Backpacking Tips: Reapplying A DWR Coating
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- čas přidán 10. 02. 2014
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Learn how to reapply the DWR (durable water resistant) coating to your water-resistant and waterproof gear. Before doing a full on re-coat, you may want to just try washing the jacket and ironing it on a low (nylon safe) setting. Often times this is enough to restore much of the water resistant properties of DWR.
Also, the optimal approach to maintaining your jacket's breathability is to:
-frequently wash your jacket with a mild soap (not a detergent!). This removes accumulated body oils and other grime that 'clog' the waterproofing material's micro-pores which allow your jacket to breathe.
-after washing - and when the jacket is still! wet - hang it on a hanger and apply your DWR. The wet face fabric facilitates an even application of the DWR over the jacket's surface. A few minutes after this is done and excess DWR had run off your still hanging jacket, tumble dry your jacket dry on a low heat setting. The moderate heat from the tumble drying activates/reactivates the water-beading properties of the DWR (which in turn facilitate the jacket's ability to breathe when it's raining).
Quite often, it's simply enough to just wash the jacket and then tumble dry the jacket to get water on the face fabric to bead up again. Again, this is because heat in itself reactivates any existing DWR that has only temporarily lost its ability to bead water (it's a chemistry thing). If this trick doesn't work then it's indeed time to re-DWR your jacket.
Note: many people erroneously believe that frequent washing will quickly degrade the oft expensive jacket's magic properties. The opposite is true - wash frequently and the magic of a breathable yet waterproof jacket will last so much longer!
Jack Strake hi jack. Thanks for that information. Does this method work for all waterproof shell jacket and pants?
I am considering purchasing some new arc Teric jacket and pants (not spelt correctly) and although they are quite expensive I don’t mind paying the price if they keep me dry long after I buy them. Is the method you describe the way to go to keep my clothes like new? Cheers Dan
You should just make ur own video 💀
I wonder, when there's rain, the most important part of the jacket that get the most rain drops are the top of shoulders (?), but in this position (when jacket lie flat) the top of the shoulder getting the least amount of DWR?
First you spray the front, then you spray the back but...I think, there's a line at the top of shoulders that don't get any of DWR?
I hang the garment on a hanger, suspend it from a branch/clothesline, spray it. When finished test it with the hosepipe and if necessary apply a second coat. No fumes, all the mess outside the house!
DWR is applied on a WET jacket.
The fact that you are mounting your camera on your forehead is 😎
Excellent timing. I need to treat my fave REI jacket. Thank you!
I used the TX direct spray with the jacket wet. It works really well ! Great video.. very helpful !
Well done and I can tell viewers it works. I like to spray, wipe, hang in hot room, then tumble low. I have had my Norrona soft shell coat and pants for 8 years and treat them twice a season (40 days of backcountry days a year)
I like to spray my jacket, then wait in the other room naked for you to kiss me.
now you can buy the wash, tumble dry and it works much better
Great video. Thanks for sharing
A very useful demonstration. Thanks.
Joe, I love your videos. Thank you. 👍☺️🖖
Nice video. Iron or a quick trip to the dryer on low heat does the trick as well.
I use Arc'teryx Nú DWR spray (ReviveX) I wash with tech wash fist then when the jacket is just a little damp after rinse I will take the jacket outside (try to do this on a non windy day) and spray it with the DWR. I would recommend doing this outside because these sprays can be harmful.
Then I just put it directly into the dryer on medium heat for 40min. The DWR lasts for about 4-5 months if not longer depending on how frequently I use it. Typically a season as I only use it on raininy days.
Thanks for the videos!
I would take a towel and roll it up to make shoulders in the jacket to get a nice coating on the top of the shoulder part of the jacket.
Super helpful- thanks. Given one can simply reapply DWR to ‘lower end’ jackets, what’s the real benefit in paying for a high-end gortex?
Hello there, is it okey to use the dwr spray for just reproofing, insted of having to use the dwr wash n proof for example if you don't want to regular wash your item to give it more life, insted of the wash in proof then the spray n proof method? My item is futurelight northface mountain jacket. Also is heat drying etc sun or low heat in drier necessary to activate dwr coat or can you air dry outside on the line? Thanks.
does it last a while once fully water proofed again?
My jacket got a white stain on it after I applied nikwax just like this guy did. Any idea how to clean it up?
Nicely done man. This demonstration should be helpful for many. Highly recommend the cardboard idea. Even lager piece maybe. It can be slightly messy.
Hope you get time to do DIY video's!
*tip
1.) IMO you can get slightly better results in coverage and in over all effectiveness by rubbing it in with your hands. I use rubber or latex gloves to keep the mess down. Basically I do the same as in the video but after a few sprays I evenly spread it around the surface with my hands very lightly. Keeping in mind of creases and especially stitching on non-taped seams. You tend to get more out of less product as you can evenly apply it easier.
2.)Wash your garmets with DWR coatings INSIDE-OUT.. One of the way your DWR wares out is from abrasion from use. When washing and drying your effectively rubbing teh garment all over. Its more protected inside-out.
3.) If your garment is from mid/high end manufacture it's likely to have a really good DWR from factory. Some can be replenished simply from cleaning and heating in a dryer on high heat for while. Check the manufactures site. They always post that information when that/ or other method's are a option.
Great tips!
What do you recommend for my new tnf gore Tex jacket. I hand washed a tiny spot I had a stain on and did the iron on top of a cloth and it still is not repelling water. Bought a dwr spray. What should I do
Good video. I wonder how effective this would be on a material like denim.
can you spray dwr on any product? I have an adidas wind breaker that's not dwr. can i still apply it?
All water proof fabrics have a DWR coat including gortex - non of them naturally repel as you stated . The DWR coating is designed to stop a continuous film of water forming (wetting out) which vapour transfer (breathabillity ) can not pass through.
Hey, I love the video. great job. Considering reapplying a DWR coating on my Marmot Minimalist.
what do you call the inner part? look like paint that tears apart.
I also watched your video on mixing silicon and mineral spirits on a tarp. I need to redo my rain fly and rain jacket. Is silicone a form of DWR similar to this or when would you use/recommend one vs the other? Thanks. Great channel!!!
Mixing silicone with mineral spirits are nothing like DWR.
High end tents/tarps use something called silnylon ripstop. And that's a nylon fabric with a silicone coating. It make the fabric 100% waterproof but it do not breathe.
You can get the same effect on polyester fabric too by applying silicone/spirit. And with a light mix it will not feel tacky on the fabric.
Rain jacket, use dwr wash from nikwax.
If by rain fly you mean tarp then you could use a very light mix of silicone mixed mineral spirits with grate result and a less light mix on the seems.
Excellent tutorial and discussion troops. Thanks
Gore-Tex is waterproof NO MATTER WHAT. But, when the outer fabric of the jacket is no longer water-repellent (the outside of the jacket saturates), the Gore-Tex membrane (a lining on the inside of the jacket) can no longer let air through, causing perspiration/sweat to build up inside the jacket (just like a PVC rain-coat). In other words, it's a persons own sweat/perspiration getting the inside of the jacket wet, which makes them think the jacket is no longer water-proof.
My brain literally hurt while reading this crap 😖
this is so not true, why even bother writing all that when you have no clue how it works?
@@wardensytyes it is true wtf are you talking about
@@MrArcadyuspeople need to do their research it seems aha
Cool jacket, can you share the brand and model of it?
How long it last?
I love that jacket could you give me the make,cost,where to buy,,thanks great vid pal
Did u find out?
can i ask - if it is impossible to put it in a tumble dryer - what do you suggest ? if i live off grid and i dont have a tumble dryer.
Also what’s the difference between a ‘detergent’ and ‘mild soap’ recommended to wash the jacket ?
thanks so much !!! :)
You can use hairdryer pal .low heat .public bathrooms hand dryer would do I guess ✌️
Hey there Joe, I just bought 2.5 litres of Nikwax spray on Solar-proofer which is basically the same thing as TX-Direct as in it waterproofs as well as protects it against UV. I bought it to waterproof a new bivi tent I just got and as it turned out there was enough to do 2 tents, several coats and motorcycle jackets, gloves and 2 pairs of boots. There is even a qtr of the bottle left to do other things.
In your vid you reproofed your jacket on the floor. When I did my jackets etc I hung them from a washing line in my back garden. The other difference from your method I used was to follow an instruction from Nikwax to wet the fabric first and then spray on the product. I did this with the tents too. Oh and a heavy duty 3x3 metre tarp as well, almost forgot, lol!
You can see one of my tents on a video I made if you click on my name.
I was actually looking for a link on how to spray the waterproofing onto my lightweight down jacket when I came across your vid. Cheers then mate, hope you can make sense of my advise etc. Happy Travels......
Sorry If I missed it but can I apply Dwr coating to backpack zippers? Backpack zippers that never had it
It won't hurt to apply it, and it will certainly provide a little extra water resistance to the fabric part of the zippers. Just don't expect it to keep water from getting in the actual zipper.
HERE IS WHAT YOU'RE ACTUALLY SUPPOSED TO DO:
1. Wash your jacket first. (Wash it as frequently as you can, actually. This removes dirt/oils from the pores and maintains breathability.)
2. Shake/brush off excess water from the jacket.
3. Spray the dwr onto the DAMP JACKET on a hanger! (use plenty on high-wear areas, like where your backpack straps go. Let excess run off for a few mins.)
3. Do NOT air-dry. The dwr will only work properly if you machine-dry the jacket. It needs heat in order to properly bind with the face fabric. Use normal or low heat setting.
- If you don't have a dryer, let it air-dry, then use an iron, on the lowest heat setting, with no steam, while placing a towel in between iron and jacket.
4. If the jacket isn't very old, or you've waterproofed it recently, just try washing and drying it - you might not even need to reapply DWR. Jackets often start wetting just because of dirt and abrasion.
Also, YOU DO PUT DWR ON GORETEX, as the factory coating wears off as quickly as with any jacket. Yes, the fabric is already waterproof, but the coating makes sure the jacket stays breathable and lightweight, which are - aside from durability - the two main things you pay for when buying Goretex. Gore is the real deal, but the fabric just can't work properly if it's dirty and absorbing water. In cold wet weather, you'd end up with a heavy jacket that traps your sweat and doesn't keep you warm.
The back of the bottle of NikWax TX Direct says recommended for Gortex, eVent and other breathable waterproof fabrics. It also recommends air drying OR tumble drying on low. You are correct that it should be applied to wet fabric.
DWR should be renamed to NWR. Non-durable water repellent.
2 things... dwr on goretex is to prevent coat wetting out. It is still waterproof but gets heavy and cold. 2ndly to iron over ur coat u use a towel betwen coar and jacket.. or 20 mins in dryer also works 👍
Inside out in dryer ?
I'm pretty sure the directions say to wash it first and apply to wet/damp fabric.
Uwd this for the first time today on my gore tex coat.
Very impressed
Does this work on denim jackets as well?
It will but the effect may not last as long or be as effective.
Is DWR toxic?
You live and learn but there was alot of thing's you said that were incorrect mate!.Also the reason it was still Wetting out a bit was that you didn't cover the jacket properly.If ur gonna do it, do it right!.Go outside when dry, hang the jacket on a coat hanger and cover every square centimetre of the jacket.Leave on till the excess drips off the jacket(10-12mins) then tumble dry on a Medium/High setting for 5 mins or if you don't have one, dry it on a horse next to a warm heat(Not too close!) all night.The jacket will now be as good at shedding water as it's ever gonna be....
word!
I thought Nikwax did not need Dryer application.?🤔
That’s boy recommend for products that use goretex
Your wife is going to be pissed when she sees that you did this on the nice-ass carpet
who doesn't like a waterproof carpet
Three coats is my preferred method each lightly to let products build up
You know... thank you for this. Not for explaining how to do this, but for reminding me that I needed to re-proof my jacket before this weekend! :D
Have you ever used the wash in stuff? I've only ever used that before, but am wondering if the spray on DWR is actually a better idea. Thoughts?
I couldn't say which is better. I've never tried the wash in before. I think It would be easier and maybe a little more evenly distributed, but I wonder if it is more or less effective than the spray on...
So the wash in stuff will give you the most uniform and even result. Most often better then what you will get with the spray on. The spray is useful in more and different types of clothing. Many garments including GORE-TEX, and other waterproof/breathable membrane have moisture wicking liners. For example my current snowboard/ski jacket has its brands in house 15k/15k waterproof/breathable membrane. It comes with fine mesh nylon liner and open mesh for the pit zips. It has this specifically for moisture wicking property's in mind.
The idea is you don't want to use wash in on hard shell jackets with any type of moisture wicking liner as this will degrade its wicking ability. Some insulated jackets like down also should use different type of DWR.
On he other hand soft shells, single layer pack jackets, 3layer, many 2layer GORE-TEX, and other 2layer waterproof/breathable membrane jackets will get best results from wash in.
*TIP
With wash in you can always still use the spray on type after getting better results in the shoulders and other heavy rain/snow areas. I have personally found this works... but its costly if you don't already have both..
Losvatoslocos Thanks for the tips! Super helpful info.
just spray the fuck out of it..use a whole bottle..rain will deflect off that shit like armour..
What jacket is this? Pls reply
+James Topham It's an REI Salix jacket. Unfortunately, I don't think they sell it anymore.
+Joe Brewer ah, thank you anyways
Your explanation that DWR is applied to Gore-Tex to to help the jacket "shed water even faster" and "make sure they stay waterproof..." is incorrect.
With Gore-Tex, the material is waterproof - end of story. The DWR is applied for one reason, namely to prevent the face fabric from wetting out (the material remains waterproof even when the surface fabric has wetted out).
When the surface fabric has wetted out, you will remain protected from precipitation but your jacket's ability to breathe will be significantly reduced. Such decreased breathability will reduce the materials ability to allow perspiration to pass from beneath the jacket to its outside, This in turn will entail that you will get wet/soaked from your own perspiration even though no water leaks through the jacket from the outside.
In summary, the purpose of the DWR is to allow your jacket to breathe. That's it and everything.
I think you're missing the forest for the trees. DWR keeps fabric from wetting out by repelling water at the surface level of the material. This allows the water to bead up and shed off the material faster than it would normally, thereby preventing absorption. As a function of not wetting out, Gore-tex does breathe "better" but lets be honest, in real life conditions, humidity differences don't allow much breathing to take place. DWR is used on many other fabrics than just Gore-tex too. In these applications it is often primarily used to provide temporary waterproofness/resistance.
not even..goretex is no more waterproof than most proprietory fabric laminants like eVENT or other similar fabrics..non of them breath very well for what its worth..ive tried them all from 100$ to 600$ jackets..they all have DWR on the outer nylon like joe says..to bead water..if a jacket wets out how the heck would it even breath? BTW all my testing of raingear has been from 1996-2006 in oregon mt hood rain forest and from 06-2016 in Alaska chugack mts and kenai peninsula... i have goretex SIMMS fishing jacket, Goretex north face, marmot raincoats , REI eVENT pants, goretex packlight pants simms brand, volcom snowboard gear 10,000mm, red ledge raingear..and others i cant remember..yes..i tried pretty much all of them..they work great for a while till that DWR starts getting oils from you and whatever else causes it to stop beading like it was when it was brand new..but if you wash and reapply a dwr it works and looks brand new again..soi dont understand your agurement..unless you have never used a raincoat more than in a misty shower for a short peroid of time..
not even..goretex is no more waterproof than most proprietory fabric laminants like eVENT or other similar fabrics..non of them breath very well for what its worth..ive tried them all from 100$ to 600$ jackets..they all have DWR on the outer nylon like joe says..to bead water..if a jacket wets out how the heck would it even breath? BTW all my testing of raingear has been from 1996-2006 in oregon mt hood rain forest and from 06-2016 in Alaska chugack mts and kenai peninsula... i have goretex SIMMS fishing jacket, Goretex north face, marmot raincoats , REI eVENT pants, goretex packlight pants simms brand, volcom snowboard gear 10,000mm, red ledge raingear..and others i cant remember..yes..i tried pretty much all of them..they work great for a while till that DWR starts getting oils from you and whatever else causes it to stop beading like it was when it was brand new..but if you wash and reapply a dwr it works and looks brand new again..soi dont understand your agurement..unless you have never used a raincoat more than in a misty shower for a short peroid of time..
That's an entirely different issue. However if we were to discuss such laminates then my original point would still be relevant. The DWR keeps the outer fabric layer from wetting out so that the membrane can 'breathe'. Even with the DWR depleted and the outer fabric saturated with water, the jacket would remain waterproof.
To prevent wet out, all GORE-TEX® shell fabrics are treated with an ultra-thin treatment called DWR, adurable water repellent polymer that is applied to the outermost fabric layer. DWR penetrates the fibers and lowers the surface tension of the fabric, causing water to bead up and roll off this outer layer of fabric, instead of being absorbed.
DWR is not permanent, though. Regular wear and tear, plus exposure to dirt, detergents, insect repellent, and other impurities can shorten its lifespan. The good news is that restoring the water repellency of your GORE-TEX® shell is extremely easy.
The jacket would not remain waterproof, it would only remain breathable, which lets be honest, no one cares about if you are soaking wet, breathability of a wet jacket is nonsensical. Lets please stop the bullshit marketing about unicorn layers of vapor pumping water molecules. Only urbanite believe that. Wash your gear and treat it. Thank you.
Put in the dryer. It helps the polymer bond.
What jacket is that
It's an old REI Salix jacket.
the jacket is suppose to be damp before appying nikwaxx
Why?
Old timers!
So if you’re like me and got your first rain gear 20+ years ago.. you’ve seen the best and brutal DWR.. where water stays perfect circles and beads off.. for years even.
You’ve also noticed newer jackets don’t do this as well.. and you may run to get a DWR spray to get it there.. it’s not gonna happen. Since they all went PFC free.. DWR is a lot less durable ironically.
So just so you don’t waste any money on DWR on a new jacket. Companies like Patagonia have remedied this by making their membrane more technical. Like I have a new Slate Sky, water doesn’t bead but it also doesn’t wet out or get heavy.. it’s just different.. took some adjusting. My 2019 Rainshadow fought off the rain like it was truly hydrophobic.
I recommend the wash in method not the spray on
Funny this video popped up after I watched Prolite show Rivwax or whatever was slightly better than that brand. Whatever you have.
dude u apply this on wet material
Not true about Event. My Event jacket soaked me to the bone in a recent thunderstorm.
Uhh, that shouldn't happen. Are you sure that the face fabric just didn't wet out? Giving the illusion it soaked you? If it actually got wet on the inside, and it wasn't from sweat then you have ad a serious failure in your gear and I suggest you talk to the maker. I have had my Arcteryx Alpha FL for 1 year now and have brought it everywhere from the arctic circle to the scottish highlands with sideways rain and I have never got a drop inside with proper care and maintenance. Given that it is goretex pro though, not eVent and Arcteryx quality is second to none. I know any company can buy eVent and make a jacket, where as Gore only licenses out to a few companies to try to maintain high quality with seam taping etc.
Wrong. It was your own sweat/perspiration getting the inside of the jacket wet, which makes you think the jacket is no longer water-proof.
Revivex works for Water Repellent Materials for awhile but you cannot beat High Denier GoreTex... It needs nothing and never gives up
Tumble dry after you spray. It works much better
Lots of inaccuracies both in your video and comments here. DWR is the primary factor in fixing the dirty secret, that Gore-tex has always failed as a water barrier. The complex of small openings was always vulnerable to oils, dirt, any other contaminant which created a path for water to wick right through; all so-called breathable waterproof fabrics depend on the DWR coating to repel water so it can't reach the layer under the outer fabric. Regular washing with special soaps which have zero additives and rinse out cleanly, and either/or brief tumble dry/low heat, or re-treat with aftermarket products like the Nikwax are crucial to keeping garments water repellent. Personally I've preferred other brand fabrics like Entrant (totally dry for a 12 hour high alpine soaking storm while climbing the Diamond) over Gore stuff, which always seems to fail halfway thru the first real-life test. Don't bother re-coating without washing and rinsing first.
Pretty sure a lot of what’s said and done in this video is slightly off, at least as far as I’m aware. Pretty good guide for someone who needs to get it done for the first time though.
Gore-tex and eVent jackets etc all use nylon outers, and they all use DWR to bead water off and avoid wetting out like he said. The “water proof and breathable” layer is a membrane sandwiched in between the inner and outer layer, not a superficial layer that beads water off. However, in higher-end jackets, the nylon outer is really tough and designed much more rigorously.
Also, if you read the application instructions on that bottle it would tell you to: wash your jacket and before putting on DWR then into the dryer, yes a dryer. Wipe off excess DWR like he says prior to drying, I’m pretty sure a dryer is the gold standard here, as it sets the DWR into the fabric, not letting it dry over night, but hey if you don’t have a drier, there ya go! From memory I’ve tried it and it doesn’t work particularly well.
Key maintenance of a jacket;
1) Store it on a hanger, not packed down.
2) wash it frequently with gentle soap, gets rid of sunblock, sweat, dead skin from the inner layer and inner surface of the waterproof layer.
Happy to hear if my info is old and I am open to learn. But from years of outdoor instructing I feel like some of this info is either outdated or just a wee bit off :)
Good Little vid though :)
:47-:51 comment. WRONG!
That looks to me like a rainx😂
Checking the waterproof is partially correct, that is, if you spray with a few drops of water it is ok but if you put the shower on the bath, on jacket, you will have a surprise because it will no longer be waterproof. Try!
gabon e oh...look. same comment on like 5 different videos now. Do you not have a brain? Copy and paste...all day long. You might as well just be a damn parrot.
Btw. Why the hell would you put your winter coat under the shower or in the bathtub? In what scenario are you going to be under water while snowboarding/skiing/hiking lmao. You sooooo smart!
a cheaper way is to rub a candle over ur jacket then go over with a hair dryer its the way i do mine and its good ,nice vid,Atb
no
dafuq?
And your jacket instantly becomes useless as far as breathability is concerned.
Do not follow this guys 50 yr old technique lol. Sure it may be water proof/resistant, but the candle wax jacket is now unable to breath whatsoever. It will wet from inside out....
Do not forget that you can also put REAL wax on your jacket, like CANDLE wax or even better BEESWAX rub it gently in, the jacket wil look Grey from this stuff, use a hairdryer or tumble dryer on low, a few minutes and presto! the same result for even less money plus more friendly to the environment so you can keep walking for longer in the outdoors
Yes but the garment will no longer breathe and you'll now wet-out from the inside due to perspiration. DWR coatings are designed to not clog the pores of the fabric like wax does.
Not to mention wax only really makes sense on thicker cotton/canvas fabrics, not synthetics.
giottodiotto1 uh, no.
"Water proof..."for a while"", ye wrote. With Gore-Tex, it's water proof w/ or w/o DWR. I believe that this is the 'forest' of the matter.
DWR and concomitant breathability coefficients in the lab and the field b da trees.
DWR only fills the role of 'water proofer' w/ non-Gore-Tex type textiles (e.g. Pertex, Luminara, Gossamera,...). All this imho, of course.
Treating jackets for wankers....
Полный фонарь, никакого эффекта
More spraying, less talking, just saying