Breathable Oilies - Waterproof ?

Drascomber

Drascomber

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 Jan 2006
Messages
382
Location
Surrey England
Visit site
About 4 years ago I spent what I considered to be an arm and a leg on a set of coastal breathables from Musto. On average they probably get worn 10 days a year.

They have always succeeded in protecting from spray and normal rain. However, I have noticed that given a cloudburst or solid green stuff over the side they are about as good as blotting paper.

Is this normal behaviour for breathables or do they just have to be replaced every year?
 
Dont know, I am still using the non-breathables I bought 19 years ago, but thinking that it is probably time to change - I like the price and quality of the Jag ones.
 
Have you done this yourself Brendan.

I know the mags and people on here do say this, but I still have not done better than a good hand wash in the bath (the oilies that is).

What temperature do you wash at, which powder, do you stop the spin?

My tumbler only has low and high temp setting, how long do you leave them in the tumbler, I mean, by rights they will be dry in 5 minutes as they don't hold liquid. Do you just dry them, or bake them for an hour.

What did you do, did you notice damage / improvement afterwards?
 
Oh yes, loads and loads of times. My mountaineering gortex is ancient, well over 10 years old (might even be as much as 15, and well abused), and I actually use it on the boat and day to day, and it still comes up good as new.

Just wash low/medium temperature wash with no conditioner.


I do it whenever caked with salt or dirty, or more importantly when the fabric starts absorbing water rather than the water sheeting off or beading like it should. Hot tumble should be fine, but that will vary by fabric and manufacturer I guess.

Needs to be in tumble drier by itself, not with wet jeans cottons etc. Just take it out when dry. You'll see an immediate difference unless the fabric is completely knackered.

When you say oilies though, this process is for breathable fabrics to avoid them becoming waterlogged, not for traditional non breathing oilies

Has to be hot tumble dry, not normal drying, or the beading effect won't come back the same way
 
Definitely going to try this...

My XM supposedly 'Ocean' breathables were great the first few times they had a real testing. Since then, the water has poured in. I was thinking of reverting to my 1985 vintage, non breathable Musto coastal suit, that, apart from fraying round the bottom of the legs, are still as good as new.
 
Re: Definitely going to try this...

XM ocean are supposed to be membrane, so unless you have punctured the membrane, the water cannot get through it. More likely the fabric is absorbing water and becoming waterlogged, which means the membrane cannot work for obvious reasons. Have you done the wash and tumble dry treatment on it?
 
oilies, just habit. They are breathable musto, most expensive suit I have ever worn lol. My very first oilies were a smock down to my ankles, which really do keep you dry and not over heat. Bit more use on trawlers than yachts though!

EDIT>>

It is only the salopets which when wearing in the rain feel like they are leaking around my thighs. When I take them off my trousers are bone dry. So either they are not breathing or they are not stopping the damp air getting through.

I will bring them home and throw them through a wash dry cycle and see how it works out. I would actually like them to fail a bit so I can buy a set with a slightly wider girth and a fly. Amazing how much they have shrunk in the last few years /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Definitely wash em, but IMHO some of this advice sounds similar to that I saw used with a hot hair dryer to dry out ski boots.

They did dry out - but the liners also melted.

I have always washed my gear but NEVER EVER used a hot tumble dry. The various bits of elastic in cords, or rubber bits in sleeves of leg ends etc actually does not take too kindly to heat.

And once washed, I also give them a spray with those cans of breathable waterproofer.
Favoured Gill set now 6 yo and done maybe 40,000 pretty wet miles - and they still keep the wet stuff out and me nice and dry.

Cheers
JOHN
 
I do hate it when people burst in with irrelevant advice which completely contradicts the instructions given with the clothing

The accepted method of rebeading breathable clothing is hot tumble dry. If you aren't sure, contact the manufacturer. It will as I said previously vary by fabric and manufacture. Most breathable membrane fabrics need tumble drying to make them bead water and not waterlog.


If you tell us what brand and version of breathable suit you have, we can probably look it up for you?
 
Brendan, you did not say whether you stopped the spin cycle or not. I imagine a good shake in the back garden will get the water off ready to tumble dry.

The spin cycle could damage the fabric, no?

do you take the straps off the bottoms prior to washing and drying?
 
ironing is a second option, but you'll never cover a typical waterproof completely, as they have pockets and zips etc which mean you can't get full coverage. Tumble dry is far better

If you don't have a tumble drier, take it to the laundrette, they will have one -especially if travelling
 
Does your advice hold for non-breathables as well?

There are some expensive botles of jollup available, but never tried them. Sounds as though they are not needed?
 
Not tried it yet....

blimey, I only read your advice yesterday, and I'm not THAT dynamic, hehe!

Seriously, though, I definitely will be giving it a try, then looking for some really horrible weather to test it.

Thanks again for this advice, Brendan, it's really appreciated.
 
A friend of mine swears that a wash in "Comfort", followed by a tumble dry revitalises the waterproofing of "breathables". Can't vouch for this as I am still using Imhoff non breathable bought years ago which does not leak although you get a lot of condensation. Seems to me you get wet one way or another!
 
I don\'t know about

Musto or any of the non-Goretex breathables.

But I've had my Henri-Lloyd Ocean Gore-tex II kit for 10 years and they don't leak in any weather.

Washing them with a final rinse in the Henri-Lloyd repellent (or any others), finished off with a HOT tumble dry, on a regular (annual) basis is recommended by Henri Lloyd and is something I've always done.

Occasionally, water is passed up one's wrist or down one's neck, in really severe downpours, but that's an entirely different matter
 
If the fabric is of typical commercial fishermens type (plastic covered) then no. If it is of the type of fabric than can become waterlogged, where previously it beaded water, then it's worth a try - tho having said that, non breathable's have to be waterproofed, so need some waterproof component, and merely renewing the beading ability won't keep them waterproof, so you may also need a chemical treatment
 
[ QUOTE ]
I do hate it when people burst in with irrelevant advice which completely contradicts the instructions given with the clothing

The accepted method of rebeading breathable clothing is hot tumble dry. If you aren't sure, contact the manufacturer. It will as I said previously vary by fabric and manufacture. Most breathable membrane fabrics need tumble drying to make them bead water and not waterlog.


If you tell us what brand and version of breathable suit you have, we can probably look it up for you?

[/ QUOTE ]

Err - bad day Brendan?

Musto drying instructions are definately NOT to hot tumble dry - max temp 40. To go for a hot wash will damage other bits on the jacket.

They also advise use bio detegent - and not much of it. And definately no comfort conditioners.

And if the waterproofing stops being effective - thery sell the stuff to spary em again.

Goodness - I do hate people who dont' just burst in - but simply give the wrong advice.........
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top