We had the pleasure of adding a series of sponsor patches to a classic US Ski Team coach jacket before the World Cup races at Squaw Valley this March.  The jacket came with a package of sponsor patches that were not attached, but had a diagram card for placement…so we followed instruction and stitched in the patches in the proper location.  Fun work for our buddy and long time Tahoe local skier boot fitter Bob Campbell.

Our between powder skiing window has arrived in the Sierras.  We need it, but not for long hopefully!  When the sun is shining it’s a great time to reup the cleaning and waterproofing of your technical outerwear items.  Hardshell jackets and pants, necessary to guard you from the storm, are put away in favor of more breathable softshell and lighter weight items.  Now is the time to get ready for the next storm cycle.  Keep it clean at TEC!

Well it’s been a wild season across the West with record storms record power outages and more to come.  Here’s a shot from Alpine Bowl Chair looking east at the inversion over Lake Tahoe. 

To get to these conditions it’s taken 300 inches plus of snowfall which is around 300 inches of shoveling and snow blowing and powder shralping goodness!

Your outerwear is taking the brunt of these storms.  Hardshell jackets have done the work during the mixed precipitation events and heavy duty down and synthetic insulation jackets have been working overtime in blizzard conditions as well. 

Chairlift grease gets thrown around too from our favorite uphill chariots!

All in all it’s been a great start to the season, and if the second half is like the first…..get your shovels ready…And #keepitclean at #tectahoe

 Its still pretty warm outside these days, but fall is in the air each morning!   Down jackets and synthetic puffys are coming out for coffee and dog walking.  Switching to a lightweight wind jacket for early runs and rides is in order too!  Stay  clean and on top of all your outerwear this fall before winter.  Its coming out of the closet and into the shop more and more as labor day approaches.   Thanks for the goodies, and classics (Marmot Mtn Works Sleeping Bag!)from our customers and Salomon.  Hit the trails!

Your ski jacket works fine for snowmobiling in bad weather.  However,  white ski jackets dont work well with pull starts and clutch belt grease.  We has to put some work into this one….”elbow grease” you could say.  At least elbow grease results in a solid clean job on a grwat jacket.   Clean & Waterproof ready to hit the mountains again!
BEFORE

AFTER

And a few more…

Zip Fit boot liner tongue pull ripped out of its anchor point.   We were able to feed the strap back into place and stitch it back down.  Stitching that involves punching through plastic, nylon webbing,  and layered dense foam is always interesting,  but we were able to make it happen and get the product back to the customer quickly and at minimal cost.  

Down gear!  Jackets, sleeping bags, and comforters.   This is some of our favorite gear to clean and maintain.   They tend to be the favorite item in the customers closets too.  Keep your down-filled gear clean and full of loft for seasons to come at TEC!

“Bubbling” on the surface fabric is a typical sign of fabric and membrane delamination.

This is what happens sometimes with really old gear.  Body oils and salts from our sweat, break down adhesives over time and can lead to this problem in your outerwear.

Sometimes its simply a byproduct of time.  Notice the front pockets of the jacket.  One is delaming, one is in perfect shape.

Notice the super old Gore-Tex label!  If you see this happening to your jacket or pants in the first year or two of use, contact the manufacturer immediately.  The best way to keep this from happening over the long haul is a regular proper wash and fresh application of DWR finish.  TEC is glad to help keep your gear in top condition for years of adventure.

A very dirty beat down HMK backcountry moto & sledding backpack.  This one gets summer and winter use.  Its what you’re supposed to do though…get’m dirty!

Buildup of dirt and grime from sweating and hydration moisture make these essential gear items break down and wear out faster than they should.  Zippers and buckles take a beating and break too.

Cleaned with a fresh application of DWR.  This backpack is looking much better.

The back panel, straps, buckles, and zippers all work, and wear, much better
now.  Bring your gear back to life at TEC!

Local iron forging, mountain guiding, dirty gear having, TEC customer, came back for pickup to stellar results.  Solid results after having his down jacket cleaned, rewaterproofed, and repaired this week.