Jacket wetting through?

“As you may know we got a little dusting of snow and more rain today in Virginia. So I figured I would see how my Lowe Alpine jacket was doing after sitting in the closet for a few months. The jacket is triple ceramic... which I take as a sort of gore-tex and it also suppose to breath. Well, It was doing good for the first 15 minutes in the rain and then the water stopped beading up and started soaking the jacket. It did not go through the jacket and I still stayed dry but I was wondering what do I have to do to make my jacket bead up the water like she has done before?

Thanks Sparky



ANY HELP!!!”

“Don't they have a spray?”

“check the directions. some are renewed by putting in the dryer or ironing. or spray as CM said.”

“Most the stuff is crap and all hype in my humble opinion -- technical and flashy gear to suck away all your hardearned greenbacks. If it's _really_ raining outside, it won't keep you dry or you'll just stew in your own juices. My gortex shell was total crap in Borneo... works great for a light sprinkle or dusting of snow, but for serious precipitation, w/b's just don't work like they are supposed to. They work in theory and in the lab, but in reality (with sweat and dirt clogging up the membranes) they fail to perform.

Also gortex is a major cold conductor -- if it's real cold outside (like -20, -30), you will actually feel colder wearing a w/b shell than a windbreaker.

My choice for bp'ing is to just bring a light wind breaker that is water _resitant_ -- plus carry extra clothes in case you get really drenched. My theory: get wet, stay warm by moving until you get to camp; make camp and get into dry clothes and maybe use a cheapo pvc rain jacket over your warm clothes for the non-high-activity level stuff like cooking dinner lounging about camp.

Then again, I don't prescribe to many of the currently en vogue theories of "what to do in the woods". If any folks out there don't do what everybody else does and believe, I'd like to hear about your techniques.”

“then layer with frog toggs to stay dry and cut the wind. end of story.”

“I have the Marmot Precip Jacket and it keeps me very dry.I put a base layer on then a pull over then the jacket that works great for me.

8)”

“Wash your jacket and dry it in the DRYER, medium low heat. The DWR repellent is activated by heat and deteriorated by dirt and oil. If that doesn't work you can recoat it, but be sure and get all the soap out first and dry it in the dryer. Revivex from Gore is what I use.”

“I'm with CF on this one. I carry a cheap nylon shell from campmor as a water resistant wind breaker and dress appropriately underneat to stay warm while wet. I also carry a poncho for the downpours that will soak through the water-resistance. If you are moving, your body heat will push moisture through the nylon shell and help dry you out as you go unlike a waterproof jacket which traps your sweat and stews or freezes you in it.”

“Camel-fluffer???? I don't even want to know what a camel fluffer does!
Okay, what is a camel fluffer, aside from a TT handle?”

“I really like my jacket, I never have had the problem of being too hot or to cold in my jacket like I have heard and talked to with people out on the trail. I just use the pit zips and the waist cord to regulate the air flow and I am comfortable and dry as a bone and . But my concern was that the DWR quite working in certain places... Right now I am listening to it tumble in the dryer and if that does not work I am off to the outfitters to get some "revivex". Hope that works... I REALLY LOVE this jacket if you can not tell! ;)

Sparky”

“Breathable fabric, imo, is for cold weather when you can't have an open jacket but still need to vent perspiration.

If you want breathability in warmer weather, loosen all drawstrings, unzip any pitzips or other venting zippers, loosen arm cuffs, snap front closed instead of zipper, etc. Now THAT's venting. You don't really need breathable fabric, just a waterproof jacket that vents well.

In colder weather, when you can't vent as stated above, is when I believe having breathable fabric comes into play. When it's 20F out you shouldn't be working up a sweat no matter what you're wearing, but if you do, breathable fabric will in time allow the perspiration vapor to leave via the Gore-pores.”

“All jackets with a breathable membarne have two layers of protection. The outer nylon and the membrane. Water will not pass through the membrane, but water vapor will. The problem comes when the surface of the membrane is covered by water. In this situation the water vapor cannot pass through the liquid water into the surrounding atmosphere. To deal with this, the outer layer of the jacket is coated in a water repealant to make the water bead and run off. This leaves the membrane free to breathe. You jacket is perfectly waterproof still, you just need to freshen up the outer water proofing. I'd check with the Company via their website and see what they recomend.

I've never had any problems with Gore-tex being too hot, leaking, or conducting cold. I payed my dues. I used a "water proofed" rain suit with a PVC coating in it. It had two temperature ranges, hot and cold. Hot when dry and cold when wet. Especially from zipper and sleeve leakage.”

“Lowe 'ceramis' is not a membrane like Gore-Tex, it is a coating. W-proof/breathable coatings have particles whether silicone, teflon, titanium or ceramic in a liquid medium. The jacket material is soaked and when the medium evaporates, the particles remain in the intersteces of the weave and block the water but, ideally, allow vapour to pass through. An intweresting point is that this process weakens the fabric.

Like membrane lined material, the surface requires a DWR to be effective. It is the DWR that wears and give the effect that Sparky experienced. The DWR usually wears first at folds.

As Packman remarked, a stint in the drier will usually spread the DWR and renew its effectiveness. I would use Revivex because it's made by Gore on my G-Tex, but I have used Nikwax with good results.

The best method is prevention by keeping the jacket clean and storing it unfolded away from sunlight.

Happy trails.”

“Well, I did the dryer bit and it worked like a charm... She is good as new and I am SO HAPPY. Thanks Gremlin & Deathmarch for your explaining how it works... I was not quite sure how it did work... and Backpac... IT WORKED! YAHOO!!!

I tested it when I got it out of the dryer and she shed water like a ducks back... ahhhh

I always hang up my jacket, the areas where she was not beading us was around the shoulders and arms where I think the backpack had worn off some of the DWR.

Thanks again for your help.. I will be using the jacket next week when I go to False Cape State Park since the weatherman can not decide if it is going to rain.. not that it makes a difference because I am going either way :)

Thanks again

Sparky”

“Good for you sparky. I am convinced that folks who don't like goretex either never tried it, do not know how to care for it, or they expect it to perform miracles.

I have three goretex shells, two pairs of goretex pants and two pairs of goretex boots. They have never failed me.”

“I have to agree with bacpac. Gortex is wonderful. I love my Mountain Hardwear stuff. I use it all the time with no problem. The only other raingear I have is Helly Hansen stuff that I used in AK for fishing and hunting. Weight and breathability didn't matter, but absolute waterproofness and durability did. It hasn't been out since I left AK.

PS-At -20F or so water vapor from sweat plugs the micro holes in Gortex and it is no longer breathable, so when it is so cold there is no chance of wet, I go to a nylon shell.”