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Has anyone had any luck with any of the products available?
I've tried some Grangers 2 in 1 on my 5yr old endura jacket & it hasn't made any difference, was washed & tumbled dryed as per the instructions.
So are there any out there that do work? Am I doing something wrong? Or is it time for a new jacket?
5yr, depending on use, is a good time from a breathable jacket in my experience.
Even if you cannot see delamination or area of damage, the membrane can just be blocked or knackered
I also find that the 2in1 clean and proof less effective than separate clean and proof.
had some good results using the nikwax stuff recently.
Nick-wax user here. Does not proof as good as original; but last half dozen or so wet rides.
Anybody tried Liquiproof? Seen it on Dragon Den ... seems very expensive from prices I have Googled.
Nik Wax user here also, found that the Graingers stuff didn't seem to be overly great.
Went to a 2 separate process rather than a all in one.
Nik Wax Tech Wash followed by their wash-in reproofer has worked well for me. Just make sure that your washing machine is completely free of detergent / softener buildup and run a hot cycle without any clothes in before washing your garments.
As has been said though, it might just be that the membrane in your jacket is worm and in that case it will be time for a new jacket. Reproofing only refreshes the durable waterproof coating, which stops the top fabric becoming waterlogged, enabling the membrane to breathe. The membrane itself cannot be repaired.
Nikwax does get results for me but the DWR is never going to be as good/durable as when it was new.
As devash says though the DWR and the membrane doing the actual waterproof/breathable bit are different things, and if the membrane is shot then it's new jacket time really.
is there a company that does this sort of treatment?
I don't fancy running my washing machine 4-5 times to wash 3 items of clothing
It didn't restore the dwr at all, as soon as the water hit it, it soaked in. Will try a separate spray as a last resort.
what about for soft finish jackets like Endura Stealth ? My old one lost it's waterproofness after half a dozen rides/washes
Same again for soft shell, soap flakes or a proper cleaner, then straight back on with wash in our spray on.
I notice my new Berghaus Vapour Storm can now be tumble dried to reactivate the DWR coating but it also says spray on reproofer not Wash In......so Muc Offs Fabric Protect will be applied once time comes around that the original DWR is worn off...... A £10 tin of DWR is cheaper than a new £99 jacket!
I recently used a tin of DWR spray on reproofer on my Altura Attack Longs from Lidl or Aldi (can't remember which it was) was only about £1 for the tin and it's worked better than Nikwax wash in!
Nikwax just ruined two of my jackets and some eVent shorts by turning into sticky balls of snot!!
Googled it and seems quite common
I've never got on with the Nikwax Techwash and TXdirect wash in or spray on, got so hacked off with getting soaked a week after applying it, that remembering family camping holidays and tins of Fabsil in the 70s, I tried the Grangers Performance Wash and Xtreme Repel on my Water Off a Ducks Back raincoat - months later the outer is still beading off water nicely and I haven't been soaked since.
I did have to tumble it (care label says don't, so I risked it on delicates) but it certainly worked!
I've got enough confidence in it to risk washing my Vulpine Harrington next.
I always do use my TX Wash In as a hand wash. you can control the water/TX ratios a bit better, and then a quick rinse through, and a gentle spin (800rpm, or so) with the added bonus that you get water repellent hands for a while after... 😆
I've worn my vulpine in the foul winter rain on several occasions but by the end of two to three hours the sleeves will start to wet out hence I bought the hard shell for biblical rain rides. The vulpine I just wash in tech wash and tumble dry on low, beads up every time and is the most breathable best balanced waterproof/ breathable jacket I own.
I've found Techwash (for cleaning to restore DWR) and TX Direct (to reproof with DWR) work pretty well. With any DWR, if a garment gets particularly contaminated it can prove impossible to reproof because the dirt stops the DWR working (like a seabird in an oil slick).
This happened to my Paramo Velez recently (after over 10 years). The garment then needs much more hardcore washing (beware doing something that will knacker a membrane/coated garment or unstick taped seams) until the contaminants are removed, then clean with Tech Wash to remove any detergent residues and then reproof).
Dirt is the biggest enemy of water repellency, be it on outdoor gear, birds or mammals.
My Montane Prism came up a treat with some Liquid Soap Flakes from Tesco followed by NikWax Wash In. Beading very nicely, whereas beforehand it was just soaking straight through. That's the the one and only time I've used it. Though I got some more in the recent Blacks sales, so I have few things to try it out on.
Picked up some muc off fabric protector this morning so will give that a go before it's new jacket time.