Goretex, as great as they say?

[crazydave]

goretex boots need washing and reproofing which most people dont bother with, also the goretex can stress and wear through on key points like where the toe protector meets the fabric. also some of the liner fabric can wear through above the toes and at the heel.

proper grade boots like matterhorn or lowa are much better, designed for abuse. problem with all goretex boots though is once water is in its harder to get out especially as the insulated boots have in effect a sock sewn in. the best option i found was goretex socks in issue boots as you can pull them out and towel them dry before putting back on and also wash them. works well with jungle boots as well but you need to go up half a size. the result is a decent all weather boot.

 

[Oblio13]

I've come full circle, from using a Ventile (we call it "Egyptian Cotton") immersion suit in the military, to trying all the wonder fabrics, and coming back to Ventile/EC. Nothing I've found performs better, plus it's quiet. Last but not least, it doesn't turn into napalm if you get too close to the fire.

 

[Frogy]

Nearly everyone refers to goretex as if they make the garments. They license the use of their fabric.

Saying that your goretex jacket leaks doesnt mean that the fabric is leaking, it could be the way it is made. Once the material is stitched it has holes in it. There are many ways of sealing a seam, some much better than others. Ive seen really good quality goretex jackets and some really dodgy ones.

Saying that goretex doesnt work as advertised because your jacket leaked is like saying you dont rate cars cos your last one broke down.

As for the temperature point, I spent 2 winters working in the Canadian rockies (regularly -30) and I noticed no difference in performance compared with higher temperatures.
My jacket did cost £500 ( if you are spending all day outside, exercising continually, its worth it).There isnt much point comparing that jacket with a £250 jacket.

Opinions differ, as with most things, but in my opinion if its a good quality goretex jacket and you look after it and you are using it for what it was designed for then it will perform as advertised.

P.S. Ive never seen a good quality goretex jacket that was recomended for roughing it in the bush - and there in lies the point , possibly.

 

[AndySabol]

Hi. I live in Slovakia (central Europe). We have much less rain here in Slovakia than you in GB and Scotland. I have been using Gore-tex, eVent, Pertex, Furtech and finally I bought a West Winds Safari shirt few months ago. I found Gore-tex not very comfortable (especially in humid weather). In present I don´t use Gore-tex. eVent is a bit more comfortable for me and I find it more breathable than Gore-tex. But I sweat a lot and have condensation in eVent too. My most favourite jacket in now Furtech Claw 2. Really great jacket. I can wear it up to 13-15 °C. Then it´s a bit hot. I warmer weather I found Ventile to be the best. I love my Safari shirt and that´s why I ordered Hilltrek Braemar smock today. I hope its quality is as good as from West Winds.
BTW, almost all my outdoor clothing is from UK and I love it! People in UK really know what they are doing...

 

[andybysea]

Andysabol said ''I hope its quality is as good as from West Winds.
BTW, almost all my outdoor clothing is from UK and I love it! People in UK really know what they are doing''...[/QUOTE]

Thats because in the UK the one thing we have left that we can rely on is good old rain,therefore we have the ideal weather to test all these jackets.

 

[bandel4]

Hi...I have tried Gore Tex jackets, even the Pak Lites...they are totally useless in the Malaysian jungle. The humidity makes the wearer wet from the inside. Experience tells me...if you get wet in the Malaysian jungle, you get wet.
If you have to stay dry, an umbrella is your best bet!

http://my-rainforest-adventures.blogspot.com/

 

[Chitterne]

As others have said, all these fabrics have their pros and cons; depends on the intended use.

As regards ventile (owned one of the Survival Aids double-layer ventile coats back in the 80s);

-no one seems to mention that it massively increases in weight when wet -not a 'little heavier'; a massive weight increase. Think how much water it absorbs -it's the weight equivalent of carrying a waterbottle in each pocket.

-it takes an age to dry once wetted through (ie you continue to wear a soaked through very heavy coat for a long time after the weather has improved)

-and a grass-green coat goes virtually black when soaked.

Overall; a coat to wear if you're not expecting rain


And Paramo?

I recently did 2 courses on which I was issued with Alta 2s and paramo salopettes.

Ripped both coats with out being aware of the rip taking place.

Leaks like a kitchen towel if you lean on your elbows, knees, side etc.

-but does dry very quickly!


It's all about intended use

 

[scrubcutter]

ok, but what about goretex boots? Jackets are one thing, boots are a completely differnt matter. I've been thinking about buying a pair but I'm not sure. I don't want my money to go down the drain. Any help?

I can only say that it may depend on the quality of the manufacturer's products. I've worn £80 boots lined with 'Sympatex' and they leaked like a bucket without a bottom within a week or two. I'm sure the Sympatex is fine on its own but I'm also sure that there are short-cut methods to production (to keep to £80) that could be detrimental to the material (e.g., cut; spiked; or use of 2nd grade material) reducing quality control compared to a £250 pair of boots.

Suffice to say that when I've paid £160 for a pair of Goretex and leather boots I've not been disappointed (see my review of the Le Chameau boots somewhere under kit reviews). I've recently bought a pair of GTX Meindl Glockners which I intend to do a long-term review of (look for it under kit review sometime in the future).

Regarding Goretex in clothing, I've only ever bought one Goretex jacket and that was an Arktis Smock (same design as the SAS smock). That appeared to be designed with a floating Goretex liner between the outer polywatsit and the inner polythingy. I found it did eventually leak at the shoulder and arm after a year or so. I've had it ten years now and it hasn't developed any further leaks although the one on the shoulder can let in a fair amount of rain. I have spiked it many times on Gorse but it doesn't seem to have developed leaks in these areas. As regards breathability, I've had no problems whatsoever. It's not a tight fitting jacket so that probably helped with air flow and I do wear appropriate garments underneath but even if I've worn a cotton t-shirt I've not noticed any real dampness, even on quite warm days. Perhaps its me, perhaps I picked a good quality jacket, I don't know.

Scrubbity.


Amendment: I've just realised it wasn't a Goretex lined jacket. Not sure what it was but it was seemingly better than many people's experiences of GTX. I'll have to find out now!

 

[rik_uk3]

I've two Gortex jackets and an Aquafoil. The Aquafoil can get a little sweaty but is no big deal and the jacket rolls up to nothing. With Gortex, I wash them a couple of times a year with nikwax or Granger's 2in1 and this not only keeps the jacket clean, but waterproof and its money well spent.

Gortex is like any other bit of kit, keep it clean and tidy and it should do what the label says, leave it go grubby and it will let you down and thats your fault, not the material.

 

[jimford]

I don't find Ventile to be even close as weatherproof as Gore-Tex. You just can't compare the two. I mean honestly, one fabric has a hydrostatic column resistance of 750mm, the other has a resistance of 3000mm. Don't get me wrong here, I love my Ventile more than any jacket I own. But I have to careful with it. I bet it rains in BC a lot more than than in the UK and that's probably why after a couple hours in the rain, the shoulders under my Ventile anorak become soaked. And we're talking a double layer jacket here!

Hmm, probably this post is worth ten of the others in this thread. I belive B.C. can be a bit on the wet side!

Jim

 

[jimford]

My Berghaus Paclite rolls into a ball little bigger than my fist and takes up little room in my rucksack, yet is adequately breathable and waterproof. Can you do this with Ventile, Paramo, waxed cotten etc.?

Jim

 

[Barn Owl]

My Berghaus Paclite rolls into a ball little bigger than my fist and takes up little room in my rucksack, yet is adequately breathable and waterproof. Can you do this with Ventile, Paramo, waxed cotten etc.?

Jim

Nope,

But I can sit in front of a fire and dry it off,enjoying my bushy tv.

 

[rik_uk3]

Nope,

But I can sit in front of a fire and dry it off,enjoying my bushy tv.

Lots of talk about Gortex igniting in front of a fire, but I've not seen it happen, ever, to be honest. I think its a bit of an urban myth truth be told unless you light some rip roaring blaze that is.

Like I've said before, if Ventile was that good all us climbers and hikers would not have dumped it as soon as PU Nylon came on the scene.

 

[SimonM]

I was away as a guest of the Army last week, and spent more or less all of it out doors.

For adventure training, I wore my Paclite Goretex jacket and overtrousers. Why? Because they pack small and weigh next to nothing.

For fireldcraft, I wore my Andywinkk "SAS" ventile jacket. Why? Because I was treating it roughly and didn't want to rip my expensive goretex! During this phase of the week, most of the squaddies lived in Goretex, but as they just hand in damaged items and replace them I don't think damage featured too highly on their list of concerns! (I was just as dry as them though!)

Horses for courses.

Simon

 

[BorderReiver]

Couple of weeks ago SWMBO and me took our dogs for a week in the Lake district.

Of course it rained and blew a gale. As we were not camping I wore my ventile jacket.

My wife wore her top of the range, mountain ready, Berghaus jacket, the one that all the mountain rescue bods put their trust in .

She got soaked, I was dry as a bone.





( No, I didn't send her onto the fells with the dogs while I stayed indoors and watched the telly. )

 

[jimford]

My wife wore her top of the range, mountain ready, Berghaus jacket, the one that all the mountain rescue bods put their trust in .

She got soaked, I was dry as a bone.

So why don't 'the mountain rescue bods' all use Ventile?

Jim

 

[johnboy]

So why don't 'the mountain rescue bods' all use Ventile?

Jim

Perhaps because once it's wet it's like walking around in a cardboard suit....

Great stuff for cold dry conditions.... Perhaps not so good for cold wet conditions...

 

[John Fenna]

Because no one has sponsered a suit for any teams yet!
I thought all the teams used Paramo or Keela gear these days but not Goretex....

 

[cappi]

WELL DONE ADDYB you hit all the nails on the head,use it once through it away,should be placed on the packet,for years we have struggled with gortex,and time after time it lets us down from the fells to the hills ,to the mts, the frozen wastes, the jungles,and shopping in town.STill we back it up,NO more for many years now i have used in the cold wet harse winters pile covered in pertex,as it`s warm not moving or sweating,and it wicks great when working hard and sweating allowing the pile to gather the moister and thus keeping the skin warmand dry,for ME! pertex is as waterproof as gortex if treated regularly.In the warmer months a tight weave cotten proofed is super with a merino wool base,all a lot stronger and less exspensive.
P.S any one got a gortex jkt going begging..

............................................................................
THEY WHO SEEK TO KEEP DRY ARE NEVER HAPPY

 

[demographic]

Lots of talk about Gortex igniting in front of a fire, but I've not seen it happen, ever, to be honest.

Same here, are these people lying down in the fire or something?