Nikwax vs. 303 Fabric Guard

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Buck268

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Nov 5, 2006
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Comparing 2.1 products (yes, two point one). 303 fabric Guard vs the Nikwax products tx.direct Wash In and tx.direct Spray On. Specifically I'm interested in their use on gore-tex outer wear with regards to durability and breathability.

I have used the 303 Fabric Guard quite a bit on bags, boots, jackets and hats and am over all quite happy with its performance and longevity but I have never used it on active wear. I recently broke out an old Cabela's gore-tex parka shell which was not cheap when purchased and wore it on a 1.5 mile dog walk in the hills, ice and snow with 10-20mph winds and approx 10F ambient temps. When I was done I noticed the inside of the shell was down right wet. I used this shell a lot a couple years back when had more time to spend on outdoor recreation and I'm pretty sure its seen a wide assortment of waterproofing sprays used. I did notice that it currently does not bead water at all.

I know that the Fabric Guard will work very well to renew the DWR on the outside of this parka and that it will last quite well... but what I value most would be a long lasting BREATHABLE finish as this usually only comes out for either very COLD conditions and/or very active conditions like hiking or winter mountain biking. I just finished washing and a double rinse cycle using a residue free laundry soap but I'm out of both the 303 and the nikwax right now, so I'm just not sure which route to go this time.... If memory serves me right, the 303 tends to last much longer in use.
 
When it's cold enough, the little holes in Gore Tex freeze shut from the moisture trying to escape = plastic bag.

The "durable" [that is, not very durable - comes off in the rain and wash] water repellent products help at higher temps by preventing a sheet of water from forming on the outside (Instead of a film of water you get the "beading up" that you mentioned, followed by running off.). The thermal push that makes "breathable" fabric breath a little bit all cannot overcome the film strength of liquid water = plastic bag.

In U.S. government tests, eVent fabric was 6x as breathable as the then-best Gore fabric.
 
Well thats cool and all... but I have this jacket and just want to use the best option.
 
As far as I can tell and have learned in my pursuit of better gear, there is no way to restore the water-proofiness of Gore Tex nor should you need to. What you are actually doing is repairing the water repellancy of the outer layer in order to avoid what is called wet-out.

GoreTex, you see, is a very thin and fragile layer in a laminated composite with the outermost part usually being a tough polyester fabric. While the Gore Tex keeps you dry, that outer layer can potentially become soaked with water (wet-out) causing the garment to become cold and clammy, and to feel wet on the inside.

In order to keep that outer layer from wetting out you treat it with DWR, this is what causes the beading up of water on the outside of the jacket. You can get advice directly from Gore-Tex regarding DWR treatment: http://www.gore-tex.com/remote/Sate...rgs=childpagename&pagename=goretex_v2_wrapper

It is also important to check the seams as these are the most likely places for a Gore-Tex garment to spring an actual leak. Many (most?, all?) Gore-Tex waterproof garments use tape to seal the seams and this tape is notorious for detaching overtime. The fix can be as simple as re-taping it yourself or sending it back to the manufacturer for repair.

If your manufacturer will not repair damaged tape at the seams or an actual defect with the Gore-Tex layer then I recommend avoiding that manufacturer.
 
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