Making your gear water repellent?

[Rabbit]

Was browsing through the net looking for options for my knock off Allwin PCU lvl 5 to make it more water repellent and came across this stuff:

http://www.amazon.com/Nikwax-Direct-.../dp/B0019GOKK0

Do products like these actually work? and can they bring back some of the water repellent properties?

[Phil_Black]

i did try this a few times on my noth face goretex and i found that it was a real scam and water seeme to find it's way quicker than ever.

i did use the cheap sutff found at Wallmart and C Tire that is full of sillicone and i found that it's working like a charm.

[Nakes]

I have always found the spray on variety of nikwax far more effective than the wash-in, you may want to consider that as the repellency will wear off fairly quickly under regular use. I mostly use it for gore-tex gear, but it was also fairly effective when I used it on my windpro fleeces. Don't expect it to keep you dry if your garment isn't already waterproof though, it's not some magical waterproofer, it's just going to cause the water to bead more so it falls off rather than soaks in. Under anything more than a light shower, you're going to get wet.

Phil, if water is getting in your gore-tex garment then it is damaged or not goretex at all. Even without DWR treatment NO water should get through at all, the fabric is still completely waterproof but if the face layer gets wet, it will not breath at all.

[Warlock]

KIWI Camp Dry Silicone Water Spray

http://www.kiwicampdry.com/

[Vince]

Nikwax works like a charm on my genuine Lvl5 and Goretex. You gotta realize you have what you pay for. Don't knock the product for not making cheap repro as good as the genuine stuff

[Rabbit]

Originally Posted by Phil_Black

i did use the cheap sutff found at Wallmart and C Tire that is full of sillicone and i found that it's working like a charm.

Any idea what its called?

I'm reading about this Kiwi stuff now - Apparently Walmart carries it? - seems like its for Boots..

The beading effect is what im actually looking for so the water will just kind of flick off.

The Allwin PCU Lvl 5 lost most of the water repellent properties once I washed/dryed it a few times for a better fit.

[CDN_Stalker]

Not that I'm sayng to use it, but I brushed on Thompson's Water Seal (is water based) onto a hemp wine gift bag to keep my tent pegs and paracord lines in, it darkened the material a bit but made it so water beads off it easily. Bought another one and did the same as a cover for the leather arrow quiver I made to keep the feather fletching dry if needed.

Just another thought to put out there......

Just a note that silicone or other waterproofing sprays will make things "waterproof" but lose any breathability at all and make your kit like wearing a neoprene suit. I can see the useability on bags and whatnot, but I spray any clothing with it unless you want to sweat your balls off.

Honestly, I'd just invest in something that's WPB.

[Trev140_0]

Guys,

As I just posted a thread on silicone on buckings etc and Maciek backing up this is not good .....

The one thing the canadian tire silicone spray IS good for is spraying down your BDU.

I wash mine in cold, with a hint of soap, then hang dry. Then when bone dry, let her rip with the silicone spray.

The stuff goes on sale at CT every month or so for $3.99 a can,

Works AWESOME.

[FOX_111]

I saw that some fabric get their water repellency back when heated. A quick ironing or a spin in the cloth dryer will do the trick.

I can't remember if goretex is among those fabrick. If I can find the video that explain it, I'll post it.

[THe_Silencer]

Originally Posted by Remylebeau

The Allwin PCU Lvl 5 lost most of the water repellent properties once I washed/dryed it a few times for a better fit.

Have you tested out the Ebairsoft PCU? How waterproof is that?

[ThunderCactus]

The idea of improving the water resistance of softshell is totally ridiculous.
PCU's are specifically designed to be water RESISTANT, and not water PROOF
If you want waterproof, you buy hardshells/goretex
If you're buying a SOFTshell, you are specifically buying something that is NOT meant to be water proof.

Softshells are lightweight water resistant and wind resistant outer layers, designed to let enough water in to keep you cool, but keep enough of the wind and rain out so you don't freeze. They are meant as an alternative to goretex that you can wear them across a broad range of weather conditions instead of just bad weather, so you don't have to put it on and take it off 5 times a day

I used to play with goretex top and bottom and it's just way too hot. You don't get wet from the rain but you get soaked in your own sweat instead. Goretex is best for sleeping, preventing poison ivy, and for cold games where you don't move around a lot.

With my blackhawk PCU top I was able to stay fast and adequately warm throughout claybank 2 in the 60mm rainstorm, and I'm a small guy, my body does NOT hold heat very well at all. And at the hotel it completely dried out within about 15 minutes.
After getting soaked at coldfront 2 at night, in the sun it took all of 3 minutes for the sleeves to dry off.

softshell;
Lightweight
Versatile in that there are many different styles and liners
windproof and water resistant
excellent for airsofters that are very active on the field
dries off quickly
doesn't make that crinkling noise like goretex
not waterproof
some softshell materials are prone to abrasive wear
if you put it away wet, it comes out wet

goretex
totally waterproof
just as light (lighter with gen6) than softshells, but typically available as jackets or parkas
very resistant to abrasive wear
goretex patches readily available if you rip it
put it away wet, comes out dry
kind of like wearing a rubber suit, but not quite as bad
you still sweat hard with all the zippers and vents open
makes a crinkling noise everywhere you go

[Black Patch]

Goretex is a breathable fabric made from Expanded Poly Tetra Fluoro Ethylene. (Plaumbers tape to you and me)

Goretex has very very small holes in it that allow vapour in the form of water molecules under low humidity conditions to pass through the inner side but dont allow water droplets to pass through the opposite side.

You will notice that in high humidity conditions, the ability of Goretex to breathe reduces radically and condensation will form on the inside.

This is only down to the fact that above 82% relative humidity in higher temps the fabrics ability to remove the condensated layer of water from the inside to the outside is completely reduced. (Because the body maintain a 36.9 C internal temp and under Goretex Humidity is high )

When at college back in the UK I did some gear testing on the, then new, Goretex called XCR (back in 99) This is the only reason I know how it works.

The NikWax products work best if you do the following:

1 Notice your Goretex "wets out" (Water no longer forms into drops on the outside)

2 Wash on cold. No soap with 1.5 cap fulls of Nik Wax.

3 Air dry by hanging.

4 Now you have followed the directions on the back of the can, but, Nikwax is a DWR replenishment system. Do the following: I know this works as I do it on my Mountain Hardwear Goretex and have had no delamination issues or damage to the face fabric.

5: Put your goretex or whatever on an ironing board when completely dry. Use a DAMP dish towel and place over the garment, with a medium temp iron, iron the garment using the dish towel as the "Buffer" so you dont damage your garment.

6 Allow your garment to cool and then put in the sink and get a cup of water, run the cup of water on an area of the fabric, you should see water droplets form and run off the fabric. If not, re wash using more Nikwax, and repeat the processes.

This has never damaged any of my GORETEX KIT.

It will not make things magically waterproof, as ThunderCactus has mentioned, but it will help to allow water to Bead and roll off therefore keeping the wearer dryer.

One thing to note Water proof Goretex is tested to something like 36 Hydrostatic head, This means that the garment is placed at the bottom of a tank which is slowly filled with water in cubic meter volumes until it fails and lets water through.

The action of your elbow on the ground should not let water through. If it does, send your goretex back.

Pete.

[Rabbit]

Originally Posted by FOX_111

I saw that some fabric get their water repellency back when heated. A quick ironing or a spin in the cloth dryer will do the trick.

I can't remember if goretex is among those fabrick. If I can find the video that explain it, I'll post it.

This somewhat actually worked! I mean it didn't bring back 100% of the repellency it had when it was first purchased but it definitely improved it.

[D.Kovacs]

Amos and I have used the nikwax on our stuff, and so long as you make sure you buy the right type (cotton/poly or whatever you need) It'll work wonders so long as you follow the directions.