Jim F wrote:
> Does Gore Tex have a useable life? Is it restorable? I have an REI
parka
> (shell) that has lost its "waterproofness." It's about 8 or nine years
old.
There's two sides to it, basic waterproofness and breathability.
Once the first goes, file in your local dumpster. To check it, suspend
the suspect area over a bucket or basin and pour on water to make a
pool. If drips come through it leaks, and that's that.
The other one is far more common, far more likely, predictable and also
fixable. Goretex (and similar) fabrics have a face fabric which is not
formally waterproof but is treated with a Durable [hah!] Waterproof
Repellency (DWR) coating, which helps water in beading up and rolling
off. The point of that is that once the face fabric is saturated the
Goretex won't be able to let out vapour any more, and you'll get wet
from condensation and your own sweat.
DWRs aren't actually that durable for the most part, and certainly
weren't that good 8 or 9 years ago, so if the membrane is not actually
leaking at the bucket test then launder the coat in pure soap (not
detergent, which will be counter productive) and use either a wash in or
spray on DWR (Nikwax TX10, for example). If you can finish it with a
cool iron or tumble dry that will help "activate" the DWR and it should
all work better.
HTH, Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net p.j.clinch@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/
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