Gortex Jacket

[Pete7]

In addition to the normal sailing jackets and trousers I recently acquired a Gortex jacket for free. Being single skin and light is more comfortable when its hot but raining rather than the heavy sailing clothing we normally need in the UK.

However, a long bash to windward yesterday and lots of driving rain quickly meant it leaked like a sieve. Is it a lost cause, or fixable? It has been through a cool wash in a machine when first acquired.

Pete

[NCGunDude]

It was free, so no loss. Why not use it they way it was intended?

[Albro359]

Buy some fabric waterproofing spray..3M or Gill, Musto..they all use basicsally the same stuff...
Your issue is that you washed it...don;t do that

[GordMay]

“Machine wash on a warm permanent press cycle (105º F/40º C) using a small amount of liquid detergent. Rinse twice, minimize spinning to reduce creasing. Do not use powder detergents or any products that contain fabric softeners, conditioners, stain removers or bleach as they will affect garment performance. Do not wash with heavily soiled clothing ...
... Line dry your garment, or tumble dry it on a warm, gentle cycle. Once it is dry, tumble dry your garment for 20 minutes to reactivate the durable water-repellent (DWR) treatment on the outer fabric ...”
➥ https://www.gore-tex.co.uk/support/washing-instructions

[Albro359]

Originally Posted by GordMay

“Machine wash on a warm permanent press cycle (105º F/40º C) using a small amount of liquid detergent. Rinse twice, minimize spinning to reduce creasing. Do not use powder detergents or any products that contain fabric softeners, conditioners, stain removers or bleach as they will affect garment performance. Do not wash with heavily soiled clothing ...
... Line dry your garment, or tumble dry it on a warm, gentle cycle. Once it is dry, tumble dry your garment for 20 minutes to reactivate the durable water-repellent (DWR) treatment on the outer fabric ...”
➥ https://www.gore-tex.co.uk/support/washing-instructions

Yup...that's what they say, but in my experience it doesn't work....once you wash those things, all the waterproofness (is that a word?) has gone.
The ONLY way to reinstate it is to use one of those sprays

[Pete7]

Guess I now know why it was free and the young naval officer ditched it. I will give it a go with the spray stuff.

Pete

[requiem]

GoreTex is a PTFE membrane and shouldn't actually leak; what's commonly thought of as "wetting out" is only the face fabric getting soaked through (at which point the "breathability" property goes away). Similarly, washing is required to clean contaminants (body oil, sunscreen, etc.) that can also reduce breathability. The face fabric is treated with a DWR coating to make water bead up, but eventually that wears off and will need to be re-treated.



If you're getting soaked, there are a few possibilities. One is the big holes at the top, bottom, and ends of sleeves. Another is at the seams; I believe the Gore licensing requires all seams to be taped, but perhaps those failed. Finally is condensation; while GoreTex claims breathability it's still relatively low and a wetted out jacket will have none at all (thus, you can get soaked by sweat). I'd suggest a brief spell in a cold shower to see where the water might be getting in, and send it off to the maker if there's an actual defect.

[barnakiel]

This could be that your gortex is not a Gore-Tex fabric. Maybe you got a Chinese by product.


Proper laminated gtex parkas are the best thing since sliced bread. The mountain grade is less expensive and lasts better than most marine brands too.


We had Mammut gear and my friend here has an Arc'teryx. Both companies offer outstanding quality/price value.


My fave style is polyester gtex, 3ply, laminated (no flying liner).



Do not buy mountain grade salopettes though - many open along the seam and are thus useless at sea.


Cheers,
b.

[carstenb]

The issue is fabric softeners - never, never put these in when you are washing gortex or your foulies.

the spray will work but you will probably need to give it two or three coats

[a64pilot]

Gore-Tex is one of the most counterfeited things there is.
I had several things made from Korean Gore-Tex when I was over there, it works, just not as well.
The Military issued Gore-Tex worked better than the Korean copy, but to is not really water proof, more like water resistant, good for the incessant light rain you get in Europe all Winter long, but a Summer thunderstorm we get here in Florida will go through it.

The Scotchguard is your best bet, but it will never replace real wet weather gear, it is why the Army still issued the rubber if you will pants and Parka, cause Gore-Tex is not water proof.

I used 303 fabric guard with seemingly great success on my Henry Loyd used stuff I bought, but I don’t get out in weather like you guys up North do.

[Dr. Sea]

I’ve used Starbrite Waterproofing with PTFE on older biminis that leaked through in rain, and it worked quite well. The best part is that it doesn’t leave the fabric feeling stiff or rubbery. It does leave a slight smell, but that goes away. I used it on a jacket that wasn’t intended to be waterproof, and it improved the shedding of rain, but I wouldn’t call it waterproof in a heavy rain.