Puffer Jacket Off-Season: How to store, repair and prep your down jacket for next winter

Here's how to clean, store and repair your down jacket the right way, so it's ready to go when winter comes back around.

A little care now means your jacket is ready to go the moment the temperature drops again.

How you store your down jacket in the off-season directly affects how it performs when you pull it back out next year. Get it right and it'll loft up like new. Get it wrong and you'll notice less warmth, less puff, less of that feeling you paid for. 

Here's everything you need to know. 

Before you store anything, give it a wash 

This is the step most people skip. Don't. 

Down jackets that go into storage dirty come out worse. Body oils, sweat and grime break down the down clusters over time, reducing loft, trapping odours and making the insulation work harder than it should. A clean jacket stored well will last years longer than one that isn't. 

How to wash your Epiq down jacket: 

Always check the care label first, it's there for a reason. For most down jackets, a front-loading washing machine on a gentle, cool cycle with a down-specific detergent is the way to go.  

Once washed, tumble dry on low heat with two or three clean tennis balls. This is the secret, the tennis balls break up any clumping and help the down re-loft as it dries. It takes longer than you'd expect. Be patient. Make sure the jacket is completely dry before storing, any trapped moisture leads to mildew and that's a problem you don't want to deal with next winter. 

Shop Kathmandu care and repair products  

How to store a down jacket for summer 

Once it's clean and completely dry, here's how to store it properly: 

Hang it, don't compress it. The number one mistake people make is stuffing their down jacket into its stuff sack for the entire off-season. Compression for long periods damages the down clusters and reduces loft permanently. Give it room to breathe. Hang it on a padded hanger in a cool, dry wardrobe, or lay it loosely in a breathable cotton or canvas bag. 

Keep it away from heat, light and moisture. Direct sunlight fades the fabric and can weaken the shell over time. Heat damages the insulation. Humidity leads to mildew. A temperature-controlled wardrobe or spare room is ideal. Avoid garages, attics and basements, these environments are too unpredictable for down storage. 

Never use plastic bags. Plastic traps moisture and creates the perfect conditions for mould and mildew to develop. Always use breathable storage, a cotton garment bag or even a clean pillowcase works well. 

Add natural moth repellent. Cedar balls or lavender sachets tucked into the storage bag will keep moths away from the natural fibres in your down jacket without damaging the fabric. A small addition that can save a big headache. 

Got a tear that needs fixing before you store it away? We've got you covered. Read our full guide on how to patch a down jacket.  

Prepping your jacket for next season 

When the temperature starts dropping again and you're ready to reach for your puffer, give it one final check before you head out the door. 

Re-loft before wearing. Pull it out of storage, give it a good shake and let it breathe for a few hours. If it's been stored uncompressed it should loft back up naturally. If it feels flat, a short tumble in the dryer on low heat with tennis balls will bring it back to life. 

Check the DWR finish. The Durable Water Repellent coating on your Epiq's Pertex™ Quantum outer helps bead water in light drizzle. Over time and with washing, this coating can lose effectiveness. To restore it, tumble dry the jacket on low heat after washing, heat reactivates the DWR.  

Inspect for new damage. Run your hands over the jacket and check the seams, zips and shell for any new wear. Better to find and fix a small issue now than discover it on the first cold morning you need the jacket. 

Why it's worth the effort 

A quality Epiq down jacket looked after properly can last a decade or more. The Epiq is built to go the distance. The 600-fill RDS-certified down and Pertex™ Quantum construction are made to perform season after season. But like anything worth keeping, it needs a little care to stay at its best. 

Treat it well and it'll keep showing up on cold mornings, weekend escapes and every NZ winter drop in between. 

That's the whole point of a jacket worth keeping. 

Shop the Epiq down jacket range here