Operating Manual & Care

All KAEMP 8848 down products are treated with DWR (Durable Water Repellent) on the outside. This makes them water-repellent. Over time, this sprayed-on treatment dissolves. So when the jacket has been washed or used a lot, it naturally loses its water-repellent properties. To restore the lotus effect of the jacket, you can buy and apply a DWR spray. For the sake of the environment, please make sure that it is a product without PFC/PFAS.

There is a widespread belief that down should not be washed. While down products should not be washed unnecessarily often, if you consider the following things, there is nothing wrong with washing your down products occasionally. Don't wash the down too hot and follow the washing instructions. The washing temperature is important because the down is treated with water-repellent wax that dissolves when washed too warm. This causes the down to lose its thermal performance during later use when it gets damp. Therefore, it's best to wash cold!

To prevent the down from clumping together during drying, we recommend putting the product in a dryer with a few tennis balls after washing and drying it on the gentle program. The tennis balls help the down to fluff up well. Here too, please make sure not to set the dryer too hot.

Down is a wonderful insulation material for outdoor clothing because it is extremely light and can be compressed into a small space. This does not harm the down over shorter periods, but if it is stored like this, the down can lose its loft. To avoid this, your down products should not be stored in a stuff sack, but should be stored uncompressed in a dry place.

PU (polyurethane) based hardshells, as used by KAEMP 8848, are breathable and waterproof due to the membrane incorporated into the material. The PU membrane is not at the outermost position in the multi-layer fabric. The outer fabric is not waterproof in itself, but is DWR coated. After long use, this coating wears off. This can cause the outer fabric of the jacket to become saturated in heavy rain. The membrane underneath still prevents liquid from penetrating inwards, but your clothing can feel wet from the outside and lose its lotus effect. To restore this, you can buy and apply a DWR spray. For the sake of the environment, please make sure the product is without PFC/PFAS. As an alternative to spraying, you can also wash the hardshell in the washing machine with a DWR detergent. Please follow the rinsing instructions of the respective detergent manufacturer.

Clearly, an outdoor product will get dirty at some point and needs to be washed. Also, a hardshell will eventually get dirty from the inside due to minerals that get to the product through sweat, and this impairs the breathability of the membrane. To wash a hardshell product, it is important that it is not washed too hot. Follow the washing instructions on your particular KAEMP 8848 product and, if in doubt, do not wash it warmer than hand warm. Close all pockets of your hardshell. When washing, make sure that you do not use powder detergent or any product with bleaching or softening agents.

To dry a hardshell, it can either be hung up and aired out, or put in the clothes dryer at low heat.

DWR coated softshell jackets are water-repellent due to treatment with DWR finish. When the lotus effect of your DWR coated jacket diminishes, this layer can be reapplied. To restore this protection, you can buy and apply a DWR spray. For the sake of the environment, please make sure that it is a product without PFC/PFAS. As an alternative to spraying, you can also wash the softshell in the washing machine with a DWR detergent. Please follow the rinsing instructions of the respective detergent manufacturer.

To wash a softshell, whether it's a jacket or pants, pay attention to the washing instructions. It's best to close all zippers and use liquid detergent, not washing powder. The detergent should not contain softeners or bleach. To restore the water-repellent properties of a KAEMP 8848 jacket, a DWR detergent can also be used. For the sake of the environment, please make sure the product is without PFC/PFAS. As an alternative to spraying, you can also wash the hardshell in the washing machine with a DWR detergent. Please follow the rinsing instructions of the respective detergent manufacturer. However, the maximum washing temperature in the washing instructions for the respective products should not be exceeded. When in doubt, wash hand warm.

To dry a softshell, it can either be hung up and aired out, or put in the clothes dryer at low heat.