60 of 61 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Works as advertised, but its not a miracle in a bottle, October 26, 2009
This review is from: Nikwax Hardshell Twin Pack (Apparel)
First of all, let me clear up a misconception among many people: It is not the Gore-Tex membrane that provides the water repellency of these types of garments. The initial repellency is provided by a "DWR Layer" or "Durable Water Repellent layer". This is typically a chemical coating which is applied to the fabric after it is manufactured (and probably applied to garments AFTER they are sewn). This DWR wears out over time, and without it, even the finest $300 Gore-tex rain jacket will leak in areas like the shoulders and nape of the neck.
That being said, this product does a really, really good job of restoring the water repellency of DWR treated fabrics. It WILL NOT however, make a garment water repellent that has broken down - e.g. the Gore-Tex layer is damaged, or was poor to begin with.
Some examples:
So far with my one set (two bottles) I have treated the following garments with the following results:
1. Patagonia kayak paddling anorak - it was FILTHY from many, many trips, and had begun to lose its water proofness. A treatment with this product not only made the jacket look great again, it sheds water amazingly well - as if it was new.
2. Two Marmot "shell" type Gore-tex rain jackets. Both were initially very water proof, but after a couple of seasons they both would absorb water at the shoulder seams and it would soak through in a down pour. A treatment with this Nikwax kit restored both jackets to "like new" performance. I can turn the hose on them and the water sheds off like they were new.
3. Isis "Torrent" rain jacket. This jacket, while stylish, NEVER repelled water worth a *@#$*&. Washing and treating it with the Nikwax improved it a bit, but it is still not water repellent. No miracle here, unfortunately
4. Orvis breathable fishing waders - old, flthy, stinky, and barely water repellent, I thought I'd give them a try. Washing them in the washing machine was a bit tricky - they would fill up with water/suds and not rinse completely. So I did two cycles - one on each side (inside out the second time). The results are amazing - much cleaner than before, and they bead water like when they were new 6 or 7 years ago.
Bottom line, if you have quality gear that used to be water repellent, and despite good treatment and care, has lost its water repellency, I think you can expect good results from this product. Do not, however, expect a miracle. It will not (based on my experience) take non water-repellent fabric and suddenly make it worthy of a rain storm
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15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good stuff. Just read the instructions!, March 1, 2009
This review is from: Nikwax Hardshell Twin Pack (Apparel)
I used this on two older garments and it does restore the water-repellency. Just make sure to read the instuctions carefully, since you are inclined to think that you use the whole bottle of the Tech-Wash, but you don't.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Keeps my expensive gear in great shape, which keeps me dry, which makes me happy!, March 11, 2010
This review is from: Nikwax Hardshell Twin Pack (Apparel)
When we first started riding street bikes years ago, I had no idea how to take care of gear. I didn't know about waterproof membranes, how they worked, or why some gear cost so much and other brands were cheap. We bought what looked "cool", then couldn't understand why we were cold and wet!
Next we bought better gear, but threw it in the washer and (gasp!) dryer just like regular clothes -- the result was "waterproof" gear that was about as rain-resistant as those "regular clothes"!
I began to think there was no way to stay dry in a hard rain on a motorcycle, but the BMW riders were there to show me the error of my ways. They'd show up at a cafe in a downpour, take off a dripping coat and be perfectly dry underneath. Now, after a kind soul told me about NikWax and proper treatment, we're the ones showing up in the pouring rain with smiles on our faces and dry clothes underneath our gear!
A perfect example of how this product increases longevity of waterproof gear is my old First Gear Kilimanjaro coat, and my husband's. I purchased his 1 year after mine, and his has never been washed in anything but NixWax. Mine got washed twice in regular soap. His is still waterproof and looks brand new 5 years later, mine had to be replaced this season because it lost its waterproofing in multiple spots. That's "proof" enough for me!
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