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How waterproof is your anorak? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Andrew
- Start date
Bluetail said:
Being a Fisherman most of my life, I have owned Barbours (Border and Northumbria)...they're great jackets in looks and performance, apart from the fact that Barbour have never realised that some people have longer arms than others.
So, when they're dry the sleeves are Just long enough, but a soon as they get a soaking, the cotton shrinks ( due to the rain or the cold, or both) and you end up with 2 inches of jumper sticking out from your cuff.
Maybe my next one should be made to measure!
paj
Hill_Walker
Neil
scampo said:
Or rinse your washer and the soap tray out before washing your Paramo.
scampo
Steve Campsall
I would have thought so - but many machines hang on to lots of powder in the drawer and this might be the reason the previous waterproofing failed. Also, of course, it's vital to use a non-detergent wash powder or liquid. I wouldn't use anything other than NikWax but it's pricey and I do wonder if there aren't alternatives.Hill_Walker said:
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Grousemore
Senior Member
I've got a super way of bringing woolies to that lovely fluffy condition, if anyone's interested...
Forgive me if someone has already mentione this but all membrane containing jackets will leak eventually. However, I have never had a decent jacket leak even after 8-10 hours of continual Scottish rain. The secret is regular washing and reproofing of the outer layer with the correct products. Dirty jackets leak more quickly than clean ones. So reproof regulary and finish off with a gentle, low temp iron. Then go stand under a water fall.
Andy
Andy
Keith Reeder
Watch the birdie...
Hi Steve,
judging by the reference to "reproofing the outer layer", I think Andy's referring to the care of any good jacket, and in particular Goretex and similar kit - they'll certainly last longer and work better if they're kept clean and regularly reproofed.
judging by the reference to "reproofing the outer layer", I think Andy's referring to the care of any good jacket, and in particular Goretex and similar kit - they'll certainly last longer and work better if they're kept clean and regularly reproofed.
Sorry, for not making myself clear; I do mean "Goretex", "Isotex" etc washed and reproofed with products such as "Nikwax Tech Wash" and "TX.Direct.
The simple test is to stand in the rain and look at your jacket. If the water is wetting the jacket, rather than forming beads on the surface, it needs cleaned and reproofed. A jacket which "wets" does not breath and leaks sooner than a proofed jacket.
Andy
The simple test is to stand in the rain and look at your jacket. If the water is wetting the jacket, rather than forming beads on the surface, it needs cleaned and reproofed. A jacket which "wets" does not breath and leaks sooner than a proofed jacket.
Andy
scampo
Steve Campsall
Whew - twenty seconds for this page to load! Slow today.Egret said:
To my limited knowledge, any breathable coat with a membrane such as Goretex will not be improved with Nikwax TX. This product, I thought, was only used to reproof Paramo kit - which does not have a membrane. My old membrane Helly Hansen never needed any treatment but when its membrane went, that was that. And my, doesn't the waterproofing go in style when it does. Not with Paramo...
Paramo kit is unique in not having any membrane at all and relying instead on the NikWax polymer creating a waterproof coating on each of the fabric strands within all layers of the fabric from the outer layer to the inner layer.
The membrane systems have no way to be reproofed since it is the existence of the fixed polymer membrane beneath the outer fabric layer alone that creates the waterproofing / breathability aspect.
That said, I suppose that the Nikwax would proof the outer layer on a membrane system - but I'm surprised it's needed as the membrane is what does the work and any extra polymer would likely affect the performance of the membrane adversely regarding breathability
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Keith Reeder
Watch the birdie...
Hi again, Steve,
it's really important that Goretex and similar membrane jackets are able to bead water if they are to work to the best of their ability, otherwise, although the membrane will keep the water out, the face material will "wet out" and be far less efficient.
The label on Nikwax TX Direct actually says (with my emphasis):
it's really important that Goretex and similar membrane jackets are able to bead water if they are to work to the best of their ability, otherwise, although the membrane will keep the water out, the face material will "wet out" and be far less efficient.
The label on Nikwax TX Direct actually says (with my emphasis):
In addition, a wetted-out jacket is very prone to chilling the wearer in cold weather, so the ability to bead water is important for that reason too.
scampo said:
Trust me, I have been wearing "Goretex" for Scottish hill walking and birding for years and re-proofing the outer face is vital. If you don't trust me then trust my wife because she does the ironing! (apparently I can be trusted with trousers and shirts but not, expensive jackets.
Andy
scampo
Steve Campsall
Must be right, but my Helly Hansen never said to do anything except wash it and it lasted for very many years and saved me from some of the worst of Dartmoor's rain (which, I know is wussily wet compared to what you get north o'the border!).Egret said:
I've never seen any other coats recommend NikWax either but what you say sounds fair enough.
