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Miller

Putting on skis
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Feb 3, 2016
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145
Any opinions on the best DWR coating to use. My North Face Gore-Tex Bibs are wetting out pretty easily.

Nikwax, Revivex, Granger?

Spray-on or Wash in?

Thanks
 

Analisa

Making fresh tracks
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Dec 29, 2017
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If they’re insulated, spray on only. Otherwise the difference is pretty minimal. Be sure to wash them first, since the membrane is compromised by dirt & oil. Also dry it, since the manufacturer’s DWR generally contains fluorocarbons where the bonds strengthen under heat application.

The differences between the brands you mentioned are pretty minimal, all a lot weaker than what the manufacturer applies (the chemicals aren’t suitable to be sitting in jugs in customer homes)
 

Laner

Wax on, wax off.
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Oct 20, 2018
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Ontario, Canada
I have had reasonable success with both Granger's Repel Spray-On and more recently Nikwax TX.Direct Spray-On Waterproofer. I can't say if one is superior than the other, they both work as advertised and both have an odor that seems to linger. For me, the choice often comes down to price since I am often treating five or six garments per season.
 

WheatKing

Ice coast carveaholic
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Dec 24, 2015
Posts
258
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Ontario, Canada
I've been using grangers with relative success.. get the wash and spray combo from Amazon. I've been using the Performance wash / Performance Repel..
 

Wilhelmson

Making fresh tracks
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4,328
Spray on Nikwax and toss in the dryer on low for 10 minutes.
 

aliebe

Booting up
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Feb 17, 2017
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Going to pickup some Granger's Wash+Repel. Bottle says you should double your dosage for top loaders. Is that true if you have a top loading high efficiency or is that just for traditional top-loaders?
 

raytseng

Making fresh tracks
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SF Bay Area
I have tried grangers as well as nikwax.

If your toploader is a relatively new HE smart washer that can sense the load size and only fills up the water partially; then just use regular dosage.
If it is a dumb washer that just fills to same water level then you need to add more.

However, the biggest issue is waterproof stuff tends to float and not really get mixed about in a toploader. And since it's waterproof stuff, it doesn't really get the floating side very well. Especially if your washer has agitate only, and doesn't have a mode that sprays laundry water over the top of the load periodically during the wash cycle. This same problem happens with washing down items; which basically i've given up and just do hand wash.


I would suggest the following. You can handwash, machinewash, or do a hybrid combo for the full deal.

[HANDWASH steps, prewash]
0) hope you have a laundry plastic tub for hand washing; maybe $5 at any store.
1) Prewash just in tub with plain water to get any loose stuff off.
2) add like half a cap to your washing tub with some water, and hand squish it around for a bit, soak is option.
[you can just finish and do the rest by hand wash at this point if you like]


[Toploader MACHINE wash, continue or start here]
3) Dump the tub into washer, add recommended amt of detergent (or subtract some if you added a lot in handwash). Start with regular side out; if you have insulation or comfort layers

***4***) PAUSE the wash after about halfway through the wash cycle. Then open it and squish things around by hand more,
Flip arms and legs so it's now inside out, squish around; this is so that spin cycle gets most of liquid out of insulation or comfort layers; and not trying to spin water through goretex.
5) Let rest of wash program finish

6) dry as recommended. Start drying with comfort layers flipped out, again so it doesn't have to steam through goretex. Use timed dry as heat is needed for activation, and you don't want autodry to switch to wrinkle rid cold air. When comfort layers are dry, flip to the outside, and do a couple minutes for the shell side so it's toasty and activated.

Don't get your hopes up with wash-in DWR, it's only going to do so much.
 
Last edited:

aliebe

Booting up
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Feb 17, 2017
Posts
29
If your toploader is a relatively new HE smart washer that can sense the load size and only fills up the water partially; then just use regular dosage.
If it is a dumb washer that just fills to same water level then you need to add more...doesn't have a mode that sprays laundry water over the top of the load periodically during the wash cycle.

We have a high efficiency top loader from GE that shoots water from the top of the tub. I'm in NJ, so our storms are mild at best. Just trying to keep the stuff fresh. Seems like it's worth a try.
 

raytseng

Making fresh tracks
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Joined
Mar 24, 2016
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3,331
Location
SF Bay Area
use bulky cycle/sheets; if you have it, or regular.
Even though this is expensive gear, gentle cycle won't do enough, you are better off just squishing it around with your hands.
 

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