Best DWR treatment for old softshells?

[ryanb]

My much loved/abused patagonia ascentionist soft shell is starting to soak through during my 30 minute bike commute. I've tried some nikwax tx direct spray (recommended by patagonia customer service) before but found that it wore out much quicker then the original DWR (sliding down snow slopes and thrutching up granite flares may not have helped that) and smelled terrible.

 

Do people have favorite brands or products that work better?

 

Opinion on wash in vs spray on?

 

Tricks for getting the treatment to work particularly well?

 

[hemp22]

I've always heard that the McNett's ReviveX works better than the Nikwax brand stuff - but haven't actually tried the nikwax. I use the soft-shell ReviveX.

I'd definitely say to go with the spray-on stuff as opposed to wash-in.

I don't think you'll find either one that will last forever though - so wash & apply frequently.

make sure your garment is good and clean before applying. For the ReviveX stuff, you throw it in the dryer for like an hour after spraying it on - and that seems to work.

[hafilax]

You don't need to reapply the DWR every time you wash if it's Revivex or Granger's; washing and drying hot usually do the trick. Doesn't have to be an hour, just until it's dry. I don't really like Nikwax but use their techwash.

 

Use spray-on if it has a wicking inner layer and use a wash-in if it doesn't.

 

Pilling and surface roughness will degrade the water shedding as it traps droplets and increases the surface area.

[BirdDog]

I've had good luck with McNetts spray on. Wash, remove garment and spray while wet, then dry in dryer. Make sure you get the stuff for soft shells, not the hard shell stuff.

[Jon H]

You can't use regular detergent with any outdoor gear. Detergent works by binding water together with dirt. The problem is that any fabric washed in detergent will retain some detergent - the fabric then "replaces" dirt, so then water binds to the jacket's fabric and it will soak through immediately.

 

Either use tech-wash (as recommended above) or regular Woolite if you don't drink the hightech koolaid. Then treat with DWR. Spray-in is usually the right choice. Then run under medium heat in the dryer for 15-20 minutes. That should do the trick. Make sure not to run the dryer too long or you'll dissolve the glue in the seam tape and seams will start to blow.