Bought a mountain equipment Makalu jacket. First trip it beaded water in parts, but looked like it had soaked through in others… sleeves and front.
Wetted out is the term as far as I know.
Now I can return and get a refund in 4-6 weeks
But if all jackets like this will all eventually wet out, I’d much rather keep it and just treat it myself to restore the DWR in full.
So even if I got a brand new replacement, would that eventually over time and wear wet out in parts?
I’d rather have the jacket for all the rain I’m likely to walk in over the next 4-6 weeks as long as me treating the thing is something I’d have to do with a replacement at some point anyway?
Retuning is just a pain for me, but I would do if my jacket is somehow ‘faulty’ if that’s the best way to describe it.
Waterproof jackets can only handle so much rain before they start to wet out, especially if they’ve been sitting in storage for a while. It looks like your jacket is still beading water in some areas. You might try re-treating it with Nikwax TX Direct Wash-in, not the cleaner version, to enhance the water repellency.
@Addison
It’s crucial to clean the jacket first to help the new DWR adhere better. Grangers usually works better for me than Nikwax, but both should do the job.
Shawn said: @Addison
It’s crucial to clean the jacket first to help the new DWR adhere better. Grangers usually works better for me than Nikwax, but both should do the job.
Agreed, I meant to emphasize not to use just the cleaner but to apply a proper DWR treatment afterward.
I had a similar issue with a Montane GTX jacket. I returned it and got a replacement, which was much better. It might be worth looking into a possible quality control issue.
All waterproof-breathable jackets will eventually wet out. When the DWR wears off or the rain is too heavy, the outer fabric will start to absorb water. While the jacket remains waterproof, its breathability is compromised. Restoring the DWR with products like Grangers or Nikwax after washing it according to the care label can help.
If the jacket was a display item or handled frequently in a store, it might have lost some of its DWR coating from being touched. It could likely just need a wash with a technical detergent designed for such fabrics.
Thanks for the advice, everyone. I’ve decided to return the jacket as it should not wet out so quickly when brand new. The online store will send it to Mountain Equipment for testing, which could affect the time I receive a replacement or refund.
Not all waterproof jackets should soak through quickly. If it’s truly a quality Goretex product, it should remain waterproof for a significant amount of time. I’ve had Goretex gear that has remained waterproof for years.
@Ari
Wetting out doesn’t necessarily mean the jacket is leaking. It could just be that the outer layer has absorbed water, which stops it from breathing but doesn’t mean it’s not waterproof. People often mistake this for leaking.
