How-to Properly Store Outdoor Sports Gear

Store Outdoor Sports Gear Easily with Our Tips

By Sarah Sanders

As the weather begins to change from cold, snowy ski days to warm, sunny bike days, it’s time to put away the winter gear and ready biking, hiking, and camping equipment for weekend getaways and after-work adventures.

But one thing we may forget when the seasons change is just how important it is to store our gear properly after all the fun is over and we’re waiting for the next big adventure. In order to last us for years, we need to keep our gear in good condition, and storing outdoor sports equipment properly is crucial to its longevity. Here’s how:

1) Clean everything before putting it away (then wax if needed). This includes wiping off any dirt, mud, water, or weeds that can accumulate on our equipment. This will prevent any bacteria and mildew from forming as it gets stored, not to mention keeping away any bugs we collected on our gear while riding through the wild. Just like it’s important to clean off the bottom of a boat each time you leave the water to avoid transferring any foreign entities like zebra mussels or noxious plants to other areas, it’s strongly advised to avoid transferring unwanted bugs by cleaning your equipment before you store it.

When possible, store your equipment in a moisture-free area. Whether the garage works, or a storage room is better, make sure there is no way mildew or mold can grow in the area you are storing outdoor equipment.

2) Put smaller items like camping gear in see-through containers. This makes it easier to transport and find the needed materials, instead of looking in every box until that one items is found. It is also a good idea to store smaller items in see-through containers so that you can always look and see if something needs to be replaced, like in first aid kits.

3) Keep those boxes and everything else handy by installing shelves and racks to keep everything off the floor. There is probably no scarier place to store sports equipment than on the floor where things are prone to be broken and dirty. As boxes build up on the floor of your garage or storage room, the last things we want is to have to climb through a jungle of “stuff” to get to what we really want. Garage storage and organization products, like the ones offered from local Colorado business Amazing Garage Solutions and Garage Storage Solutions, are reasonable solutions to protect your gear.

Racks like the ones shown can hold skis, snowboards, and snowshoes, whatever winter gear you may have. Even camping gear with any handle, like chairs or backpacks, can hang on these racks.

Hooks can be used to prevent bikes from getting damaged from being leaned up against a wall or falling onto the floor.

Kayaks, canoes, surfboards, and other big items can be stored on additional racks, or even in overhead storage when the season is over.

Bonus Tip) Many of us roll up our sleeping bags the moment we are done with a campout. That’s fine, but there’s something else you can do if you really want to extend the life, quality, and cleanliness of your bag. As soon as you get back to the house, unroll it, turn it inside out, fluff it up, and hang it to air out. Sleeping bags can get stuffy and hold onto to smells. Using these steps will help keep it fresh.

Whatever the time of the year, make sure the past season’s sports equipment is properly stored, and the currently used equipment is clean and ready to grab whenever the weather is good. Taking the time to store your outdoor sports equipment properly will make sure that whatever your next adventure is, you will be prepared to take on the challenge.

Sarah is a wife, soon-to-be mother, and outdoor enthusiast. She loves to hike and kayak with her husband as well as travel. Going to places like New Zealand and experiencing the beautiful nature there has given  she loves to write and share her stories with others.