Re-proofing trousers - worth it?

[Northern Monkey]

I've got a pair of AlpineStars Andes trousers that I've had for about 3 years now, and if I ride in the rain, after about 10 miles I get a wet knob. Looking like you've pissed yourself isn't the ideal look for working in the office.

Has anyone had any success with re-proofing sprays or washes, or should I just chuck them and buy something better?
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Fisty: after polishing the tank with the glistenng beads of sweat from my full hot scrotum, I filled the headrace bearings with 10cc of my manmilk

[Ste]

You are Neverleak Panties and I claim my five ponds.

[Freddyfruitba...]

[Northern Monkey]

[Ste]

£780 pledged of £105,796 goal



Looks like you're going to have to settle for the £1.99 can of waterproofing stuff Freddyfruitbat found at Aldi.

[flearider]

no reproofing does not work ...
but gore tex does .. i've had a pair of Austrian army gore tex pants for must be 8 yrs treat them once a yr never leaked .. just keep them away from the radiator (really bad for them)
best £100 I ever spent .. use them for sea fishing also (quick wash there fine )

textile can not be reproofed unless you add the micro plastic coating .. which you cant .....
go gore tex

[Islander]

Yes it does work as long as the trousers are in reasonable condition. I'd recommend Nikwax TX direct - it's excellent stuff.

[MCN]

[Wonko The Sane]

nikwax tech wash and tk direct wax in the washing machine has sorted my hein gerik kit that I'd stopped using due to it not being waterproof anymore and keeps my Halversons kit waterproof.

The way I've had it explained to me is the wash gets rid of dirt that allows the water to sit in the fabric helping it soak through, the wax helps it bead to run off instead of soak in.

usually can just wash at Christmas then wash and wax in November and I'm waterproof for the year's commuting.
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[stirlinggaz]

Hi,
Ive used nikwax a few times & i dont get the dreaded wet crotch, even on the old, cheap textiles.

cheers,
GAZ

[MarJay]

I was listening to a motorcycle podcast today that suggested simply washing the textiles. Remove the armour and lining and stick it in the washing machine. Apparently dirt gets in the gore tex pores and keeps them open for water to get through.

Not sure how accurate this is, but it's worth a go before spraying it with some unknown gunk though, right?
____________________
British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[Freddyfruitba...]

[MarJay]

[MCN]

I normally only wear leather troos on the bike rain or shine. They have been cleaned with nikwax leather cleaner and waterproofed with nikwax leather waterproofing and never let water in. They look just like they did when not proofed. The compound lives under the surface.
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Disclaimer: The comments above may be predicted text and not necessarily the opinion of MCN.

[talkToTheHat]

If the seam tape/weld has failed then no kind of aftermarket profing will help. I destroyed two sets of IXS trousers because the seam taping was poor.

Tech wash and then TX wax (or similar process) helps rain bead off the outer alyer of textiles and stops the outer layer saturating as fast, so can restore some performance to old kit.
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Bandit. does. everything.

[BTTD]

[Freddyfruitba...]

[UncleFester]

[talkToTheHat]

I've not noticed a big difference in liner performance after washing kit with cheaper goretex-like waterproof liners, but maybe less breathable cheap stuff suffers less?
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Bandit. does. everything.

[Powderhead]

I have the same gear, and I can confirm that all the Nixwaxing products in the world can't save you now.

Buy new gear.

Sorry.
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"Now at inspector level!"

[ScottT]

I've got the same problem as a last resort before buying new gear i've been tempted to apply the wax thats used on wax cotton jackets, it works on old Belstaff and Barbour jackets, anyone else tried this?
If not i'll report back later once i've tried it.

[MCN]

[Wonko The Sane]

You need to clean out the washing powder drawer and run a rinse cycle before washing the gear as most washing powder contains some form of bleaching agent which gets rid of waterproofing and can affect the waterproof membrane

my hein gerrike stuff I'd stopped wearing as it was as waterproof as a towel despite hand washing it in the bath with nikwax tech wash and tk direct.

I gave it a go in the washing machine and it did the job, it's not heavy downpour waterproof but another run through would probably get it towards that.

As has been said, it's worth a punt
____________________
Looking to pass your CBT / Bike tests in Bury Lancashire? try www.focusridertraining.co.uk Would recommend.
They're also on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Focus-Rider-Training/196832923734251

[MCN]

https://www.gore-tex.co.uk/gore-tex-wash-instructions

WASH
Machine wash on a warm permanent press cycle (105°F/40°C) using a small amount of liquid detergent. Rinse twice, and minimize spinning to reduce creasing. Don’t use powder detergents, fabric softeners, stain removers, or bleach. Don’t wash with heavily soiled clothing.

DRY*
Line dry your garment, or tumble dry it on a warm, gentle cycle. Once it’s dry, tumble dry the garment for 20 minutes to reactivate the durable water repellent (DWR) treatment on the outer fabric. You can do this anytime you notice the water repellency needs a boost.

* Do not tumble dry GORE-TEX SHAKEDRY™ garments

DRY CLEAN*
We recommend home laundering. But if professional dry cleaning is necessary, request that the cleaner use clear distilled hydrocarbon solvent (a bit of a mouthful, we know) for rinsing, and then spray DWR on the garment’s outer fabric before drying.

* Does not dry clean GORE-TEX SHAKEDRY™ garments.
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Disclaimer: The comments above may be predicted text and not necessarily the opinion of MCN.

[natefz6]

I use Nikwax tech wash and TK direct for mine then treat the outside with the scotchgard to increase the water repellency. I currently have a jacket that's 10 years old and its still working well.
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"no I didn't steal it that's just the way I ride"