Waterproofing Leather

[WickedOne]

Last week while riding to work wearing my leather jacket and leather pants I got completely wet :crybaby: (through the jacket, pants and boots). So I went into Motomail in College Hill, Auckland on Saturday to price some wet weather gear to wear over my leathers due to the shyte weather we are currently having. There are some good looking options there but generally I would be looking at about $150.00 at least.

I then found an aerosol can of leather waterproofing spray made by "Revit" for $30 and thought I would give it a try and see how it worked. The instructions say to spray the stuff onto the leather and allow to dry before wearing. (twice for best results).
I sprayed my jacket, pants and boots twice very well - paying special attention to the seams. (finished the can after two coats).

I wore my gear this morning in the pissing rain (Silverdale to Auckland City) and did not have a drop of water on me!!!! :woohoo: I am so impressed by this product. I can't say how long it will last but will update this post at some stage. They have a spray for synthetic materials as well.

[The Pastor]

Dubin! - Where did you get the can from?

[WickedOne]

I have heard that Dubin can "rot" the stiching on leather (don't know if this is true or not). I got it from Motomail at 41 College Hill, Ponsonby, Auckland City.

[kevie]

I then found an aerosol can of leather waterproofing spray made by "Revit" for $30 and thought I would give it a try and see how it worked. The instructions say to spray the stuff onto the leather and allow to dry before wearing. (twice for best results).
I sprayed my jacket, pants and boots twice very well - paying special attention to the seams. (finished the can after two coats).


Sounds like a similar stuff I used to use on my gloves in Hammie, havent found it down this way but worked really well, sprayed gloves at start of winter and one treatment lasted the winter (aprox 3-4 months). was pretty good stuff.

[Colapop]

There's a thread somewhere here about waterproofing leather. Be careful using cans of spray waterproofers they tend to seal the leather and not let it breathe which is not good at all.
Just search Waterproofing leather or leather care. BabyB is the one to talk to. She knows the lot in regard to leather...

[ZeroIndex]

My dad has this can of spray.. Waproo.. says it 'repels water yet still permits the leather to breathe.. gonna put that on my gloves and boots soon..

[buellbabe]

Hmmm I am also in the market for some wet weather over-trou. Bought jkt and trou from Motomail a couple of yrs ago and the jkt is great but the trou leaked 2nd time I wore them and wouldn't ya know it I couldn't find the receipt ( as i had bought them 6 months earlier in a sale... ) grr! Won't be getting cheap over-trou again...
In years gone by I have used Dubbin on my leathers and its so-so but really you should use a proper leather product cos yes it does rot the stitching...
Actually I have been looking at gear in Kathmandu and Snowgum cos alot of the hard-core alpine stuff has all the design features you want on a bike and its hard-wearing...

[XTC]

Why don't they make leather gear with a waterproof breathable liner?

[WickedOne]

Why don't they make leather gear with a waterproof breathable liner?

I think you would get water between the liner and leather and that probably would be really difficult to dry. The last thing you need in your jacket is mould!!!

[oldrider]

The day after ANZAC day we traveled home from Southland in really heavy rain sleet and snow.
Mrs O/rider stayed warm and dry but my old gear decided to let the wet stuff in and I ended up sitting in very cold wet pants.
I started to mumble and complain about quality of modern equipment and gear when herself reminded me that we bought this lot over 20yrs ago!
That's not too bad when you consider the only part that I have treated has been the leather jacket and that was with "Backhouse" weather proof dressing.
To treat the jacket I melted the dressing on the barbecue and painted the product on with a paint brush, left it to soak for a couple of days then wiped off the residue with a soft dry cloth.
Seemed to work OK on the jacket but I never did the leather pants.
Following the ANZAC wetting I bought a "Sno-Seal" spray for the rain suit and tube of "Sno-Seal" paste for the pants gloves and boots, all have had one application but have yet to be tested.
I will let you know how it went after they have been through another big wet.
Should be plenty of opportunities soon looking at the weather forcasts. Cheers John.

[babyB]

Wickedone: i don't know anything about "Revit waterproofing" product. haven't heard of it either

Colapop: yep ya have to be very careful. if aerosol waterproof shouldn't block the pours if done right though

but here is what i do know and is also my opinions
i looked in to "Waproo waterproofer (aerosol spray)" (being a common product) some time ago.
First of all this only offers "effective protection against moisture"...best results come if 'impregnate leather etc before using' then at regular intivals..now you still need to condition your leathers! oh & its also recommended for 'smooth leathers' (none of my riding gear has smooth surface except me boots).

ok so here my opinion...I wont touch the stuff with a barge-poll!!!!!! and this is why
because it is highly flammable liquid, insoluble in water, incompatible with oxidizing agents......Basicly i dint want this stuff in my gear if (god forbid) i fall & flames are involved or fuel, nitro, etc.......example ya leathers have been grazed & not been sealed. this solvent treatment is now absorbed & reabsorbed into the leather rather than sitting on the surface...i dint want to risk hot-spots in my leathers.

unless someone cleaver out there wants to test my thoughts on this & prove me wrong by all means do so...but it probably wont change my mind
i don't like my hands in solvents so cant be good for animal skins either

go through my old posts there is info on leather care (in several different threads)

becouse i look after & treat your protective/second skin... 95% of my products are water soluble

[WickedOne]

[QUOTE=babyB][SIZE=2]Wickedone: i don't know anything about "Revit waterproofing" product. haven't heard of it either

Hi BabyB, thanks for your comments. I have tried to find the Revit stuff online but it isn't on their website (http://www.revit.net.

I'll dig the can out of the trash and post up some more about it tomorrow. It isn't sounding good for aerosol waterproofing for my leathers in future.....:nono:

[Lou Girardin]

Actually I have been looking at gear in Kathmandu and Snowgum cos alot of the hard-core alpine stuff has all the design features you want on a bike and its hard-wearing...

Except that it's not designed to withstand 120+ speeds while in a seated position.
That'll find leaks anywhere in non-bike gear.

[buellbabe]

No matter what you say...Gortex is still gortex!!! The BIKER trou I got were rooted after 2 rides. I have full confidence in the overtrou I bought yesterday.:nya:

[WickedOne]

[QUOTE=babyB][SIZE=2]Wickedone: i don't know anything about "Revit waterproofing" product. haven't heard of it either

Hi BabyB, thanks for your comments. I have tried to find the Revit stuff online but it isn't on their website (http://www.revit.net.

I'll dig the can out of the trash and post up some more about it tomorrow. It isn't sounding good for aerosol waterproofing for my leathers in future.....:nono:

I found the can but not much info on it unfortunately. It only says "Fully protects all types of leather against water and stains, while maintaniing the breathability of the leather. Designed for motorcycle garments."

It is also highly flamable and dangerous to the environment!!! may think twice about using it in the future. (It has, however, worked VERY well).

[babyB]

wickedone: im sure it would do a good job....
lmao CRC808 could do the same...which by the way a small amount sprayed on cloth then apply to bike, then wipe off excess, may help to keep cleaning easer as it repels water & oils (like the lube that gets on rear rim). CRC5.56 is pretty good at getting tar off ya paintwork.

if ya want total water-protection look into whats called "waxed cotton" its rain gear, on a similar principle as 'driza-bone', but very lightweight & hard wearing. the 2peice will easily store under ya seat.
not sure where to get them these days (Barbour & Japara were makers/brands).

blah blah:ride:

[buellbabe]

Actually I have been looking at gear in Kathmandu and Snowgum cos alot of the hard-core alpine stuff has all the design features you want on a bike and its hard-wearing...Except that it's not designed to withstand 120+ speeds while in a seated position.
That'll find leaks anywhere in non-bike gear.
And further to this...
I have just returned from another window-shopping expedition at Kathmandu and can report that the Wet-weather jkt I was drooling over actually specifies "for MOTORCYCLE use"...

[ZeroIndex]

Well.. I put the Waproo spray on my normal-bike boots, work-bike boots, and my gloves.. dries nicely (kinda like a spray-on polish).. and doesn't catch fire like BabyB suspected (i was playing with my lighter..) hasn't rained yet (crosses fingers), but when it decides to, I will update on how it goes..

[vifferman]

I used Sno-Seal on my leather trou and glubs. It worked fine.
Jacket (Teknic Hurricane) gets Scotchgarded, leather bits and all.
New pants don't need nuttin. :niceone:

[Lou Girardin]

Why don't they make leather gear with a waterproof breathable liner?

"They" do. It's Harley's FXRG range of waterproof leather kit.
Absolutely superb gear at a superb price.
It's understated too, so you could wear it on lesser brands.:blip:

[Lou Girardin]

And further to this...
I have just returned from another window-shopping expedition at Kathmandu and can report that the Wet-weather jkt I was drooling over actually specifies "for MOTORCYCLE use"...

Excellent. I hope it works well.

[Macktheknife]

"They" do. It's Harley's FXRG range of waterproof leather kit.
Absolutely superb gear at a superb price.
It's understated too, so you could wear it on lesser brands.:blip:

What no link for us all to go and drool over Lou?
(dont do that in the shop, as I discovered)

[kickingzebra]

"They" do. It's Harley's FXRG range of waterproof leather kit.
Absolutely superb gear at a superb price.
It's understated too, so you could wear it on lesser brands.:blip:

What, so you could wear it on bikes that are designed to do over 120 in a seated position?:blip:

[Jantar]

I waterproof my leather gear with Beeswax. I have tried a couple of different brands and the best one is one my wife bought from an equestrian store to treat her riding gear. It is a blend of Beeswax, aloevera and other all natural products. Its easy to apply and keeps the water out while allowing the leather to breathe.

I'll check the name of it tomorrow and post further details on this thread.

[ZeroIndex]

well.. the Waproo stuff works 'pretty well'..

[Dafe]

For roughly $100 you can get the shift seethrough rain outfit (2-Piece).
It works fantastic and it's a very strong plastic, will last a long time.
I found it is great because my leathers breath really well as they are a perforated leather. Hence I get cold in winter easily.
However, the jacket stops any wind/cool air getting through.
I take a XL leather jacket and found the XL in the kart jacket, Fits beautifully.
Also, the material is heavy enough that it does not flap at all. You wouldn't even feel you were wearing it over your leathers.
A must have and from my experience, I personally highly recommend them. Cheap, but very very good. and they do not leak!
Most importantly, I can now attack any weather conditions - With full confidence.

[Kendog]

I waterproof my leather gear with Beeswax. I have tried a couple of different brands and the best one is one my wife bought from an equestrian store to treat her riding gear. It is a blend of Beeswax, aloevera and other all natural products. Its easy to apply and keeps the water out while allowing the leather to breathe.

I'll check the name of it tomorrow and post further details on this thread.

It's not BootGoo is it?

[Maha]

Well, i was going to use some stuff call Tana (Tanner ) not as in Umaga, but got he canes'.....anyway, it can be used on all genuine leather as a water proofer, got it from Hannahs, might try it on my gloves first, would hate to suff the body leathers. Is all water proopfer spray really potent? i use glues in my trade but this stuff really clears the nasal's.......:blip:

[ZeroIndex]

For roughly $100 you can get the shift seethrough rain outfit (2-Piece).
It works fantastic and it's a very strong plastic, will last a long time.
I found it is great because my leathers breath really well as they are a perforated leather. Hence I get cold in winter easily.
However, the jacket stops any wind/cool air getting through.
I take a XL leather jacket and found the XL in the kart jacket, Fits beautifully.
Also, the material is heavy enough that it does not flap at all. You wouldn't even feel you were wearing it over your leathers.
A must have and from my experience, I personally highly recommend them. Cheap, but very very good. and they do not leak!
Most importantly, I can now attack any weather conditions - With full confidence.
which shops sell those? I wish I had seen that before I went out and bought my 1-piece wet weather gear from Road&Sport.. Not happy with that one.. bit leaky, but the cordura that I've now got is super cool.. the only thing is it takes like half an hour to gear up now :yawn:

[Lou Girardin]

What no link for us all to go and drool over Lou?
(dont do that in the shop, as I discovered)

www.harley-davidson.com

[Lou Girardin]

What, so you could wear it on bikes that are designed to do over 120 in a seated position?:blip:

That was sooooo funny.
I nearly started laughing.:zzzz:

[Ixion]

Why does it need waterproofing, by the way. I mean, it doesn't leak when it's on the cow.

[WickedOne]

Why does it need waterproofing, by the way. I mean, it doesn't leak when it's on the cow.

Probably because cows aren't stitched together?? :confused:

[ZeroIndex]

Probably because cows aren't stitched together?? :confused:
yeah, cows have seamless one-piece leather suits..

[Jantar]

I waterproof my leather gear with Beeswax. I have tried a couple of different brands and the best one is one my wife bought from an equestrian store to treat her riding gear. It is a blend of Beeswax, aloevera and other all natural products. Its easy to apply and keeps the water out while allowing the leather to breathe.

I'll check the name of it tomorrow and post further details on this thread.

The product I use is called EFFAX Leather Balm. We get it from the local equestrian centre and apparently the local vet stocks it as well.

[babyB]

Why does it need waterproofing, by the way. I mean, it doesn't leak when it's on the cow.
if we put your hide through the tanning process...would it be waterproof?
i bet that cow had hair on it to help the water roll off its back

look at it this way...since ya cant put da cow in da bath....go put your hide in da bath for an hour or so, i think ya will find your hide isnt waterproof either but it is water resistant (to a point, cause it aint been tanned) in the rain/shower. with the ability to breath through pours

ya leathers are water resentant not waterproof there is a differance.
condition/preserving ya leather keeps them water resistant & breathable...blah blah:doobey:

on the subject of cows
who was the idiot the walked through a heard, got down on hands & knees, looked at da udder & decleared "im gonna drink this stuff!":dodge:

[ZeroIndex]

heh.. double post.. well.. at 2:17am i don't blame you..

and with the whole

on the subject of cows
who was the idiot the walked through a heard, got down on hands & knees, looked at da udder & decleared "im gonna drink this stuff!"
It does seem odd, but I guess after watching enough calves do that, you'd gotta be curious.. especially considering they didn't have fun things to do back then, like ride a bike, or post randomly on KB :D

[babyB]

heh.. double post.. well.. at 2:17am i don't blame you..

and with the whole

It does seem odd, but I guess after watching enough calves do that, you'd gotta be curious.. especially considering they didn't have fun things to do back then, like ride a bike, or post randomly on KB :D
lol they rode horses, & fell off them too

[ajturbo]

who was the idiot the walked through a heard, got down on hands & knees, looked at da udder & decleared "im gonna drink this stuff!":dodge:

well i thought it may have been adam... but he ate an apple,, so fucked if i know....

the next question is..... do you???:nya: