Do textile jackets lose their waterproof properties?

[The Wop]

I have a Spool jacket bought in 2006. I have used it daily for about the last year, less often before then. It is a good jacket, with padding, etc.

I was caught in that vicious downpour yesterday in Auckland. For the first time, my jacket leaked a little although that is not surprising given the amount of rain. In fact, it was pretty minor, just wet arms.

This morning, I got caught in another storm, way less vicious and the jacket leaked much more. So, do textile jackets lose their waterproofness? Does this signal investment in something new?

Cheers, The Soggy Wop

[klingon]

I have a Spool jacket bought in 2006. I have used it daily for about the last year, less often before then. It is a good jacket, with padding, etc.

I was caught in that vicious downpour yesterday in Auckland. For the first time, my jacket leaked a little although that is not surprising given the amount of rain. In fact, it was pretty minor, just wet arms.

This morning, I got caught in another storm, way less vicious and the jacket leaked much more. So, do textile jackets lose their waterproofness? Does this signal investment in something new?

Cheers, The Soggy Wop

I've been wearing my textile jacket in every downpour since 2006 and it's still waterproof! Is your jacket leaking at the seams or elsewhere? If it's a seam leak I'm afraid it may be terminal. But if it's a leak in the general fabric, you may find that washing it in a specialist washing solution might help.

Apparently when the jacket gets soiled, the soil in the pores will wick moisture to the inside of the fabric.

Go to a bike shop and ask what you should wash your jacket in. I use Tekwash (Sp?)

[vifferman]

Yes.
It depends on how they are waterproofed. If they have a goretex liner, this can be come holed or the seams can open up.
If the jacket outer itself is the waterproof layer, this can become damaged by UV rays, wear and tear, or even road spooge, which can wick water through the pores.

Sometimes you can restore it with a wash in a sportswash designed for special fabrics such as this, but after a couple of years, even this won't work.

My old Teknic Hurricane jacket was unusual in that the inside of the outer jacket was a waterproof, breathable membrane, that (in theory) allowed air to pass through, and water wicked down inside the fabric itself (but not through it) and out the bottom. After some... ahem.. close encounters of the asphalt kind, it could get through holes, which were patched. Leather overlays were added, and the water started to wick through the seams where these were sewn on. Eventually, I just sprayed the whole jacket with Scotchgard outdoors waterproofing silicon spray (in the green aerosol can, intended for tents and the like). I got this from the local supermarket for around $12 a can.

Some people say "EEK! Don't use this - you'll destroy the breathability of the fabric!"
To them I would say, "The breathability is pretty minimal at best, and I'd rather be dry!".

[The Wop]

Cheers for that! It mainly seems to be leaking at the seams on the arms, so suspect that I might be able to get away with a can of green on the arms only.

Having said that, this may be the excuse I need to convince the Minister of Finance that I need a nice new jacket.....

[Mom]

Cheers for that! It mainly seems to be leaking at the seams on the arms, so suspect that I might be able to get away with a can of green on the arms only.

Having said that, this may be the excuse I need to convince the Minister of Finance that I need a nice new jacket.....

Fluffy seams are the bain of my life

[wickle]

Cheers for that! It mainly seems to be leaking at the seams on the arms, so suspect that I might be able to get away with a can of green on the arms only.

Having said that, this may be the excuse I need to convince the Minister of Finance that I need a nice new jacket.....

any chemical treatment will only last so long, time and getting wet reduce effect

[Blackbird]

Like Vifferman, I had a Teknic jacket and the Nikwax products didn't seem to last long so I followed his advice with Scotch Heavy Duty and it worked fine but seemed to attract dirt (it was red, so showed up).

I've got an Arlen Ness winter jacket now and the Nikwax Tech Wash, followed by the Nikwax TX.Direct works just fine. Must be some differences in construction between the 2 makes of jacket or summat

[george formby]

I used Nikwax pre wash & tehn the waterproofer on a jacket a couple of years ago. Worked a treat, still dry.

[Owl]

My mesh jacket leaks ferociously, but then of course it's mesh!

[Swoop]

Yes.

[steve_t]

+1 for washing it

[sinned]

Revit jackets have no waterproofing in the fabric. There is a removable waterproof and windproof membrane that provides the protection. The cordura gets wet through but drys quickly once the rain stops.

This is a different approach which works fine so long as the membrane stays intact. The Revit pants have the same membrane which in mine split at the crouch - so with any rain at all the undies get wet.

[FJRider]

I used Nikwax pre wash & tehn the waterproofer on a jacket a couple of years ago. Worked a treat, still dry.

So do I on a regular basis, its good stuff.

[geoffm]

My Fieldsheer pants leak like a sieve, $50 of Nikwash stuff and waterproofing stuff made no difference.Scotchguard is next.

My old Quasi jacket is still as good as, other than the velcro losing it's stick.

[CookMySock]

DriRider gear has a very thin plastic membrane inside it, which is absurdly easy to rip. Suddenly you are riding with breezy potato sack over you. Useless.

Steve