Waxing a gore tex jacket?

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deepforest2501

Tenderfoot
Oct 10, 2007
65
0
Northern Ireland
I can only assume people will think this is a strange question. I have a few goretex jackets but one is a particular fav, it is gettin' on a bit and but was passed on to me and therefore of personal value. It has been reproofed using nikwax wash in. However, in tough weather it damps out a bit. I see most people tend to agree that they are not completely resistant in heavy rain. My question is can I greenland wax the jacket to further proof it? Seems mad but surely it will further weatherproof it. I'm aware that breathability will be lost but then in serious weather it usually is. This is not really a concern. I was just wondering if anyone else has tried this and if the wax will adhere to the goretex fabric? If it doesn't work I can wash out the wax but will probably end up using one of the other jackets instead. any advice?
 

johnboy

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Oct 2, 2003
2,258
5
Hamilton NZ
www.facebook.com
Hi,

I think if you coat a goretex jacket in greenland wax it'll knacker it.

I tend to wash mine quite often and reproof it now and again. A quick rub over with a cool iron seems to perk up the DWR although it does wear off on heavy wear areas and the surface fabric 'wets out'.

It still keeps me dry though...

HTH
 

Laurentius

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Aug 13, 2009
2,422
614
Knowhere
Definately a bizarre idea, but not half as bizarre as what my brother did with an old combat jacket which he waxed using the discarded rinds of dutch cheese dissolved in parrafin, a bit unusual, but it worked.

IMO goretex and it's lookalikes leaves a lot to be desired, the only true waterproofs I have ever encountered are the old fashioned PVC ones or waxed cotton. Mind you I am not impressed with Barbour, I had one once and I reckon you are just paying for the lable and poor quality at that give me a cheap copy anyday.
 

snozz

Full Member
Dec 9, 2009
877
2
Otley
I heard from an outdoor shop in the lakes that half an hour in a tumble dryer will re-invigorate the waterproofness - may be safer than an iron
 

iamasmith

Forager
Aug 12, 2009
128
1
London
Get the Grangers 30° reproofer, two capfulls in the wash (nothing else in there and after a soap free run with a towel to get rid of any detergent) and tumble dry it. That will help with the durability of the DWR.

I use this stuff on my Ventile Airedale without tumble drying it and it does get the beading going again.

Ironing also helps to revitalise the DWR on Goretex normally if there's still any on and it helps to clear out the pores to improve the breathability.
 

Intertidal

Forager
Jan 26, 2008
123
0
Cornwall
Every Goretex jacket (and troos) that I've owned has eventually become porous. I believe that in each case this was due to the gradual degradation of the DWR-type coating on the outer fabric.
I've successfully re-proofed the last jacket using Nikwax wash in or Grangers spray on re-proofers. These products work much better if the clothing is first washed using the respective manufacturers cleaning agent (which is usually just pure soap solution).
Don't ever use normal detergents :nono: it screws the membrane channels.
Tumble drying or ironing afterwards then activated the hydrophobic coating.
However, in all cases in my experience, reproofing only buys a temporary reprieve from a return to porousness :(.
I've now given up on Goretex, favouring Paramo waterproofs for active sports and waxed cotten for birding and bushy stuff.
Nick
 
I am coming close to waxing my 2 Gortex jackets as they are about as water proof as a sieve and have used several products all junk...
Gortex is way over rated....
I have been waxing a few items this last year and have to say they are 100% waterproof will be testing them out in winter conditions in the next few weeks to see how they work in the cold weather....
 

Rebel

Native
Jun 12, 2005
1,052
6
Hertfordshire (UK)
I haven't tried waxing an old Gore-Tex jacket and I get the feeling it's a bad idea.

Wax jackets are typically made of cotton canvas and the porous nature of the cotton soaks up the wax and creates a semi-impermeable layer. This is why they are not especially breathable and you get damp inside them.

Gore-Tex jackets typically have a synthetic outer layer, such as polyester or nylon. This material is non porous, which is ideal for its purpose of repelling water but not for retaining a wax coating.

Waterproof breathable membranes, such as Gore-Tex do degrade over time even though the outer layer of polyester (and inner layer if its three-layer) still look good. The membrane is bonded to the outer layer and is in effect a thin sheet of polyurethane (or similar plastic) with lots of tiny holes stamped in it. Over time this thin membrane becomes damaged through wear and tear and degradation and the rain starts to penetrate through it.

It is possible to improve the jacket's performance by renewing the DWR coating. To do this wash it in Nikwax Tech Wash (or similar), this will help water to bead off the outer layer. It won't last and it won't solve the problem of a damaged, worn out membrane though. I've been through a few Gore-Tex jackets and I'm familiar with the problem.

My advice is to buy a new jacket. If a wax jacket is what you want then you'd be better off getting a wax jacket.

Waterproof breathable membranes do work but they have to be cared for properly and they aren't a magical solution to all of your problems, they have their limitations. You need to understand how they work and what they can and can't do.
 

malente

Life member
Jan 14, 2007
894
2
Germany
I heard from an outdoor shop in the lakes that half an hour in a tumble dryer will re-invigorate the waterproofness - may be safer than an iron

+1

This is the way to go:

1. Wash with specialised Gore Tex Washing powder/liquid
2. Tumble dry low heat 30 mins
3. Spray lightly with Water repellent stuff
 

deepforest2501

Tenderfoot
Oct 10, 2007
65
0
Northern Ireland
Cheers all, yep I washed it in Nikwax, then tumble dried it a few times and finally sprayed it with Grangers XT. The things we do for love eh :) Cheers to all who replied especially Intertidal and survival bill. I knew it was a weird question but as ye both pointed out goretex is not so brillant afterall and reproofing is not all its cracked up to be. I am just waiting for a good wet weekend to test out the reproof job, shouldn't be long I reckon. But I suspect the other rainwear is coming out soon. maybe even my greenland waxed SAS gaberdine smock. I think I'm fairly safe in saying I fall into the retro kit crowd.
 

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