water proofing

[Paula]

anyone ever treat your boots or jackets? what do you think is best?

[dave6x6]

Paula, i've used some Granger products to re-freshen the factory dwr(durable water repellency) of some hunting outfits and it worked pretty good. Makes the rain bead up and fall right off the fabric when it rains. They will not water proof no matter what the labels say though. The Nikwax products i've heard are good but have only used their down wash stuff. And all my leather boots get worked over with different conditioners and water-proofers a few times a year. Way to much money invested in them to just leave them muddy and un-protected.

Edited June 25, 2012 by dave6x6

[Paula]

I have had my hunting jacket like 15 yrs and i have only been in rain a couple times with it. My arms got wet so i figured i would treat it. I forgot to get anything and forgot about this post.

[sweet old bill]

I use snow proof for my boots. I also use a water proof for tents on my hunting coat. I just do it now to make sure no smell will stay on it for hunting.

[dave6x6]

The wash- then spray on- then put in the dryer to activate products do work pretty well at shedding water off hunting fabrics and so they give you a bit of protection from an unexpected rain but they should not be relied upon as rain proof. I like using them on some outfits because they can keep the garment from absorbing the water and weighting the jacket down. Nice on pant legs to keep the dew from a soaking as you walk to your stand. Revivex, granger, nikwax and the company that makes sno-seal(atsko) all work. The Atsko one seemed to have some unwanted smell to it when you got caught in the rain though. I used it on my back-pack in the hopes that it would keep my lunch and spare layers dry in the rain. It did do that pretty well. Order a bottle of one of these and try it on one random fleece or cotton garment. Then when it comes out of the dryer, stick the sleeve under a running faucet. The water just bounces off.