers out of the bag is a bit of a chore. I have used this a number of times, and it seems durable. March 2022 update: I continue to use this bag to launder fleece. It's effective for washing two medium weight or one thicker/heavier fleece. Full review

rated 0.5 of 5 stars
Nikwax Tent & Gear SolarProof

Not only didn't help, but when it rained the material soaked through fabric and came into tent. Used it on a four-year-old, single wall Nemo tent that has light usage. Applied spray as directed, wiped off, and let it dry.  Went on a trip two days later. Every time we had rain I had to continuously wipe the inside of the tent and wipe up the puddles that formed at the foot of the tent. So glad our group decided to pull out a day early.  I should have left a section untreated so I could see if the… Full review

rated 5 of 5 stars
303 Aerospace Protectant

I began using 303 a couple of years ago on my kayaks after it was recommended by a friend. It does bring new life back to an older kayak and I believe improves their glide and tracking. It's worth the price, but I agree with the other buyers, purchase it in larger quantities and it goes a long way. I originally purchased a small bottle to try and after seeing the results now I purchase it by the gallon and refill the small spray bottle to use it.  Full review

rated 5 of 5 stars
303 Aerospace Protectant

The best protection available for rubber and plastic. Formula 303 Protectant was originally developed by NASA for use on the Space Shuttle. It looks like milk and has a very slight smell that reminds me of Elmer's glue. It can be quite expensive if you purchase it in the small spray bottles, but is quite reasonably priced by the gallon. It's advertised as sunscreen for your plastic, and I can attest to its effectiveness. Used regularly it will keep your plastic and rubber products free of sun damage… Full review

rated 0.5 of 5 stars
Nikwax Tent & Gear SolarProof

Just a scam, IMHO. Applied per instructions to a 3-person tent fly with zero effect. Water immediately passes through the fly. It's a waste of money on a lame claim from this company. I'm done buying any Nikwax products. I've moved to McNett's Gear Aid line and they are the shizzzz!  Full review

rated 5 of 5 stars
Scrubba Wash Bag

The easy way to wash your clothes without a washing machine. The Scrubba Wash Bag is a rare thing, a real innovation, not just a variation on a well-worn idea. Basically, the Scrubba lets you wash your clothes without a washing machine or having to hand wash over a tub or in a stream. It gets better results than hand washing and with a lot less effort. While only the most obsessive washers are likely to take a Scrubba on a multi-day hike, it is great for base camp, hut, or vehicle based day hiking… Full review

rated 5 of 5 stars
Berkeley Premium Cork Grease

Ever been desperate to get a zipper open on a backpack, tent, or clothing item and it sticks ... even jams shut? Ever have physical connector/connection problems with outing gear? Brings up a memory or two for some of us? I've tried different things over the years, and the best most permanent fix I've found is the cork grease used for lubricating critical moving parts on brass and woodwind musical instruments. Get it at any music store or online. Any one else have trouble with Zippers, plastic or… Full review

Other Types of Gear Care and Maintenance

Find more gear care and maintenance reviewed in these related categories:

Repair Kits

Patches and Tapes

Seam Sealers

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