Treating Grundens foul weather gear

[Kevin Kaldenbach]

Do any of you treat your foul weather gear to keep it water proof? If so what do you use? I have the Grunden Weather Boss gear. I might be doing a delivery in a week or so and the thought of being cold and wet for days on end does not sound fun. Also any other advice you have as far as staying warm and dry is concerned would be appreciated.

[Paul D.]

This Grunden's line of outerwear is coated nylon with a waterproof breathable layer on the inside of the jacket. I have no idea how one would re waterproof this and not loose some of the breathable aspect of the fabric. I would call Grunden's and ask.

If it were me going on the delivery I would don the gear and step into a shower and test it on all sides and see how it does. If you are getting wet really badly (You are in a shower after all!) I would do what they recommend, or if they have no answer, I would spray the outside with a silicone waterproof spray.

http://www.trek7.com/products/aqua-armo ... Mgod8GYAjw

There are wax products available too but I don't think nylon is an appropriate fabric and I wouldn't try it. I had an old cotton oilskin jacket I got in New Zealand, used it sailing across the Tasman and then hiking for years before it failed, then needed waxing every year and died. Good times. With the wax or the silicone, you will want to warm up the fabric and let it dry for a day or three before use.

IMHO, today's waterproof breathable jackets are really good and best bought from a solid manufacturer like Patagonia. When/if the waterproofing fails under normal use, simply return it and they'll send you a new one.

Good luck with the delivery!

[tartansailor]

Spray on 3M's Scotch Guard. 3 coats, allow to dry thoroughly between coatings.
More important is keeping your feet warm.
I hope you have a pair of Bogs or similar.
Dick

[NateHanson]

IMHO, today's waterproof breathable jackets are really good and best bought from a solid manufacturer like Patagonia. When/if the waterproofing fails under normal use, simply return it and they'll send you a new one.

This is true of high-end breathable laminates, such as Goretex, Event, etc. But not the less expensive coated garments. Coated nylon garments have a fairly limited lifetime, in my experience, measured in years if treated well. Few companies warrant these for life. If a coated nylon garment is leaking, I'd replace it. Anymore I bite the bullet when buying waterproof gear, and get goretex. Guaranteed for life, and totally dry. I've had a 10 year old $1000 drysuit replaced, no questions asked, because it had an almost imperceptable leak under the armpit. I've decided it's not cost effective to bother with anything less.

Nate

[CD_Sailor]

Do any of you treat your foul weather gear to keep it water proof? If so what do you use? I have the Grunden Weather Boss gear. I might be doing a delivery in a week or so and the thought of being cold and wet for days on end does not sound fun. Also any other advice you have as far as staying warm and dry is concerned would be appreciated.

Not familiar with this variant of Grundens, but my standard issue fisherman's Grundens are going on 10 years of reasonably hard use with no problems and not a single leak. Why not just get the "real" stuff and be done with it?

[Kevin Kaldenbach]

Wow! This is my first cocky response to a post on the Cape Dory site since I joined it many years ago. If you were to look at their web site you would learn that they are the real stuf. As a matter of fact it was people on this board that suggested Grundens foul weather gear. I also did not say they were leaking. I just wanted to know if anyone treats their gear with a sealer.

[CD_Sailor]

Wow! ... If you were to look at their web site you would learn that they are the real stuf. As a matter of fact it was people on this board that suggested Grundens foul weather gear ...

I have never visited the Grundens web site nor can I say that info here has ever given bad advice. Pretty much it "depends." However I have on many occasions encountered Maine fishermen who use the original Grundens product with great satisfaction. I can say for sure that taking their hard-earned advice hasn't resulted in too many "sad encounters." Can you say the same?

[Markst95]

Don't know if this is the material your suits made of but on Gore-tex Fabrics when water doesn't bead up on the surface, you can re-treat them with sprays or washing machine treatments. Here's a link to the gore tex site.

http://www.gore-tex.com/remote/Satellit ... repellency



Here's one, haven't used it but have heard it works.

http://www.rei.com/product/784626/nikwa ... 1b2166becc