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This 5 Minute Webinar™ Sponsored By

How to Waterproof a Jacket

Tips for restoring water repellency to jackets, pants and technical fabrics.

Presented by Gerald Craft from Gear Aid®

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WHAT ISTHE BIG IDEA?

Not all fabrics are created equal. Learn what can and can’t be treated.

What types of fabrics can you water-proof?

Preparation is key. Master the steps for restoring DWR.

Tips and tricks for obtaining factory-level water repellency:

Stay dry & comfortable outdoors

5 MINUTE FACTWater repellent sprays are typically designed to work on tightly woven shell fabrics. A fleece, for instance, would not be a good fabric to attempt to restore water repellency.

NUTS &BOLTS

Stay away from natural fabrics like cotton, hemp, and linen

What materials can NOT be water-proofed?

Go with synthetic fabrics like nylon, polyester, acrylic, and spandex

What materials can you water-proof?

5 MINUTE FACTDWR wears off over time, re-treatment is recommended and necessary to maintain garment performance.

NUTS &BOLTS

What is a water repellent and how does it work?

• Coating added to synthetic fabrics

• Helps water bead up and roll off the surface of fabric

• Often referred to as a DWR (Durable Water Re-pellent)

• Helps keep the fabric waterproof

• First line of defense in waterproofing the gar-ment

5 MINUTE FACTTechnically, a DWR spray will not waterproof a jacket on its own. It is only the first line of defense in keeping you dry. There will come a point where the amount of water overwhelms the coating. At that point your other defenses kick in. It is common in the outdoor industry, however, to refer to water repellent coatings as a waterproofer.

NUTS &BOLTS

What makes a jacket waterproof?

DWR coating applied to outer fabric

Waterproof, breathable mem-brane (i.e., GORE-TEX, eVent, etc.) laminated to underside of fabric

Taped or sealed seams

5 MINUTE FACTIn order for a garment to retain water repellency, it must be cleaned regularly to ensure it is free of dirt, smoke and body oils which can weigh down on the DWR “hairs.” In addition, regular cleaning ensures the waterproof-breathable membrane (I.e., GORE-TEX) does not become clogged with residue.

NUTS &BOLTS

How does Durable Water Repellent work?Millions of “hairs” standing straight on end

Bead of water lands on top of these “hairs” and rolls right off

Dirt, smoke, oil and residue build-up on the fab-ric weighing these “hairs” down

Now when a bead of water falls from the sky it no longer rolls off, instead it now begins to wet-through

5 MINUTE FACT

NUTS &BOLTS

It is important to use a specialized, clean-rinsing detergent on technical fabrics. Typical “household” cleaners contain heavy suds, optical brighteners and fabric softeners which tend to leave behind additional residues further preventing those “hairs” from standing straight on end. In addition, those added suds, fabric softeners, etc. can clog your waterproof breath-able pores. This is why it is essential that you use a clean-rinsing detergent on your technical fabrics.

Begin by hand-washing or machine washing the garment with ReviveX Pro Cleaner. ReviveX Pro Cleaner is safe for use in HE machines. We recom-mend you use half the amount of detergent for HE machines.

Step 1

5 MINUTE FACTMany DWR treatments are activated by heat. Often the DWR coating is still present, but you can’t tell because the dirt and residue is preventing it from working. You might not even need a re-application of a water repellent. Try cleaning the garment with a clean-rinsing detergent and then place it in the dryer. The heat will reactivate those “hairs” and get them to stand straight on end.

Once clean, place the garment on a hanger and spray the wet item with ReviveX Durable Waterproofing spray. Give the garment a nice, even application. You know you are applying too much if you see the repellent streaming off the fabric.

NUTS &BOLTS

Step 2

5 MINUTE FACTYou can also dry the garment using a blow dryer or iron.

NUTS &BOLTS

Step 3

Dry the garment as per the manufacturer’s recommendation or allow 48 hours to air dry.

WHY ITMATTERS

Regular cleaning ensures your waterproof-breathable pores remain clear and open and your durable water repellent is able to perform at its best.

Regular maintenance extends the life of outdoor gear

Would you rather spend the day outside dry and comfortable or wet and miserable? When gear performs like it should, you tend to have a much more enjoyable time outdoors.

Being outside is much more comfortable when you aren’t soaking wet

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5 MINUTE FACTGear Aid® makes an entire line of clean-rinsing detergents for wool and synthetic fabrics, as well as a line of water repellents, including a Wash-In, Instant Formula, and Leather Gel.

ThankYou!

JOIN USFor more information, visit Gear-Aid.com.

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