Protecting the environment from ‘forever chemicals’ has set technical outerwear back. Back in the “good old days”, a skier could realistically buy a hardshell jacket, ski 100 days in it, dribble a gallon of burrito grease on it, never wash it, and still get decent performance out of it.
Today, waterproof hardshells for skiing, hiking, and other outdoor pursuits cost more and require more maintenance.
You can’t go back in time to the days when the chemicals were in our kick-ass jackets instead of our rivers and deer.
All you can do is cope, and the coping involves laundry, unfortunately.
Ahead of ski season, I spoke with an apparel repair facility manager and the people who make aftermarket gear care products. I got answers to key questions such as “What the hell happened to outerwear?” “How annoying is outerwear maintenance now?” and “Can I buy spray-on PFAS chemicals on the Dark Web?”
What Happened to Waterproof Gear?
If you’ve noticed water doesn’t bead up on your waterproof jacket as it used to, that’s in part because companies phased out PFAS. Specifically, an 8-carbon perfluorinated chemical chain called “C8,” which was an industry standard and highly effective. The durable water repellent (DWR) coatings that replaced it are less effective for repelling oils and are less durable.
“The thing about {PFAS/C8} is it’s absolutely kickass at water repellency, but also oil repellency,” said Heidi Allen, VP of Marketing for Nikwax. “Things that made it effective, also made it bad for people and the environment.”
Why these DWR coatings even matter gets complicated if you don’t understand how technical outerwear works. “It’s actually pretty simple,” said Eric Schafer, who manages the repair facility for Rab USA. “You’re basically wearing a breathable Teflon tarp. There’s a lining inside so it doesn’t feel like a tarp. There’s a face fabric outside so it doesn’t look like a tarp. The DWR keeps that face fabric from getting soaked so the tarp can keep working right.”
The “tarp” is the waterproof-breathable membrane inside, such as Gore-Tex. This interior membrane is what keeps liquid water out and allows steamy air to escape. That hasn’t changed much. The DWR chemicals, which are what cause water to bead up and roll off your gear, have.
The new fluorine-free DWR treatment — “C0” (C-zero, not carbon monoxide) — mostly repels water, not oils. The garments bead water well at first, but then oils from your body, Cheetos, or drippy chairlifts get your jacket dirty. The old C8 repelled the dirt and oils just as well as water, but C0 is susceptible to contamination. That contamination, in turn, attracts water, leading to “wetting out”.
The flourine-free C0 works well brand-new, but starts to fail once it gets dirty. The solution is to wash your gear more often. Or, if you’re like most people, washing it at all would be a good start.
Okay, What Do I Have to Do?
Manufacturers sick of hearing “My jacket isn’t waterproof anymore!” have been advising consumers that DWR has changed. But they don’t exactly want to shout from the rooftops about the decreased performance, so the message gets whispered.
I’ve even heard brand reps and keyboard warriors claim that it doesn’t matter if your DWR fails because, “actually, your Gore-Tex or other waterproof-breathable membrane is what keeps you dry.” Technically true, but anyone who’s actually gone outside and had a waterproof glove, boot, or jacket fully wetted-out knows that it feels soggy, weighs about triple, and makes you feel colder.
Luckily, not all brands are gaslighting consumers. Arc’teryx says right on its website: “Wetting out leads to compromised breathability and increased condensation in the jacket, making you feel wet, clammy, and cold.”
Stio admits that more laundry is the solution on its PFAS page: “Maintaining PFAS-free apparel’s longevity and full waterproof protection requires more consistent wash cycles over the course of a season.”
When and How Often Should I Wash?
How often is more often? Allen said the obvious sign that your waterproof-breathable gear needs attention is if it’s wetting out and/or visibly dirty. Wash when it stops working.
Rab’s Schafer said they test gear sent back by running it under water in the sink — a simple test you can replicate at home. “Hold a paper towel inside the jacket and run water over the outside for a minute or two,” he said. “If the towel gets wet, the actual membrane has failed and will need to be replaced. If the towel stays dry but the face fabric wets out, the DWR is failing.”
Schafer said that the DWR usually just needs a cleaning and perhaps reapplication, but if you’ve worn apparel for years without washing, your body oils can actually damage the waterproofing membrane in high-touch areas like the back of the neck. Gross.
Start by washing with a tech wash product on a normal cycle. Air dry or tumble dry low. This is often enough to get DWR performing again. Once dry, spray water on it to see if it beads properly or soaks into the face fabric.
If the garment is still wetting out, it might need a DWR refresh, but Allen suggests only applying DWR such as Tx.Direct spray or wash-in products every 3 to 5 washes. “There is such a thing as too much DWR,” she cautions.
That’s it. You don’t have to wash technical outerwear as often as your underwear, but you do need to start washing it.
Allen said that this isn’t anything new. “It’s always been good to wash your gear,” she said. “I think brands just got away with letting people believe they didn’t have to do anything because the {old DWR coatings} were so durable and effective.”
Dos and Don’ts for Refreshing Outerwear
- Don’t: Apply waterproofing sprays without washing garments first
- Do: Use tech wash products designed for outerwear from brands such as Nikwax, Grangers or your jacket manufacturer.
- Don’t: Apply waterproofing every time you wash. Aim for every 3-5 washes.
- Do: Wash and dry outerwear and test the DWR with a spray bottle of water before applying DWR products.
- Don’t: Dry your apparel on high to “activate” the DWR. Tumble dry or air dry.
- Do: Read the care instructions on your apparel (or their website). The manufacturer knows what went into the gear and can prescribe the best protocol to keep it functioning.
