DWR Treatments

[10-K]

So.... if you want to apply some form of DWR treatment to a piece of gear or clothing, what do you use? A Nikiwax product? Something else?

Does applying DWR treatment affect breathability?

Can it be applied to any clothing or bag that isn't waterproof?

Reason I ask is that I've got a Marmot Driclime jacket that wets out pretty quickly these days and I ordered a Campmor bag that doesn't have any DWR applied and I got to thinking about other things.... like my tent...

[Rocketman]

I have a pamphlet fro McNett called "Outdoor Repair & Care Guide".

On page 11 they have

Restore Water Repellancy Between Washings (for sleeping bags)

1)Wet outer shell with water from a spray bottle to help ReviveX spread evenly.
2)Spray shell with ReviveX Spray0On Water Repellent. Apply liberally to foot area.
3) Dry in a large commercial dryer.

Page 10 gives the spiel for how to apply ReviveX to a down bag while washing and drying it.

Counting the covers, the whole thing is 24 pages long. You might want to try to find a copy somewhere.

MIKWAX has a pamphlet like publication too.

Both brands talk about their DWR being safe for all WPB fabrics such as GoreTex, etc....

My main experience ihas been with Granger products. Yes, the water beads up real nice, and the jacket seems to perform as good or bad as it had in the past.

[springerfever]

I use to use Nikwax exclusively, but have since swapped over to Mcnett products . Little bit less expensive, their down wash goes further, and I got tired of the characteristic Nikwax smell.

Amazon has a good selection of Mcnett products with no shipping cost, no tax and fast delivery.

[mweinstone]

simply putting damp gear in a hot dryer restores the fabrics that dwr dosnt. you check witch you have by calling the manufacturer. in the case of fabrics that need a damp hot dryer to restore their breathability and or water proofness,you need to not put dwr on them. they can be restored to waterproofness a million times with only a hot dryer. in the case of fabrics witch may receive dwr, any one of a million retreatments works well. personaly i belive the non washing machine methods work best. spraying directly onto a bag or jacket from a pump bottle works to get the best coverage. putting a bottle in a washing machine that was measured for the average machines water levels, can cause dilution and dissappointment. just spray it on. its quicker and better. nike products go down the drain mostly. marmot eq treated bags need dwr when you loose the ability to bead water. fabrics such as the type used on the quark jackets by mountain hardware need a hot dryer. learn the different requirments from phone calls and lables.

[mweinstone]

a garment is done when retreating it lasts only one wetting. that is the end. breathable waterproof fabrics are just that these days and can be trusted. the gortex of old hides in his grave from the strong magic in new fabrics.

[Wise Old Owl]

Matty is correct, if a product fails with Goretex like qualities - wash & dry....

[mweinstone]

wait , no, hold on. woo may be talking about another thing. gor tex contaminates with small amounts of oils and dirt and molds, that renders it not waterproof . cleaning of the dirt solves this. but i was talking about the type of material that specificaly needs a hot dryer. its a factor of shrinking the cones that make it breathable and waterproof ,..after streatch from wear and dirt. thats a different thing than gortex issues. remember folks, gor tex above freezing when wet is not breathable. thats because water on the surface of the boot or garment blocks all breathabillity . only snow or super cold temps can keep gortex from being sweat traps.

[10-K]

So, I wonder what I would get for a Marmot Driclime jacket and a Campmore down bag - would they use the same DWR product? What product?

Nikiwax has a bewildering array of products that overlap each other - their product recommend-ater is about useless.

[Rocketman]

So, I wonder what I would get for a Marmot Driclime jacket and a Campmore down bag - would they use the same DWR product? What product?

Nikiwax has a bewildering array of products that overlap each other - their product recommend-ater is about useless.

The Nikiwax pamphlet isn't very clear either. For cleaning, the Tech Wash product. For DWR the products are TX Direct spray on or TX Direct wash in.

The McNett brochure is far more detailed, and there are a lot of McNett products to choose from. For Raingear (and SoftShells) they have a "universal" product, ReviveX Spray-on water repellant good for treating the outer layer (including GoreTex - like shells, and for down garments and sleeping bags, and then there is a wash-in product to treat hardshells or fleece garments in one treatment, and finally a penetrating product ReviveX water repellant for softshells.

Evidently, you can use the ReviveX Spray-On for the Marmot and the Campmor.

I suggest that you read the brochure or the website carefully to see if you understand things in the same way.

I'd go with the 24 page McNett pamphlet rather than the 12 panel folding poster from Nikwax or a website I couldn't understand.

I'll bet they have a phone number you can call if you look at the website carefully.

[10-K]

Well, I went to the outfitter in Johnson City this weekend and bought all kinds of McNett's potions and elixers for cleaning down and soft shells and restoring waterproofness/DWR to these items.

So far, so good... I've done both of my Mont Bell bags, my big down coat and I've got my Marmot Driclime in the dryer now giving it the DWR treatment.

I've got my Mont Bell Thermawrap in the washer and it's next up for DWR treatment, then the dryer.

After that I've only got my 2 silk bag liners and all my nasty old gear will be shiny new and waterproof/resistant again.

[Serial 07]

i'm thinking about buying a 5 ounce windshirt and adding some kinda treatment to it to make it waterproof...that's possible, right?

[10-K]

i'm thinking about buying a 5 ounce windshirt and adding some kinda treatment to it to make it waterproof...that's possible, right?

Yes, I would think so with the caveat that there is no spray or wash in treatment that doesn't have to be repeated regularly.

I also think waterproof might not be the right word.... "Water resistant for a short amount of time" is probably more accurate. Even when my Marmot Driclime was brand new it would only take so much before it started soaking through - it's a wind shirt, not a rain coat.

What I'm trying to accomplish with these treatments is to be able to walk through a drizzle or light rain for a short amount of time without having to stop and in the case of my sleeping bags to not worry if I have a condensation problem a few nights in a row in my tent.

[handlebar]

...After that I've only got my 2 silk bag liners and all my nasty old gear will be shiny new and waterproof/resistant again. You're going to waterproof your silk liners? I was wondering why and would like to hear how it works out.

[10-K]

You're going to waterproof your silk liners? I was wondering why and would like to hear how it works out.

oh no, sorry. They're the only things I didn't apply DWR treatment to.