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I got completely soaked last night after my supposedly waterproof jacket offered all the water resistance of a pair of socks. As it's light, doesn't cause me to boil when riding, and cost a fair amount a couple of years back, I'd like to see if it can be resported to waterproofness.
I've tried various different reproofing things in the past with only limited success - anyone got any suggestions?
Also, are there any vital steps in the re-proofing process I've missed which caused me to muck it up in the past? Maybe it's not the product, it's the user....
Try washing in a washing machine without conditioner, then ironing it gently.
The ironing gives a surface that the water drops run off. If the surface is soaked theres no way the moisture inside can get out.
Wash it with detergent. Then rinse it thoroughly. Then wash it with Nikwax Tech Wash or soapflakes. More rinsing. Then re-proof it with TX.Direct wash-in. Then gently tumble dry. If that doesn't work, nothing will!
Normally re-proofing membrane/coated waterproofs only makes them more breathable, as it's the membrane/coating that keeps the water out (but the face fabric getting soaked stops them breathing). Presumably the membrane/coating or possibly the seams (taping or welds) have failed. Hopefully making the face fabric more water repellent will have some effect...
i have come to the conclussion that most waterproofs are crap.
been looking for a new one myself, because i have a gore goretex that has given up the ghost and will not rewaterproof no matter what i do with it washwise.
i have a altura nevis that is a boil in the bag pile of pooh....... 😥
so from now on in the winter i have decided to go down the pertex windproof and merino base option..........wet but soggy warm.... 8)
Unless it has dirty great rips in the fabric, it probably wasn't leaking, but collecting your sweat. The conditions we have right now (warm and wet) are the worst for 'breathable waterproofs'. They work much better when there's a bigger temperature gradient.
'Reproofing' does nothing to help with waterproofness, it just improves the jackets ability to shed water, thus improving its chances of 'breathing'.
I have a waterproof, but in three years I've used it less than 5 times. I do what Ton does. You can wash in some DWR and make it a little water resistant too.
Fabric conditioner is as good as any waterproofer, it what makes cotton towels fluffy and useless at absorbing water.
W L Gore has very good customer service (a least it used to) and are worth phoning to discuss anything made of their goretex fabric regardless of who made the garment.
http://www.gore-tex.co.uk/remote/Satellite?c=fabrics_cont_land_c&childpagename=goretex_en_GB%2Ffabrics_cont_land_c%2FWashingInstructionsLandingSEO&cid=1148660785964&p=1148660788133&pagename=SessionWrapper
Macavity - Member
Fabric conditioner is as good as any waterproofer, it what makes cotton towels fluffy and useless at absorbing water.
Er pulled from the WL Gore site...
[i]Follow the manufacturer’s instructions
No fabric softener. [/i]
What 'ton' said
Its a good thing that I said conditioner, yes fair point nockmeister.
Right, so my jacket's not going to get any more waterproof, it would appear. Fine as a windproof, but no good for the London commute.
So what's a really decent light jacket at the moment. Not that concerned about budget (within reason)
I had a snowboard instructor who swore by ronseal. He said his jacket was a bit stiff for a few days, but fully waterproof for month after than. Not sure what that will do for breathability though.
[url= http://www.paramo.co.uk/en-gb/garments/detail/index.php?pgc=NIKWAXANALOGYLIGHTSMOCKVELEZADVENTUREMENS ]Paramo[/url]
Expensive but they appear to last forever and breathability is in another league to goretex et al. Wear less underneath as they add about as much warmth as an additional base layer.
Before gore-tex and other plastic jackets people wore Tweed, and some still do, quite happily.
