Anyone used Nikwax on their Goretex fishing rain wear?

[wasabi_VA]

Yesterday I used my Cabelas Goretex (think it is Guidewear but not labeled as such?) rain pants during a raining fishing trip. They leaked although the pants are probably 10 years old. I doubt I have worn them 5 times and have always kept them stored in a clean and dry location. Cabelas recommended I try the Nikwax product to restore water repellency. Does anybody have experience using Nikwax and does it actually work? I'd like to stay dry while fishing in these cold late-winter days!

 

[Jig Man]

If they leaked then you probably have a faulty seam.  They may have a lifetime warranty.  You might contact Cabelas before you get into spraying them.

[wasabi_VA]

They don't have warranty. Question is about using Nikwax.

[NHBull]

Great stuff!

That said the Nikwax  you use in your washing machine is even better.

 

To get the best results use the wash product first..

 

If your pants are leaking through the seat, it is pressure through the stitches....I would Nikwax, wash, washing machine protect.  Spray the stitching ......Done!

[rtwvumtneer6]

@A-Jay turned me on to this ??

[Johnbt]

Thanks. I have a 28-year-old 3-in-1 Columbia duck hunting parka that has a slow leak in the center of the back. It's not leaking on a seam so this is worth a shot.

 

"Recommended for technical clothing, synthetic sleeping bags, rain and ski jackets, GORE-TEX, Patagonia, North Face, Columbia, and Arc'teryx"

[bulldog1935]

1 hour ago, rtwvumtneer6 said:

@A-Jay turned me on to this ??

This Goretex III top-shell - at least 15-y-o -  gets stuffed in my dry bag for every trip. 

Over the winter, both the shell and the Goretex dry pants got the exact Nikiwax wash and treatment, and came out great.  

[NHBull]

39 minutes ago, Johnbt said:

Thanks. I have a 28-year-old 3-in-1 Columbia duck hunting parka that has a slow leak in the center of the back. It's not leaking on a seam so this is worth a shot.

 

"Recommended for technical clothing, synthetic sleeping bags, rain and ski jackets, GORE-TEX, Patagonia, North Face, Columbia, and Arc'teryx"

Sadly, all my 28 year old clothes have shrunk.....I toild my wife not to put them in the dryer

[MN Fisher]

4 minutes ago, NHBull said:

Sadly, all my 28 year old clothes have shrunk.....I toild my wife not to put them in the dryer

Gotta take care your stuff better, man. One of the green utility shirts I got when I entered the AF in 80 still fits and is in 'wear out of the house' condition.

[Deephaven]

It is a must.  Goretex has a water proof repellent on it that wears over time.  The more dirt and abuse the less effective it is or the more often you need to replace the "not so" durable water repellent.

 

Unlike the above I would highly NOT recommend the wash in.  The tech wash is a good product, but the wash in ends up putting DWR on both sides of your garment.  The inner portion isn't meant to have it on and then the breathability changes.  The whole point of Goretex/eVent etc is to allow your body to breath while keeping you dry.  Instead wash your clothes normally and apply the spray on.  It works amazing at restoring the waterproof behavior of your shell.

[flyfisher]

All waterproof breathable garments consist of a DWR and then the actual waterproof membrane.  The DWR or durable water repellent is what makes the water bead on the surface.  This assists in the breathability of the garment as it doesn't allow the shell material to get water logged which prevent water vapor from escaping.  The next is that actual waterproof membrane, in your case goretex.  This is what allows water vapor to escape but prevents water from entering the garment.  

As others have stated there are reasons it is leaking, if it is and most times it is due to pressure and or a seam leaking.  The membrane itself rarely fails except in high wear areas when it gets broken down to the point of not preventing water from seeping through. 

That being said, Nikwax is a great product and the wash in is the way to go.  Use the tech wash first then the wash in treatment.  I believe it also states to use a warm dryer to help set the product.  Now keep in mind if your garment is truly leaking this will be a temporary fix as it is only renewing the DWR part of the waterproof equation.  I do agree that the spray on is better in theory but in my experience it works better.  the DWR on the inside of the garment will wear off pretty quickly and you will get back to its normal breathability in a couple of trips while getting a better covering on the outside.

 

The big thing to keeping the DWR as long as possible is to never use traditional detergents as it strips it away in one wash pretty much.

[Bankc]

I've used Nikwax on tents.  It works great and is easy to apply.  For the seams, they make a silicone adhesive that you apply on the seams to keep it all waterproof.  The Nikwax also protects against UV rays, which keeps the fabric from breaking down in the sun.  After you've applied it, you can't tell that it's there (unlike the silicone stuff for the seams, which leaves a big glob).

 

You will have to reapply it.  Maybe once a year or so.  It's lifespan depends on use.  I just reapply it as needed, which is about every 3-5 years, but being a tent, it doesn't get as much use as something like a jacket or pants.  Hence why I think it might need to be reapplied more often.  

[Johnbt]

"Sadly, all my 28 year old clothes have shrunk.....I toild my wife not to put them in the dryer"

 

Mine too, but the camo duck coat is an XXL and if I don't put the Thinsulate liner jacket in it I can use it over a t-shirt for fishing on rainy days. 

[TnRiver46]

2 hours ago, NHBull said:

Sadly, all my 28 year old clothes have shrunk.....I toild my wife not to put them in the dryer

Hahaha!!!

[DaubsNU1]

Great advice @Hawg! Best friend worked for Cabela's corporate offices in Sidney, NE for 30+ years. He could not have explained DWR and Gore-Tex better!

 

I have a lot of old Cabela's Gore-tex jackets, parkas, pants, bibs, etc. All still performing great! They certainly don't make them like the used to...

 

 

[Armtx77]

The wash in Nikwax, will absolutely lower the breathability of any gore product and Gore has claimed this for decades.

Simply put, the polymer used to bind the product to the clothing, CLOGS THE PORES, of the semi permeable membrane of Goretex type of products.

 

I have a Cabelas rain suite that I use the spray on, but I think I would double check with the MFG to see what they say about it.