DWR/Waterproofing Thread

i have the same flecktarn parka
i tried spray waterproofing
it didn't work because the weave is pretty loose
let me know how the waxing works out

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Use Greenland Wax from Fjällräven.

>>911661
huh. that sucks, I guess I'll give waxing it a shot.

>>911540
I remember seeing a video of someone waterproofing a nylon sheet with diluted silicone. That's more or less how the GI ponchos used to made. Wax seems like it would rub off.

>>911905
Yeah, and wax is a HELL of a lot heavier too. Use the synthetics at a sports store. It'll probably be 3-5x as expensive(Still less than $10 in total), but it'll make it not feel like a crusty old tarp. Also, you cant really effectively clean waxed fabric. You *CAN* wash the synthetic stuff(either with regular detergent, and reapplying the water resistance solution, or special detergent that keeps the replant layer intact)

It also depends if the fabric has any stretch to it, that will complicate things a bit.

>>911905
any ideas on how breathable that would be? I'm definitely interested in this.

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>>911936
>>912024
The parka is 80% cotton and 20% nylon, decent weave.
someone said the fabric is too loose to spray, what should I look out for? is there any way to test which is better?

>>912364
if the fabric is too loose to spray, it's too loose to spray. Sailors were waxing cotton back in the 1700s though, so i'd use wax. you can still wash it, just not in a washing machine. If it's impregnated with wax, it shouldn't pick up much stain/odor anyway

>>912360
Yes, I use a GI poncho. They don't breathe at all. If you want something water repellent and breathable, your options are goretex and tyvek. Tyvek can be picked up for free if you ask nicely at residential construction sites. Keep in mind that water repellent and water proof aren't the same thing.

>>911936
Silicone isn't water soluble, you never have to reapply it.

Collonil Carbon Pro spray. I used it to repair German raingear. And it is recommended for Sympatex/Goretex and for making any surface waterproof.

>>911540
camp dry does the job just fine. it's like 5-7$ a bottle. Anything you use will wear off over time.

Greenland wax is a jip @ $15 a bar. You can use Mr.Zoggs sex wax for like $3 a bar as long as you don't mind the fruity scents. Best delivery method is you get some naptha from the hardware store and shave off pieces of wax into a sealable container with some naptha, then you close it and place into boiling hot water to help it dissolve. Basically just paint that onto the parka and it will impregnate with the supple sex wax. Paraffin can be used too but it's sort of brittle for clothing. In the end camp dry is just silicone dissolved in naptha as well.

>>912629
i'm already turning my cotton jacket into a candle by putting wax in it. last thing i want to do is add naptha to the mix
>also cancer

I use Sno Seal on my boots and I have also successfully used it on a Gorka coat, you spread it all over and use a heat gun or hair dryer to melt it in even further into the weave. Works pretty good so far. A 1 quart of sno seal is like 20 bucks on amazon.

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I've only sloppily done the shoulders/sleeves/hood so far because I ran out of my first little 6oz can of sno seal and it's already insanely better at keeping out water.

link for you

https://www.amazon.com/Atsko-Sno-Seal-Original-Beeswax-Waterproofing/dp/B00CQJDV40/

>>911661
this

waterproofing cloth with spray just doesn't seem to work that well, and if/when it's totally waterproofed, it will be relatively heavy as fuck

>>911540
>>911661
I use a lot of Greenland wax myself. It will never make your garment water-proof but you can make it water resistant to a certain degree.

Waxing will change the feel of your clothes and also make them less breathable so I'd recommend that you start up with only waxing some areas of your parka. Try the shoulders, upper side of arms and the upper parts of your hood. In the beginning the waxed fabric will be quite stiff but after a bit of use it will get softer.
I use a hairdryer tomelt the wax into the fabric.

Good luck OP

>>912940
Thanks for all the help everyone. After researching suggestions and thinking about my needs/uses I decided on wax. I'm gonna take pics and hopefully post a few up in the next few days, hopefully get /out/ soon to try it in some (bad, but not too bad) weather.

>>913082
please do post pics. i'm the guy who posted first with the same parka and i want to see how it turns out

>>913111
I think imma dye mine first, but will do. As far as I could tell, greenland wax was better at it's job while being the least visible- the other two major brands on amazon (otter and bison?) were more visible, while working less well. snoseal looks super sloppy, which may not matter if it really works, but aside from anon here, no one talked about treating clothes with it- only leather.

If this works out, I've got a ton of things I'd like to treat so it's not like I won't have the opportunity to try all these.