Gore-Tex + Gore-Tex Care

Camping and Outdoor Equipment

Gore-Tex And Gore-Tex Maintenance

Gore-Tex

You will not be able to buy Gore-Tex clothing itself but instead clothing and footwear that incorporates Gore-Tex within it. If you do purchase camping clothing items to add to your camping and outdoor equipment with Gore-Tex incorporated in it then you will be buying items of clothing that will definitely be more comfortable when outdoors. Any particular item of camping clothing may feature Gore-Tex itself or another Gore membrane in one or several different applications. Each of the Gore membranes offers different kinds of weather protection and comfort levels.

There are 4 different types of Gore-Tex membranes and each one offers a mix of characteristics that can be matched to the particular outdoor conditions you are likely to encounter when out camping. These characteristics are breathability, water protection and wind protection. Depending upon your location and time of year when camping each characteristic has it’s importance level. Every Gore brand is windproof but it is only Gore-Tex that is completely waterproof. And what we mean by waterproof is that no water from the outside can get in. Breathability means that your natural body moisture vapour can pass through the clothing and evaporate in the outside air.

Gore-Tex itself is very breathable, completely waterproof and totally windproof. With this attributes it makes it perfect for rain, snow, the cold and wind. Gore-Tex happens to be also extremely durable so combined with it’s attributes it is a perfect substance to incorporate in to any camping and outdoor equipment clothing. Gore-Tex is made of 2 substances. The first is a membrane which contains 9 billion pores per square inch. Each pore is smaller than a droplet of water. Liquid water can be blocked and the water vapour is allowed to pass whilst the material does not absorb any of the moisture. This membrane is incorporated in one or more of several techniques.

When you purchase an item of camping and outdoor equipment that contains Gore-Tex within it you will know that the particular item of outdoor wear is expensive. You have invested good money in an excellent product that should give you years of high quality service. In order to receive these years of high quality service you need to maintain and take exceptional good care of your product.

Washing

In order to get the most from your Gore-Tex wear it is imperative that you always keep it clean. After a while on the trail the garment can get quite dirty, so as a rule try to wash it after every outdoor trip you take. In any Gore-Tex product there is always a label sewn in to it with washing and care instructions explained for you. But taking care of Gore-Tex products is usually quite easy to do. When it comes to washing them you can simply wash them in a washing machine at a warm water temperature with a powdered detergent. To dry the items you can simply tumble dry them on a medium heat. Liquid soaps and waterproof/breathable soaps are not recommended to be used when washing your items in a washing machine.

Water Resistant/Repellent Coating

Gore-Tex outwear has a DWR treatment on it’s outer surface. DWR stands for durable water repellent. So to enhance and maximise both water resistance and breath ability Gore-Tex products are treated with DWR. The DWR treatment makes water bead up and then just roll off an item of clothing. This means that the surface fabric is always clear so that any sweat and body heat can pass through the clothing from the inside without being obstructed. The DWR treatment also works to keep the outer surface of a garment drier so that heat loss through evaporation is minimised. Your outerwear will also remain light and comfortable during use thanks to the DWR treatment.

Now with constant exposure to the elements and continual machine washing the DWR treatment can wear off. This is not a fault of your garment but just general wear and tear. When DWR wears off the water that lands on the garment may not bead as it used to and the fabric may also begin to absorb some of the water.

So you need to renew your DWR and the way to do this is to wash the garment as recommended and then iron it using a warm steam setting on the iron. This should restore the water beading process on the surface of the fabric BUT only as long as there is the original water repellent treatment present.

But there is no permanent water treatment available unfortunately for garments, so in time your Gore-Tex wear will have a depleted DWR. Do not worry, this does not mean that your camping clothing is redundant. You can use a spray on water repellent treatment to the surface of the garment. This process can be repeated as many times as you like or require.

Last Resort

Many people think that performance failures with their Gore-Tex items means the end of the working life of those garments. But in most cases it is just the DWR coatings wearing off, which they will just due to wear and tear. The symptoms experienced to a garment when the DWR wears off are.

1- The particular item of wear will appear wet on the outside. This is due to the fact that the fabric will absorb water.

2- When worn the item of clothing will feel heavier to the wearer. This again is due to water absorption.

3- When worn the particular item of clothing will collect condensation on the inside. Any water of the fabric surface will work to lower the actual temperature of the fabric itself. This will cause humid and warm air inside the garment to condense making it feel wet. The obvious thought here is to believe that the item of clothing is leaking.

So if you are experiencing any of these symptoms with your camping gear then try to restore the DWR first before throwing the clothing away and replacing it. You could well be pleasantly surprised and in turn save yourself a small fortune by not having to buy a new item of clothing.

Leaks

If you go outside when on a camping trip and it is raining and you find that after a couple of minutes you have amounts of moisture inside your Gore-Tex wear then it is highly likely that you have a serious leak. This leak can be the result of a defective seam, a fabric problem or actual damage to the garment through a rip or tear. Check out the garment thoroughly and if you find a rip or tear then you can repair it with a Gore-Tex patch. However if you can not locate an obvious problem then you need to return the garment so it can be professionally evaluated.

Removing Stains

When it comes to keeping you garment clean you may discover staining on it prior to you placing it in the washing machine. Do not fret as stains can be easily removed.

1- Before placing the garment in a washing machine treat the stain or stains with an aerosol pre wash treatment.

2- Wash the garment immediately using warm water and a detergent. If the stains are heavy this process may need to be repeated.

3- Tumble dry the garment on a medium heat setting

4- Touch up the stained area with a warm iron.

5- For serious and deep stains such as tree sap you need to check out a dry cleaning service or even contact the manufacturer.

Dry Cleaning

You can dry clean certain items that have used Gore-Tex in the making of them. These particular garments are of silk or wool. You should not clean these types of garments in a washing machine and only have them dry cleaned. When you take the garments to a dry cleaner always ask for a clear distilled solvent rinse and then a spray repellent, to ensure that your garment comes back to you in good condition with it’s function ability still intact.

Gore-Tex Down Items

You may have a clothing garment that uses both Gore-Tex and a down insulation. If so then you must remember to NEVER dry clean this particular garment. The dry cleaning will take all the oil from the down feathers meaning that they will lose their loft and warmth making your garment redundant. To keep a down garment clean machine wash it in cold temperatures with a mild detergent. You can tumble dry it on a low heat setting and then if required you can touch it up with a warm iron.

Salt Water

Salt water does not in any way, shape or form affect the performance of a Goer-Tex piece of clothing. However salt is a desiccant which means that it does attract water to it. So to prevent salt accumulation on your Gore-Tex outerwear, just simply wash down the garment now and then with fresh water.

Gore-Tex has been a revolution in the outdoor activity world and anyone involved in camping or other such outdoor activities should always have a Gore-Tex product within their camping and outdoor equipment.

Gore-Tex LTD

With this the Gore-Tex membrane is actually bonded to the fabric that is used as the garment’s lining. This means that the Gore-Tex is closer to the skin of the user. This makes it the best way from taking moisture vapour away from the skin when the wearer sweats.

Gore.Tex Z-Liners

These liners are hung between the outer shell and lining of any camping clothing. The result here is a complete fully seam sealed piece of clothing.

The Gore Windstopper

The Gore wind stopper membrane is another product from Gore-Tex. Where this membrane is breathable and completely windproof, it is not waterproof and will not offer any protection against water. It is ideal for wearing in cool and windy conditions when camping or pursuing outdoor activities. The wind stopper fabric is made by laminating the windstopper fabric to a high performance fabric. It is especially effective and mostly used in creating wind proofing fleece that is used for outwear, gloves and hats. When the weather takes a turn for the worse and becomes colder, these items come in to their elements as they are twice as warm as ordinary fleece, yet just as breathable.

Gore Dryloft

This is extremely breathable, completely windproof and water resistant. It is generally found in sleeping bags and cold weather parkas. What it does is to keep insulation dry from the inside and avoid any moisture build up that can occur from light rain and snow. It also copes with water vapour from sweat.

Gore Activent

This is the most breathable, water resistant and windproof fabric available that has been designed and developed for outdoor activities.

Two Layer Gore-Tex Fabric

Here there is a high performance fabric that has the Gore-Tex membrane bounded in to it. The purpose and result of this is a piece of clothing that is supple and lightweight perfect for weather protection.

Three Layer Gore-Tex Fabric

Here there is a high performance fabric that has the Gore-Tex membrane bound in to it and then a knit liner fabric bonded to the other side. This has been designed to give the user ultimate durability and is often used to strengthen any weak wear areas in two layer garments.

Gore-Tex Care And Maintenance

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