Waterproof My Own Gear?
What are your thoughts on waterproofing your own clothes, particularly pants. Would that be a waste of time?
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Question:
Kristin, I was wondering about your thoughts on waterproofing your own
clothes, particularly pants. I have never used any sprayon or wash in
waterproofing product. Would something like that work to waterproof your
pants or would that be a waste of time?
Submitted by – Dave, Liberty, MO
Answer:
The thing is, you can’t waterproof any old material. Cotton, for instance. You could spray it to make it water RESISTANT, but because the material is porous and absorbent, and because the seams are not sealed, they would never be fully waterproof.
Nylon windpants could benefit from a spray on or wash in treatment, but only to a certain degree (again, because they aren’t seam sealed, they’ll never be immune to rain). Those sprays and wash-in products are really designed to rejuvenate a tired DWR (durable water repellant) treatment that has worn off over time.