I need to wash my vest again. It’s poly/cotton. Typically I just toss it in the washing machine on cold and gentle and machine dry it on low. It’s made by Columbia and that’s what the care tag suggests.
Any other suggestions for washing and caring for my vest?
I won’t be fishing for a couple of months but am definitely chomping at the bit.
Cheers.
As with any gear,clean gear lasts longer.
Me, I’ll wash my vest, same way as you … once a year, even if it isn’t dirty !!
Probably one of the biggest no-no’s in all of flyfishing legend (lol). I wear my Gink stains as a badge of honor.
Regards,
Scott
Hi Jill,
This may not be the perfect group to ask about washing a fly vest. You might try Emailing some of our wives.
Many male fly fishermen that I have seen seem to never have washed their vests, and many of the rest of us seldom so. A few must wash their vests often, but they are the ones that look like they just stepped off of the cover of a Cabales fly fishing catalog.
Washing a vest is a thought that likely never even occured to some of us. Actually, though, I have washed my vest, just like you, in the washing maching. I find that it needs it at least every 5 years or so. When my wife tells me not to bring it into the house and don’t put it in the closet until it smells a lot better, and that she is thinking about having it fumegated, then I can take a subtle hint, and know it needs to be washed.
Remember, old fisherman never die, they just smell that way.
Regards,
Gandolf
whats the recommendation on the label or website??
if you wash it, you wash all the acumulated luck out of it and have to start over.
If you wash it you’ll have to take everything out and it cannot possibly all fit back in there. If I emptied my vest I would have to rent a storage unit for the day.
Jill; BTW Welcome aboard. I’m a single guy, and would never wash my MOJO out of any vest. I’d just buy a new one when that one isn’t catching anymore fish. Hasn’t happened YET. So I leave mine in garage, and fight off racoons.
Normand;
Where is THAT label ??? LOL LOL
Jill; BTW Welcome aboard. I’m single, so I have never washed MOJO out of any of my vests (hang them in garage, and fight off racoons) BUT I would recomend liquid detergent. Never seen that tag, never looked LOL LOL
I use a chest pack and backpack not that the vest i had fel apart on me from use and getting caught in the back by some tard with a spincast rod on a boat. . but wash it i would say ever so often when you feel it needs it the vest isnt the lucky part its the hat never wash the hat.
Sorry, Jill, you just don’t wash a vest. You just don’t. It’s like spitting in the face of the fishing gods.
Thanks all. Since I was new to the forum I figured it might be worth asking. Clearly I hit a nerve with some of you. Sorry about that.
Typically I don’t wash my vest. Not because of luck but just because it just gets grimy again so what’s the point? I took it out to get ready for this season. It sat on my dining table for a week. It had a bit too much sand, sap, plant matter, and who knows what else clinging to it. I kept wondering if it really needed washing. Finally I decided to go for it - hence my post.
I ended up washing it with liquid detergent in the machine. It ended up smelling too clean for my taste when I took it out later. I put it in for a second wash - with no soap but put some vinegar in the rinse water. No more too clean smell. I had heard about that trick some time ago but hadn’t tried it till now.
It still has more than a few stains but at least my flies won’t stick to it anymore.
I haven’t loaded it up yet but now I know what tools and supplies I need to get replaced and repaired for this year. That vest is like the clown car at the circus, I know what you mean about a storage unit. I couldn’t believe what was in there. LOL
Thanks again and cheers.
BTW - I don’t wash my hat either. LOL
I try and keep a bar of soap in one of my pockets for the occasion when I slip and fall in the river. The current and rocks do the rest. Keep your boots laced and tight. I lost one of mine in the spin and rinse the last time I washed my vest.
A big welcome too Jill.
LOL!!! I hear that!!! Welcome Jill, how far north is you?
I generally wash mine when I fall in the river or stream…sometimes when I stumble out of my tube…the smell helps me find it in the dark in the wee hours when I get up to do this crazy sport.
no no no no nonononononononononono
It’s not the vest where the luck resides…wash away. BUT…don’t EVER wash your hat. EVER evER evER. The only time a hat gets washed is if the rocks are slippery or I get too hot.
Good luck and kitchen passes are stored in the hat. Luck from previous fishing, and kitchen passes, if you work around the house in the hat. I always mow the lawn in my fishing hat.
Y’all can’t all be living & fishing above timberline ! If the baseball caps & other fishing hats don’t get washed everytime after getting back from the salt they’d become no-see-um & mosquito attractors ! They get the same treatment as the yard work hats, washed as long as there’s still some material to provide a sweat band:cool:
Hey Jill! Don’t take any of this personally. I think we’re all just having some fun.
Bruce
Jill,
Don’t think you hit a nerve, more like people’s funny bone. My response was definitely tongue-in-cheek. Welcome to the board, hope you enjoy it here.
Regards,
Scott
Yes, I wash my vest. There is no such thing as Luck, Karma, Mojo or fishing Gods who prefer smelly dirty vests or hats either. I catch the same number of fish in my clean vest as I do when it gets a little ripe. There is no honor or merit badge in filth & stench. Do you guys pray to the underwear Gods too?? EEEEEEWWWW!!!