Washing cordura...

[vifferman]

How do hoses hurt? If you set up right, you don't even have to hold it...

I meant that washing it in the machine was the easiest option. Road spooge won't wash out with just a hose.
Maybe a waterblaster and detergent might work though....

Oh let me guess, being an unco you get tangled in it huh? Or is it something to do with Satan?

Yes, and yes!
How did you guess?

[vifferman]

Really?? What brand!

Macna.
I haven't tested it in the rain yet.
You can waterproof leather - the hard part is the seams (apply lots of SnoSeal or beeswax) and any zips (unless they're self-sealing ones like on the Macna and my old Teknic), but the Macna also has a waterproof liner.
The Teknic has leather panels on the shoulders and lower sleeves, and to ensure their waterproofness, I had to spray them thoroughly with silicon. Not the best for longevity of leather, but the jacket's now 7 or 8 years old, so meh!

[jrandom]

I cherish the years of accumulated bug corpses, dried sweat molecules and road spooge that enstiffen the cowhide of my riding attire.

Shame on you all for your candy-arse 'washing' practices!

Shame on you, I say.

[Blue Velvet]

I cherish the years of accumulated bug corpses, dried sweat molecules and road spooge...

My bugs and road spooge wash off in the rain

[jrandom]

My bugs and road spooge washes off in the rain

Would you like to borrow some of my spooge?

It's obviously stickier than the norm.

[Blue Velvet]

Would you like to borrow some of my spooge?

Maybe just send me your weta so I can mash him up and spread him

[pritch]

You can waterproof leather -

I like your optimism, but it is sadly misplaced.

"Waterproof" leather is fine in a shower of rain but in a deluge for any length of time it will get soaked, it will weigh a ton, and will take almost forever to dry.

There are (relatively inexpensive) nylon oversuits which make leather a better proposition in the rain, but Gore Tex still has the big reputation.

I'm not biased, I have both, the jury still out as to the efficacy of Gore-Tex but I'm hopeful. Then again my optimism may be equally misplaced...

[Blackbird]

I like your optimism, but it is sadly misplaced.

"Waterproof" leather is fine in a shower of rain but in a deluge for any length of time it will get soaked, it will weigh a ton, and will take almost forever to dry.

There are (relatively inexpensive) nylon oversuits which make leather a better proposition in the rain, but Gore Tex still has the big reputation.

I'm not biased, I have both, the jury still out as to the efficacy of Gore-Tex but I'm hopeful. Then again my optimism may be equally misplaced...

Well said - completely agree Leather is supposed to breathe and loading it up with Sno-seal or similar reduces this ability. Somewhere in the world, there must be Gore-Tex available which actually delivers in a south island west coast deluge for hours on end but neither my Tecnics nor Arlen Ness jackets quite make it. My cheap Spool 2 piece plastic suit does, however; deliver in full. It might not look all that stylish and flaps a bit over 110 km/hr, but that's a small price to pay for being warm and dry.

[vifferman]

I like your optimism, but it is sadly misplaced.

"Waterproof" leather is fine in a shower of rain but in a deluge for any length of time it will get soaked, it will weigh a ton, and will take almost forever to dry.

Yes, I've had that experience (had two leather jackets before the Teknic). Most (many?) leather garments (and gloves and boots) now come treated with a water-resistant coating, but of course, that only works when they're new, and gradually loses its effectiveness. Plus (also) it depends on the seams being treated after the garment is assembled, as the stitching acts as a wonderful conduit to suck water inside.

Frankly, I'm not a fan of waterproofing via a membrane - I prefer to keep the water on the outside. My pants have a breathable membrane (non-removable), and it is clammy and breathes very poorly, IMHO. Plus when it does rain, the water pools in places and runs down the membrane, the cooling effect making it feel exactly like it has got through if I don't have the thermal liner in.

The Teknic was much better - the external fabric was itself waterproof and breathable via a coating on the inside surface. Unfortunately, the fabric itself wasn't as abrasion-resistant as it could have been, and also the water wicking down through the fabric ended up in pockets etc. In the end, I just gave up and put two or three coats of silicon spray on it. It might have 'ruined' the breathability, but breathability at a microscopic level is not very effective if you are really hot and need macroscopic cooling.

It's a compromise, innit? :spudwhat:
I've tried it all: waterproofed leathers; oilskins; Line7 PVC bike gear (100% waterproof, but so's a giant plastic bag); leathers with cheap jacket and pants over it; leathers with a rainsuit over the top (waterproof, but the worst! Any hints of solar radiation, and I broiled!); and waterproof jacket and leather pants with Motoline waterproof nylon overpants (the best, but the pants were slipperyish on the seat).

[Pixie]

No but it does stop the breathing of the jacket to let your thweat out. That's why it stinks, silly.

The cortex membrane and cordura are quite hi-tech in that the wet stuff on yer body can get out whilst the larger rain drops don't get in. Don't ask me anymore, that's as technical as I know.

What the detergent does is blocks the breathing ability of the fabrics

It doesn't stop the breathability.Phosphate deposits make the breathable membrane water permeable - it leaks

[Pixie]

Another product is called 'sportwash' and can be obtained from many M/C stores and also hunting and fishing shops, no residue and no perfumes, restores waterproofing in Cordura to original levels.

Better value for the money

[Pixie]

Macna.
I haven't tested it in the rain yet.
You can waterproof leather - the hard part is the seams (apply lots of SnoSeal or beeswax) and any zips (unless they're self-sealing ones like on the Macna and my old Teknic), but the Macna also has a waterproof liner.
The Teknic has leather panels on the shoulders and lower sleeves, and to ensure their waterproofness, I had to spray them thoroughly with silicon. Not the best for longevity of leather, but the jacket's now 7 or 8 years old, so meh!

This is an on going misunderstanding of textile gear.The waterproof bit is the breathable membrane (Goretex,H2out etc)
The outer shell (cordura,nylon etc)will allow water through-the membrane stops it.It will feel cold and wet but check your inner clothing and it will be dry.
Spraying silicone and soaking the outer shell will risk damaging the membrane.
If the gear leaks the membrane is dirty or rooted

[vifferman]

Well said - completely agree Leather is supposed to breathe and loading it up with Sno-seal or similar reduces this ability.

Meh - let it breathe from the inside.

My cheap Spool 2 piece plastic suit ...might not look all that stylish and flaps a bit over 110 km/hr, but that's a small price to pay for being warm and dry.

Yeah.
Like I said, I don't think there's a perfect solution - it's all compromise. I thought I had the perfect compromise with the Teknic (loaded up with silicon) and the leather pants. It was so easy to slip on the Motoline pants over the top, and they took up very little room, being waterproofed nylon (PVC treated and seam-sealed). But... I had to stop wearing them, as after I added better armour to the knees, they cut off too much circulation. Plus, as I said, they were slippery on the seat - not treacherously so, just annoying.

I like the technical "4 season" suits, and was perhaps dazzled by the apparent versatility they seem to offer, given our unpredictable maritime climate. In hindsight, I think maybe a plain leather jacket with a Motoline or similar jacket to keep the water out would've been better. But at least I don't have to cart extra stuff around with me to avoid getting caught out by the weather.

[vifferman]

This is an on going misunderstanding of textile gear.The waterproof bit is the breathable membrane (Goretex,H2out etc)
The outer shell (cordura,nylon etc)will allow water through-the membrane stops it.It will feel cold and wet but check your inner clothing and it will be dry.
Spraying silicone and soaking the outer shell will risk damaging the membrane.
If the gear leaks the membrane is dirty or rooted

I think you misunderstood me, Mr Pixie.
The Teknic has an unusual fabric, which is Cordura with the membrane actually bonded to the inner surface. (So it looks dull and Cordura-like on the outside, and shinyish on th inside). Like you said, the water wicked down through the Cordura, but not through the inner surface. However, because it had abrasion holes in the sleeves, I'd had leather patches put on. So now the fabric's modus operandi if you will, was effectively circumvented by rows of needle holes in many places. Also, the fabric was tired (too much road spooge and too many washes), so the membrane was effectively fookt. Soaking the fabric with silicon so it repelled water, rather than wicking it away, was my only option. Apart from getting wet.

[Pixie]

I think you misunderstood me, Mr Pixie.
The Teknic has an unusual fabric, which is Cordura with the membrane actually bonded to the inner surface. (So it looks dull and Cordura-like on the outside, and shinyish on th inside). Like you said, the water wicked down through the Cordura, but not through the inner surface. However, because it had abrasion holes in the sleeves, I'd had leather patches put on. So now the fabric's modus operandi if you will, was effectively circumvented by rows of needle holes in many places. Also, the fabric was tired (too much road spooge and too many washes), so the membrane was effectively fookt. Soaking the fabric with silicon so it repelled water, rather than wicking it away, was my only option. Apart from getting wet.

That is a different fabric,then.I have only seen that type of cordura used for luggage.
Needle holes are bad - 'tis why membranes are HF welded