Nikwax

[mikeini]

Hello all -

I have the BRAIN BAG which i love ... and even though i live in so cal where the sun always shines and the weathers always warm .... i wanted to brace myself for "winter" .. the 2 months a year we actually have rain.

I bought the Nikwax and was slightly confused on the directions. Am i supposed to completely soak my backpack and then apply the wax?

SOMEONE.. PLEASE HELP ME! I am sorry for being retarded ....

Thanks guys!

Mike

[Darcy]

mikeini,

You've bought a new backpack that you totally love and you want to make sure you don't do something wrong and harm it somehow or not waterproof it correctly. That's perfectly understandable!

Lay your Brain Bag (unwashed; completely dry) on a flat surface on top of an old towel or some rags and spray it evenly with the Nikwax. You don't need to use the whole bottle, but you do want to make sure the bag is coated with Nikwax.

Follow the Nikwax directions from there: wait for 2 minutes, and remove any surplus Nikwax with a damp cloth. Check to make sure you haven't missed any areas of the bag. Let your bag air dry. After several minutes, check again for any surplus Nikwax and wipe it off with a damp cloth.

Does that help?

Make sure you're using Tent & Gear Proof Nikwax!

[mikeini]

thanks Darcy!!! that is exactly what i wanted to know ... will do it this weekend ......

becuase i ride my bike to work the back part can get a little sweaty.. any other recommendations on how to clean the bag? (after i apply the wax or should i do it first before?)

[Darcy]

You're welcome!!

Your best bet is to hand-wash the Brain Bag. Follow these instructions on hand-washing your Tom Bihn bag.

For a quick touch-up, you could wipe the back of the bag with a damp cloth, or use a hand-held shower head or sink sprayer thing and wet the back of the bag only, and then allow it to air dry.

You don't need to clean the bag before applying Nikwax, but it kind of makes sense to me to wash your bag before using the Nikwax. Just make sure your bag is thoroughly dry before you apply the Nikwax.

[Patrick]

It is also recommended as an extra precaution for a new bag if you intend to use it in an extremely wet environments.

Do I need Nikwax waterproofing if I'm going to be traveling/walking/biking in mainly urban environments(rain/snow), as opposed to hiking or what ever other people may use their bihn bags for that necessitates waterproofing? ;p

p.s. sorry for waking up this year-old thread ;p

[dbradford]

I'm confused and wondering...Do you need to clean the Tom Bihn bags once they arrive, BEFORE putting on the fabric waterproofing spray, or are they considered clean after the initial purchase, then you apply the waterproofing spray only, once you get the bags initially? How many coats can/should be applied at one time?
Dave in Hong Kong

[Patrick]

I think I'm going to wait. The Nikwax product page here comments that all Tom Bihn bags are already treated on the exterior "with a durable water-repellent finish," so I think I'll just pay attention to my bag and if I feel like I need Nikwax later on, I'll pick it up. I probably won't.

[Darcy]

I think I'm going to wait. The Nikwax product page here comments that all Tom Bihn bags are already treated on the exterior "with a durable water-repellent finish," so I think I'll just pay attention to my bag and if I feel like I need Nikwax later on, I'll pick it up. I probably won't.

Maybe after a year of use in regular rain you'll want to apply Nikwax, but your brand-new bag should be just fine without it until then.

You don't have to clean brand-new bags before putting Nikwax on them. One or two coats should be sufficient.

[Tom Bihn]

All of the fabrics we use on the exterior of our products have a durable water-repellent treatment, which should last for a season of weather or more. When this wears off, you can renew your bags water-repellent qualities with Nikwax. You can also use Nikwax for protection in <i>addition</i> to the fabrics original treatment if you are out in lots of foul weather

[Lia]

I know this is an ancient thread, but had a coffee-tastrophe last week and had to gently hand wash my six-month-old (basically still new) S19 in cool water with a tiny bit of Charlie's Laundry Soap. It came out great, looks like the day I got it. I was wondering "will I have to reapply Nikwax after just one wash?" Searching the forums got me no definitive answers, but suggested maybe it would be fine... The rain today gave me my answer: YES, reapply. After one wash, the rain no longer beaded up and rolled off the surface, and but started immediately soaking into the fabric.

So, FTR, anyone who is searching for this answer in the future: yes, you'll need to reapply water repellent after you wash a bag.