Is Goretex pants?

Sweat lots? Are you wearing too much insulation under your hardshell? Often excess sweating can be reduced through better choice of clothing under the waterproof. I don't mean to state the obvious and I'm sure you've considered it, but I thought it best to ask.

Wouldn't a barrier type of sealant just prevent the breathability completely making matters worse? Have you any experience of waterproofs around before goretex by any chance? Very waterproof from both sides but very wet inside from sweat. If you think goretex is bad, wait until you try cycling in what will be created by a waterproof barrier painted onto your jacket. You'll certainly be wet and warm, but mostly wet through.

jerry3571 wrote:

I'm an old campaigner so got all types of base layers. I use thinner fleeces if it's cold and a cycling top for the pockets.
I have only used official products on my goretex so the Thompsons stuff is the last chance saloon for the jacket. Treated for the sake of science Both nikwax and Thompsons both smell the same. Both are breathable water repellents.
I do like to be on the warmer side when on the bike but that doesn't mean being overly warm, like anyone wouldn't want to be.

I thought waterproof Goretex products made and sold by Goretex were supposed to have a lifetime guarantee? Contact them if your jacket has lost it's proofness. If it's a third party manufacturer then that's different. Also, I could be wrong.

It's about comfort range. You can overwhelm any shell, including a soft shell such as a Gabba. You can overwhelm a short sleeve race jersey on a summers evening if you're working hard. I have a DHB Event shell which I quite like as a wind proof when it's really cold and dry. If the pace is steady, it breathes well enough to be comfortable for several hours i.e. not getting progressively wetter. With better fabrics, you'll get wet from sweat at a lower rate, or will start to dry out when things cool down. If you're working really hard, then the rate of sweat build up might appear to be the same from one garment to the next. I rode last night and was slightly over dressed and had a windproof shell. I had loads of condensation on the inside. A plastic bag would have been only a bit worse.

As others have said, the DWR isn't what makes Gore tex waterproof. It keeps the face fabric drier for longer which helps with wet weather breathability. If it's dry, I don't think DWR or lack of, has any impact. I have a suspicion that consumer re-proofers adversely affect breathability. Nikwax wash in is wax based. How can coating a garment in wax maintain the same level of breathability? I'd like to be wrong on this. You might get a garment where the water beads on the surface, but I'm not sure it restores it to original performance. The exception is Paramo outdoor gear, which is non-membrane, just awesome and lives forever.

Webboo wrote:

PBlakeney wrote:

jerry3571 wrote:

I'm an old campaigner so got all types of base layers. I use thinner fleeces if it's cold and a cycling top for the pockets.
I have only used official products on my goretex so the Thompsons stuff is the last chance saloon for the jacket. Treated for the sake of science Both nikwax and Thompsons both smell the same. Both are breathable water repellents.
I do like to be on the warmer side when on the bike but that doesn't mean being overly warm, like anyone wouldn't want to be.

I thought waterproof Goretex products made and sold by Goretex were supposed to have a lifetime guarantee? Contact them if your jacket has lost it's proofness. If it's a third party manufacturer then that's different. Also, I could be wrong.

Apparently a life time guarantee for an outdoor jacket is a different sort of life time. I.E the length of time a jacket would reasonably be expected to last used regularly as it supposed to be used.

Sounds like a catch all get out clause to me. :?
A month, a year, 10 years?

Is Goretex pants?

Yes, quite literally.

Back in the mid-80s I knew several people who worked for Gore. At that point they were still developing ideas for their products including the Goretex. One of my close friends worked in their industrial coatings factory but was also given a number of fabric products.

He had socks, balaclavas, folios cases all made from Goretex. He also had a pair of Goretex underpants!!

No doubt these were all just gimmicky things to be tried and discounted but nevertheless they were trying out most things. I managed to get a couple of cheap ski jackets and a cagoule (hillwalking) and there was no doubt in my mind that compared to other products at the time Gore were miles ahead.

IIRC they even looked at a Goretex tent but it generally didn't work because whilst waterproof there was insufficient temperature gradient between the warm side (inside) and the cold side (outside) of the fabric. The theory being that this temperature gradient was needed to create a pressure differential which drove the water vapour through the fabric and hence the source of its breathability. Water vapour condensed on the inside of the tent making in perform no better that more traditional two skin tents, perhaps even worse as the Gore tent would be heavier and after being used for a night (heavier fabric plus the condensed vapour).

Since then other products have appeared and given Gore some serious competition.

I bought the Perfetto (Gore windstopper) and prefer to wear that even when raining. Keeping warm over dry is the better option, IMHO.

I use Paramo Nikwax stuff for walking and general dog walking. I've even worn their smock for MTB stuff although I have moved to a soft shell Windstopper now.