Waterproofs who needs them?

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I am pretty sure Laurentius knows all that folks; I think I generally agree with his point - we fuss too much about staying dry at times when it really doesn't matter. There have been many times when part way through a job it's started raining cats and dogs and once I'd decided to just get on with it I felt fine. I do draw the line when the wet makes handling tools dangerous though.
You are not wrong I would not be posting here if the Darwin awards had have claimed me.
 
I liike to put is as a heirarchy of what is best. Dry and warm, wet and warm dry and cold and finally wet and cold. The first two I am not too bothered. The second two I am looking at a solution to change it and quickly at times.

BTW at one point I used an early Paramo Alta waterproof but not suitable for summer use. So back then I used this reversible over the head fleece thing called an Explorer shirt from Paramo when the rain came in summer hikes. Over this I put a bufalo windshirt (I was still young enough in my 20s to still fit that which I bought at 16yo). It was good enough for summer rain if a little bit hot if walking fast and working hard. The point being that system slowed the rain getting to my core body and the helly hansen lifa top working with the paramo fleece kept my skin dry enough despite the rain. It worked well enough until I got money and bought an eVent hard shell and experienced the warm and wet boil in the bag effect.

Back in the day when doing volunteer conservation work I used to wear a wicking base layer and had a buffalo windshirt for times it rained. I was not bothered by rain as I was wet and warm when working and when not we sat in the van. I guess that is out of the wind is true as above.
 
Tuesday I was out on the motorbike all day in non-waterproof gear, mainly cottons, Doh! forgot my waterproofs. This included extended stops at clients and extended ride distances. But it was relatively windproof so I was pretty much ok.
I didn't just get drenched, I was waterlogged, my gear still hasn't dried out and I was back out in the rain in some of it again yesterday, still with the cotton bike jeans. Riding on a motorway in heavy rain at speed while your pants slowly fill with cold water is an experience!

Any ideas on how to dry out pvc/foam steelcap work boots? The pvc stops drying out & the foam collars/tongues are holding water. Once my gloves stopped dripping (24hrs) I've stuffed them with tea towels which has helped.

Take out of the boots as much as you can- insoles usually removable- and open right up with laces out. Stuff with newspaper and leave in a dry place (ideally indoors) for a few/several days, just keep changing the newspaper every so often.

They will dry eventually, and drying slowly reduces risk of damage.

I have a pair of thermal lined leather rigger boots with a breathable waterproof membrane. Got them extremely waterlogged working in the pond. They took about 3 weeks to dry out properly. But they are dry, and with no damage.

GC
 
Take out of the boots as much as you can- insoles usually removable- and open right up with laces out. Stuff with newspaper and leave in a dry place (ideally indoors) for a few/several days, just keep changing the newspaper every so often.

They will dry eventually, and drying slowly reduces risk of damage.

I have a pair of thermal lined leather rigger boots with a breathable waterproof membrane. Got them extremely waterlogged working in the pond. They took about 3 weeks to dry out properly. But they are dry, and with no damage.

GC
Thanks, I used to do it that way, the problem seems to be all the water retaining foam used in them and plastic outer skin. My canvas and goretex walking boots dry out a lot easier, given time.
Newspapers used to have so many uses, now essentially gone and replaced by the silicon god. I'm trying to use tea towels instead, seems to be working.
 
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The other way to sum it up: the colder and windier the more sense water proofs make. At 0C and 20 m/s sleet coming horizontally they make a lot of sense.
Not to disagree with that, but I think the key bit is to be windproof, not necessarily waterproof. Unless you are stationary then some form of condensation/getting wet inside is pretty much inevitable, even with Goretext.
Even if you then go stationary, the calculus mentioned earlier applies, heat lost against body heat produced. With wind protection against windchill you stand a better chance of staying on the positive side of the equation, assuming no dry change available.
That's why I was ok in my wet bike gear. When moving, I was slowly going into the negative, but the stops enabled me to move a bit and regain some body heat before continuing.
 
That's why I was ok in my wet bike gear. When moving, I was slowly going into the negative, but the stops enabled me to move a bit and regain some body heat before continuing.
I have experienced about the same on a bicycle but in summer temps, the conditions I gave are kind of different.
 
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Other than Barbour for work use I also use buffalo clothing but its only really suitable for really bad conditions.
If its cold and rainy or cold and snowy buffalo is great otherwise its too warm if you move about a lot.
In cold rainy conditions it works really well if you use it as described and with the whole system.
 
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Tuesday I was out on the motorbike all day in non-waterproof gear, mainly cottons, Doh! forgot my waterproofs. This included extended stops at clients and extended ride distances. But it was relatively windproof so I was pretty much ok.
I didn't just get drenched, I was waterlogged, my gear still hasn't dried out and I was back out in the rain in some of it again yesterday, still with the cotton bike jeans. Riding on a motorway in heavy rain at speed while your pants slowly fill with cold water is an experience!

Any ideas on how to dry out pvc/foam steelcap work boots? The pvc stops drying out & the foam collars/tongues are holding water. Once my gloves stopped dripping (24hrs) I've stuffed them with tea towels which has helped.
As TKM said I have had this happen on a cycle in Jeans and a funny thing happened in that I got faster as they got more and more water logged ie heavier.
On my bike and walking there is often those moments of is it a shower or is it serious?
I cycled to work and the estimated 12 times a year I arrived at work soaked to the skin however if no warm shower at end of journey I would have stopped and put on my anorak.
Something I have noticed in this regard which comes from cycling however it has effected my hiking a little is that I am willing to start or live with cold at the start of a journey because experience tells me if I do not I will be stopping in a few minutes to take stuff off.
 
Someone on here (sorry, I forget who) put it as "Be bold, start cold", which I thought was catchy.
Definitely, I have been going on brisk morning walks with the temperature around 12 to 14 degrees and I have not yet had to put a second layer on yet although for some reason when I go out in the evening the temperature may be the same but it feels much cooler. I guess the difference is that in the morning I have more energy.
 
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I've tried most solutions in most environment. As I'm sure many of us have. There's no right answer but the wrong one leaves you either cold or sweaty! At the risk of stating the obvious, if its gonna rain, choice of waterproof & clothing generally depends on the temperature, the wind, the activity I'm doing and how long I'm out for. I'll wear different kit based on that but always have the extras I need to hand/in my sack.
Firstly: everything leaks in the end....there I've said it. So you'd best be wearing layers underneath that keep you warm when its damp and pump moisture back out. Outer Wool and synthetics, preferably mixed. Never cotton (unless its a Ventile shell).
Totally agree with the start cold philosophy...the comedy '300m after starting a hill strip down' always makes me chuckle.
Goretex shell is fine but its sweaty if your working and always wets out at some point.
Paramo is ace because it pushes the water back out well but its very warm. I struggle with it above 10 degrees.
Ventile is super but pricey and runs warm if its doubled up.
I've given up on waxed cottons.
So that's my 2 penneth, however I must warn you that my dad used to wear a fertilizer bag over a wooly jumper....so I had an unconventional start to waterproofing.
 

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