Nikwax for waterproofing?
 

I was thinking about trying to waterproof a windbreaker for the cold wet season. Has anyone here tried this? According to their website, the stuff is God's gift to people who are out in the rain, but I don't know anyone who's actually used the products.

I know it's a favorite of folks for treating tents but beyond that I couldn't say.

They make a product that you dump into the washing machine with whatever you want waterproofed and run a cycle, then let things air dry....and it works. Super easy, and I've used it on plenty of jackets/windbreakers (one bottle will waterproof as much stuff as you can fit in the washer at once). I've also used their other products on shoes, etc and never had a problem.

I've used it successfully to re-seal a waterproof rain jacket & would do it again. (I did use the Nikwax pre-wash & the spray-on waterproofing spray, not the wash in one) If you're asking if it is successful in making a jacket waterproof (one that previously was not waterproof), I don't believe it will do that, but I'm not 100% sure.

That will depend on your windbreaker. If your windbreaker was originally water resistant, than the Nikwax will help restore it, otherwise it does little.

I used on an old gortex jacket and it worked good for the season using both the Tech wash and Tx Direct. However it was different story when I used it on my pant. My 511 tactical had some Dupont coating that made it water resiliant, but it wored out after several washing. I tried the Nikwax Tech Wash, TX direct and the spray bottle letting it soak, and the result was ok ay best. The area where you get body to frantic rub will get soak eventually. Those area were places like the top of my thigh and knee. So I can imagine area like the shoulder or arms on a jacket will be where water will get pass the Nikwax.

I have used Nikwax wash in stuff on my snowboard jacket and soft shell (soft shell formula) and it did restore water resistance and water did bead up and roll off afterwards. I have also used Tectron DWR which I think is similar to what came on my North Face snowboard jacket originally. The Tectron spray on stuff lasted longer on my rain jacket, but as I later found out, it is a possible carcinogen. The solvent smell during application isn't great nor is the residual smell that lasts for a week. I have not tried Tectron on my snow jacket.

Interesting... I have a couple different garments that I intended to experiment with. Thanks for the replies, everyone.

If you're planning on getting some. Check locally first. I bought some at a Sports Authority dept store. you save on shipping.

Two things
 

(1) It can work very well, but it works best on things that were made for water repellant, and not so well on things that weren't. Try it on a pair of jeans, and you'll see what I mean. Colleen noticed the same thing.

(2) DON'T USE THE WASH IN TYPE. Get the kind that you spray on, and then put it back in the dryer. You have pretty good control over where you put the stuff that way. The wash in stuff is going to make the inside of your jacket water resistant, too, and then it won't breathe nearly as well.

I use Nikwax products for all my waterproofing needs and let me assure you that it won't let you down. I use their leather proofing for my mountaineering boots which I've walked for hundreds of miles in under all sorts of crazy Scottish and Icelandic weather conditions. The stuff is magic.

I use the spray version to waterproof my Barbour wax jacket and the laundry stuff to proof cheap water 'repellant' jackets I've bought at service stations on the M6. Excellent stuff.

*cast Revive*

So I ended up buying some of the Nikwax wash-in stuff a little while ago, and I got the chance to test out my newly waterproofed windbreaker in a light rain today. It worked pretty well. I could see water beading up on my sleeves and I stayed pretty dry for the whole commute (about half an hour). I can't say how it'll fare in a heavier shower, but so far I'm definitely impressed.

It's a DWR re-treatment.. but on the bike you may not want
a real waterproof fabric anyhow.

It will become a Sweat bag .