gore tex leaking

[saltyanchor]

I've lost my faith in gore tex - well nearly. A coat has started to leak, but shock horror, my bib trousers - army surplus (but new really) with triple layer have started to leak at the bum. Really, I used to think this stuff was infallibale, and magical - I sat in the bath in my survival suit and marvelled at its properties.
So, I'm applying Nik wax and stuff to my bum and coat and thinking of getting the cool iron out, and the tumble dryer etc. BUT have you experienced leaks before?
I assumed this was a break down in the gore tex membrane (it is simply a coating after all, not a material in itself) so Nik wax and iron and tumble drying is really treating the outer material.
I'm going back to rubber and buying wicking clothes etc I reckon.

 

[Gunfleet]

It's the seams I bet.

 

[dralex]

Goretex is a PTFE memebrane of sorts and is bonded to the protective fabric. Cheaper breahtable fabrics have a sprayed membrane, but his it not Goretex. It will damage eventually if bent enough times. The other thing about Goretex is that it is dependent on a vapour gradient to breath. It will not breath very well in the cold and wet or when there is a large amount of protective fabric over it. I noticed it on my Goretex salopettes- i thought theywere leaking in the bum and crutch area- it turned out it was my own water vapour condensing before it could escape.

It usually is the seams that leak, even if they are taped.

 

[jrt]

Gortex is fabulous when it is new. Eventually it may suffer from two problems. The first is that it delaminates. This looks like bubbles on the surface (a bit like boat pox). The second problem is that it goes porous. Bearing in mind that it starts off pourous with tiny holes that let water vapour through, but not the much larger water drops, I guess that the holes start to join up and thus get bigger. My HPX salopettes are 10 years old and my jacket is 5 years old. They have both gone porous and I need a new suit. As soon as spray comes over the bow and hits the jacket I can feel the damp. By the end of the journey I'm soaked.

I hope this bit of info (tale of woe) helps you to form a clearer picture of what might be happening to you.

 

[davidfox]

When I was in the Army we trialled the first gore tex bivy bags (you put you sleeping bag in them and zipped up) it was tipping with rain and the ground was wet, I was in Germany on exercise for 2 weeks - after all the fab stories of the material, I lay down on wet ground to get some kip, when I woke up my sleeping bag must have weighed 20lbs more! I have been under impressed with gore tex ever since

 

[davidfox]

The water vapour in your Bum and Crotch area sounds a little disturbing. perhaps it would be better kept in (for the sake of your crew)

 

[saltyanchor]

Yes, thanks. Makes sense of course. I have a set of rubber oilies (Viking) from Canada - 20 years old and good as new (can be awful to wear for a long time of course). So, better look after the new goretex and not expect it to be the wonder material I used to think it was.

 

[saltyanchor]

Oh no - I've just bough one of those bivvy bags (well, no - it is a slleping bag cover actually) for the boat and camping (but it was only £30) and has passed the shower test so far.

 

[saltyanchor]

Could be dangerous!