waterproofing rain gear

[July Guy]

My Marmot Precip is a couple years old now. Its shell is 100% nylon/polyamide. It's somewhat breathable. While it still keeps me dry it does get soggy....not sure if that is the right word but it gets heavy with water, and the rain does not bead up and run off quickly the way it did when it was new..

I find lots of waterproofing products for boots. and some for "tent and gear proof"... One product is made by Nikwax and it claims to "Restore the water-repellent finish to fabrics with non-breathable polyurethane or PVC coatings" Seems like something I would NOT want to use.

I'm wondering if anyone can recommend a product for the jacket I have. Something to 'bring the life back' into it?

Thanks

[balou44]

Dave I have used these products to "freshen" up my gore tex/textile riding gear. I can't say they work separately because I've only used them together. But in my experience this stuff really works.

First this,

http://www.aerostich.com/catalog/US/Nik ... 19300.html

then this,

http://www.aerostich.com/catalog/US/Rev ... 19302.html

36 straight hours of rain in Alaska and I stayed dry.

[Ear Mountain]

First thing I would do is contact Marmot to see what they recommend. They are top notch outdoor gear company and should stand behind their products. I did this for you. I went to Marmots website and checked their FAQ page. It's at:

http://marmot.com/service/faq

Question number 7 is probably just what you're looking for:

7. My gear has lost some of its water repellency – What can I do?

Clean the garment. We suggest using Granger's G-Wash Cleaner Plus.

To restore the water repellency in your gear we recommend using Granger's Waterproofing for Synthetic Fabrics – either wash-in or spray-on versions. (You can find it in most sports specialty stores) Use the wash-in method for shell garments and follow the label directions. Be sure to use luke warm water to wash and rinse, place the garment in a drier for 45 minutes at medium heat to heat-set the fininsh and remove it promptly. For soft-shell garments, Granger’s offers Soft Shell Proof to restore water-repellency.

For more information about Granger’s garment care products, visit http://www.grangersusa.com or call Axis Outdoor at 800-335-0260 – email them at info@axisoutdoor.com.

BTW: Marmot's website is at:
http://marmot.com/

Let us know if you try these products and how they work.

[July Guy]

Holy Cow! thanks very much for the replies. I will DEFINITELY get back to this thread with a report. Since it's a mild climate where I live, I use my Precip for rain and snow. (left my coat and shovel in minnesota)

Thanks Balou and Ralph!

[sj in cal]

My precip is a couple of years old and I have the same problem. When I got back from Glacier this year, I noticed the inside label which said to put it in the dryer to restore...(I'm at work so I don't know the exact words at the moment). So, I put my precip in the dryer for 30 minutes at low heat. Although I haven't done a wet test, visually it seems okay. Maybe this weekend, I'll stand in the yard and let Rosie spray me with the hose. I'm sure she would enjoy.

[NDjason]

I've got a Marmot Sharp Point jacket that I wear almost all winter/spring and after 2 years, it started to lose some of it's 'waterproof-ness.' I followed Marmot's advice and went with the Granger stuff and it's back to like new. Water just beads and rolls off again. However, my jacket is a soft shell, so it wouldn't be quite the same stuff as you would use, but I would definitely recommend Granger. I picked it up at REI and it wasn't too expensive.