Hi!
I don't know who in the ABR Festival team is given the responsibility of booking the weather every year, but they are very, VERY good at their job. Maybe a little too good?
This summer's festival was an absolute scorcher.
Our big double tent turned into a huge shelter for those needing a break from the sun, which kept our team super busy helping loads of you try on our gear.
Image: ABR Festival 2026 Photo Gallery
I had some wonderful conversations sparking enough ideas to create a dozen email newsletters, but today this is the one that stuck in my head.
An enthusiastic adventure rider with his mate who made a beeline straight for me.
"Greg, can you help me out. How do I wash my Gravel Jacket and Pant?"
He got me thinking, how do people wash their motorcycle gear?
I think that there's a large proportion of us who have been brought up in the motorcycling tradition of washing our riding gear as little as possible.
Maybe it's a hangover from the days of leather gear that's carried over into what has now become largely technical textiles in the adventure motorcycling world.
Which is maybe fine if you are sticking mostly to the road, but the Gravel gear, like all our gear, is built for a hard life on the trails and in the dirt.
You're gonna get dirty.
So, how do you wash your Gravel Jacket and Pant?
And why would you?
Fortunately, in our ABR tent with me was Jim our product manager.
Jim's been making outdoor gear for over 20 years, for hikers, kayakers, mountaineers and now adventure motorcyclists.
The last time I saw that curious Gravel customer he was deep in conversation with Jim on a technical deep dive about fabric technology, how it's changed over the years, and how keeping your gear clean can extend its working life.
Here's Jim's top tips to get the most out of your gear:
1: Wash your gear regularly
Over time the micro pores in the fabric of your gear get blocked by dirt and oils and the DWR coating (the bit that makes water bead) gets contaminated and can stop working. This is a very particular problem for adventure motorcyclists, more so than hikers for example. This reduces performance. Modern technical waterproof fabrics are designed to be washed regularly.
2: Jet washing is fine.
Treat this as a pre-wash. It won't be enough to get clean, but it will get the majority of gunk off. Just be mindful of the power of your hose, keep the nozzle at least a meter away from your gear, or more if it's a very high power jet wash. You can do it with the gear on the floor, or for added fun bonus points, do it while you are still wearing it!
No jet wash? A soft brush and water is fine to get the big clumps of mud off.
3: Empty your pockets.
Avoid the sad feeling of discovering your cash or phone in your pocket AFTER going through the washing machine. We've learned this the hard way 😂.
Open pocket zips, release drawcords, close velcro fastenings and do up the main zip.
4: Use a specialist tech wash and re-proofer.
Regular detergent that you wash your normal clothes in is designed to get your clothes to feel soft and towels to absorb water. This is the opposite of what we need! It can also contain perfumes, optical brighteners, and heavy surfactants that can ruin your jacket, sometimes permanently.
Technical washing products are made specifically for cleaning technical fabrics. They will help to restore the original DWR coatings and have gentle detergents to remove sweat, oil etc from the fabric.
Use dedicated tech wash, follow the instructions on the bottle and use a cold wash.
For waterproof gear, like the Gravel Jacket and Pant, follow up with a technical re-proofer to help restore the DWR coating on the fabrics and encourage water beading.
We have used Grangers Teach Wash and Re-Proofer for years and had great results.
So, there you have it. If you made it through the ABR Bog of Doom and your gear is still caked in mud in the garage, it's time to grab the jet wash and order some proper tech washing liquid.
You'll be sparkly clean and back on the trails in no time.
👌 😁 🧽
Greg Villalobos.
The Gravel Jacket & Pant
Designed for the trials. Built for the road.
All of Adventure Spec's off-road heritage packed into the lightest CEAA adventure touring jacket & pant.
Now with free Core Baselayer included!