Topic: My new waterproofs :( (Read 4938 times)

Are we there yet? · « **on:** December 19, 2012 »

A while ago i asked for some recommendations before i purchased new waterproof items... Items purchased were,
Sprayway trousers, Cotwold Boucher
Montane Venture jacket, Jackson's
Scarpa boots Terra GTX Cotwold Boucher...among a few other things..

Ive worn all of the above many times since my purchase but they had never been out in any bad weather worth mentioning, so, when I woke up this morning to torrential rain and howling wind... i thought, Perfect! The same conditions i was in when my last waterproofs let me down so badly. So, getting everyone organised quick sharp and away to school, I set off for my normal weekday walk as it was just starting to get light...

On route to the top i was met by a small river cascading, great! My boots had seen lots of mud over the last few weeks but not much water and when i got to the top i tried to stay out in the open as much as possible. An hour into the walk all seemed well.

On the way back down i was treated to 5 red squirels bouncing through the bare trees.. so stayed for a good 5 min's or so watching them.
1hr 40 min's i was back at the car and although my thighs were a little damp, considering how many times the trousers were through the wash (30degrees easy care, no fabric conditioner) and hadnt been treated as of yet, i was quite pleased... until i got home and cooled down, the only parts of me that were dry were my back, lower legs, (i was wearing gaiters) and upper arms and feet..

Signed

Not happy.... but mainly gutted

LandyLiam · « **Reply #1 on:** December 19, 2012 »

could it that your under layers are cotton fabrics and drawing the water in? i found this in my craghoppers trousers, my legs would often get wet as high as the knee and i thought my waterproof trousers where the problem, but my new montane trousers only get slightly damp around the ankle now

LandyLiam · « **Reply #2 on:** December 19, 2012 »

p.s. at least the new gear looks really cool

Are we there yet? · « **Reply #3 on:** December 19, 2012 »

Quote from: LandyLiam on December 19, 2012

could it that your under layers are cotton fabrics and drawing the water in? i found this in my craghoppers trousers, my legs would often get wet as high as the knee and i thought my waterproof trousers where the problem, but my new montane trousers only get slightly damp around the ankle now

I wasnt wearing any on the bottom and my top base layer is T-shirt style synthetic.. im not kidding when i say the inside front panels of the jacket were soaking.

I'm baffled as to how a crappy pair of £20 Regatta w/p trousers and even the cheapy jacket that werent cared for at all for 3 years even during the heavy snow and nastiest weather on the mountains have trumped the ones i replaced them with?
To make matters worse, i'm not a whole lot good at complaining $:-\$

Quote from: LandyLiam on December 19, 2012

p.s. at least the new gear looks really cool

They really do!

lol

LennyJ1 · « **Reply #4 on:** December 19, 2012 »

Quote from: AnnieAnne on December 19, 2012

Quote from: LandyLiam on December 19, 2012
could it that your under layers are cotton fabrics and drawing the water in? i found this in my craghoppers trousers, my legs would often get wet as high as the knee and i thought my waterproof trousers where the problem, but my new montane trousers only get slightly damp around the ankle now

I wasnt wearing any on the bottoms and my top base layer is T-shirt style synthetic.. im not kidding when i say the inside front panels of the jacket were soaking.

I'm baffled as to how a crappy pair of £20 Regatta w/p trousers and even the cheapy jacket that werent cared for at all for 3 years even during the heavy snow and nastiest weather on the mountains have trumped the ones i replaced them with?
To make matters worse, i'm not a whole lot good at complaining $:-\$

Quote from: LandyLiam on December 19, 2012
p.s. at least the new gear looks really cool

They really do! lol

Just get on the emails or phone up the companys.

twentyclicks · « **Reply #5 on:** December 19, 2012 »

Is it the new Venture with the exposed zips? I've had mine 18months now and it's the most breathable jacket I've tried. I wear it running sometimes. There's nothing on the inside to be 'soaked' - the fabric does be wet sometimes and my base layer can be damp through (especially the merino) but it really is nothing compared to not wearing waterproofs... I'm regularly wringing out my softshell trousers and socks these days leaden with excess water

If it was really blasting it will wet you through the face-hole in the hood and can soak up from the wrists. If there was a leak you will see it in a particular area. I've also had the pockets fill with some water if the zips are open a bit, but they should be taped too. I actually find the jacket noticeably cool due to how well the evaporation happens, but if the humidity is near 100% then nothing is going to evaporate and there is no gradient for the moisture to pass out along (only Paramo will work in such conditions as the fibres 'pump' the moisture in one direction regardless. Hard rain will temporarily force through...not so hard rain for my Rab VapourRise softshell which works the same way).

I'm not saying you are wrong in your experience, I'm just surprised based on my own and wonder if the conditions were just too bad for anything to work perfectly? The fact everything was damp and not one bit of kit suggests one over-riding factor. I'd give them another go before giving up on them, and think the main point to take away is that you were comfortable and didn't notice until you got home.

Are we there yet? · « **Reply #6 on:** December 19, 2012 »

I do value your opinion TC, you know that.. when i went out, i was in full trial mode.. and made sure the zips were properly sealed, with tissue in pocket (that was wet through on return) when i cooled down i was uncomfortably wet and cold, the last time i had experienced that was when i had decided it was time to replace my gear that i had worn for 3 years without a problem, that i mentioned earlier. That was a quick walk for me and i was also close to home, but its not unusual for me to head off into the hills on a day like this either, the only difference i could be away 4+ hours instead of 1hr 40 mins and a lot higher and more exposed than what i was this morning. I'm at a bit of a loss here what else to say considering my experience, and still trying to take on board what you have said.. i understand that waterproof will only sustain so much of a battering from the rain, but to feel so wet in such a short space of time? can that be right?
I will of course give them another go, i'm just not so sure i want to be in the mournes when i do so, which is where i wanted them for...

twentyclicks · « **Reply #7 on:** December 19, 2012 »

hmm... just be sure to have some spare insulation like a fleece to add if things do cool down.
Only other thing is to go out with one or two other people and compare everyone's clothes at the end to cross-check how the gear reacts to the conditions. If they are NI-Wilders could maybe do a report listing weather, gear, subjective and objective observations, photos?

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Author Topic: My new waterproofs :( (Read 4938 times)

Are we there yet?

My new waterproofs :(

LandyLiam

Re: My new waterproofs :(

LandyLiam

Re: My new waterproofs :(

Are we there yet?

Re: My new waterproofs :(

LennyJ1

Re: My new waterproofs :(

twentyclicks

Re: My new waterproofs :(

Are we there yet?

Re: My new waterproofs :(

twentyclicks

Re: My new waterproofs :(

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