[Closed] Rejuvenating a (not-so) waterproof jacket?

In my experience the price for the high breathability of eVent is a short life span. Age / deterioration depends on use and wear.

At college most of us went through a set of waterproofs in 6months to a year, same for many outdoor instructors/guides in the mountains.

If they made jackets that lasted forever, they would never sell you a new one....

I have had my Paramo Velez for ages - 5 years or more, I guess - and I wash it to get the muck off every so often then reproof with Nikwax spray-on and dry it in the drier on the lower heat setting and then it works fine for a few more months.

I keep wanting to buy a new, prettier jacket but I can't justify it while this one is still working so well...

I've got a Fox something or other jacket made from Entrant something or other and have a similar problem, in that it just wets through in even the lightest rain. Wash with Fairy non bio reproof with grangers wash in stuff and cook in tumble drier for half an hour - doesn't work.

I don't even wear it on the bike that much

Reproofing doesn't, in general, make a jacket any more waterproof, it just restores the water repellency on the outside. Once a jacket is actually leaky there are holes in the membrane which will eventually let water in no matter what you do.

Wash with Fairy non bio

Try pure soap flakes instead. Normal washing detergents contain wetting agents which have the express purpose of prevent water from beading off the surface.

Got the same problem with my Berghaus Denizen:(

Wash with Fairy non bio

Try pure soap flakes instead. Normal washing detergents contain wetting agents which have the express purpose of prevent water from beading off the surface.

Thanks I'll give it a go

with occasional care paramo stuff lasts forever, good when its really cold but a bit warm otherwise. Best of all its non rustly.

What?!

Have you not heard of Nikwax?

You need to use it properly, or it doesn't work.

wash using Nikwax wash-in cleaner, the washing powder makes the material hold water, even if you reproof, it won't work. While the garment is still wet, wash again in Nikwax Direct wash in. et voila, just like it was when you bought it.

Gor-tex (and for that matter any material) isn't water-proof, the 'proofing' makes it water-proof, Gore-Tex allows moisture to escape one way whilst repelling water the other, It just does it better than most materials.

If the garment has been washed with powder, you need to wash it with Nikwax wash-in cleaner to remove residual washing powder, then you can reproof, reproofing after washing with powder wwon't work.

Careful if using soap flakes in the washing machine, even when diluted they can easily clog the machine up.

Careful if using soap flakes in the washing machine, even when diluted they can easily clog the machine up.

...FFS

Soap flakes make a LOT of foam! But way cheaper than the Nikwax wash stuff. There are other spray ons rather than the Nikwax stuff, and I tumble dry my coat on low after treatment.

I have a Berghaus paclite gortex jacket which has served me well for over 5 years. I generally treat it every 6 months, usually after winter.

Havent used the Nikwax stuff (I belive it is very good though). I first cycle the washing machine to remove any previous detergent, then wash in Grangers Pure soap, then wash again in Grangers Re-proofer. Tumble dry and there you go... the water beads off the outer layer once again.

If I get it wet during rides, I generally let it just drip dry in the shower and then brush off any cack.

A tip I was given is to give washing machine an empty cycle wash to get rid of any residual soap from previous washings before using special waterproofers. Also to use a bar of pure soap grated into a jug and disolved before putting into a machine.

Another piece of advice when I was doing a navigation course was to forget all the fancy materials and use good old fashioned wax coats instead.

I generally treat it every 6 months, usually after winter

That's nice of you Dave. Do you take it out for a nice candle lit meal?

LOL!

Handwash?

That's nice of you Dave. Do you take it out for a nice candle lit meal?

I wear it to the pub and spill a pint down it [img] [/img]

Gor-tex (and for that matter any material) isn't water-proof, the 'proofing' makes it water-proof

No, the membrane is actually impermeable to liquid water. Adding water repellency to the outer fabric improves the breathability by helping prevent it become saturated.

Probably just a matter of you get what you pay for - Gore Tex is pricey but it works best and lasts longest. Plus, Berghaus and co make proper outdoor gear, whereas Fox and co make fashion gear with a bit of protection thrown in. There's a reason all those cheaper fabrics are cheaper - they're mainly cr*p in the long term.

Hi,

What you need is Grangers 30deg cleaner and then 30deg proofer. Bang in tumble drier after and hey presto should be as good as new. I agree with washing the machince through prior though. If you have areas which get a lot of rubbing etc add extra with XT proofer. Works for me every time!

Having had 2 eVent jackets and Goretex XCR trousers, I'm not convinced there is such a thing as a completely waterproof breathable jacket. Or certainly not one that lasts for very long.

IME, after a few months use the ability to cope with torrential rain reduces and, whilst water resistant to a point, they will always reach a stage where they just soak through. And yes I realise sweat makes a difference and obviously breathability is impossible when the jacket's covered in water anyway.

The wash in reproofers certainly help with the beading, especially if tumble dried (or steam ironed on low setting) but it still doesn't help in a downpour.

Also, As regards eVent, the instructions make a BIG point of washing the jacket regularly (as in every time it gets dirty) as any dirt in the pores of the jacket will allow water to wick through.