Time to reapply that good ol’ water-repellant finish.
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Getting caught in a downpour is unpleasant in the first place. It’s even more unpleasant when your raincoat fails to be a raincoat any longer because, ahem, you have not been giving your jacket the proper annual care.
I found myself in this particular circumstance during a rainstorm in Bushwick, Brooklyn, back in 2014, when my trusty Patagonia raincoat proved to be no longer waterproof. I decided it was high time to re-apply some waterproof coating, but found out that I’d been waiting about six years too long—you should re-waterproof a raincoat about once per year.
Rain jackets are coated in durable water-repellant (DWR) finish, a hydrophobic glaze that allows the coats to be breathable, yet waterproof. It lets water vapor—like sweat—out, but keeps rain from getting in. This coating thins throughout the course of normal wear, and it’s susceptible to harsh chemicals like DEET, the active ingredient in insect repellent. Without a DWR finish, the raincoat is just a coat. So, you’ll need to waterproof it again.
But first, you need to wash it, because when the DWR wears away, it lets in nasty particles, like sweat and dirt. Use a detergent meant for waterproof clothes, like Nikwax Tech Wash, which won’t ruin the fabric (a regular detergent might), but will remove whatever’s been building up in the absence of a repellant coating.
After washing the jacket, rinse it, and hang it while it’s still wet. Now comes the time for re-waterproofing: Spray the jacket—and spray it really well—with a waterproofing spray. I like ReviveX Spray-On Water Repellent. Then put the jacket in the dryer, and when it comes out, it should be hydrophobic again. You can test it by sprinkling some water on the coat. If it beads up, you’re all set.
Now, if your raincoat is less-than-waterproof for any other reason—like a hole in the sleeve from getting too close to a fire or snags from brambles in the woods—no waterproofing spray is going to save you, there. In that case, it might be time for an upgrade.
Rachel Z. Arndt is the author of the essay collection Beyond Measure. Her writing has appeared in Quartz, The Believer, Fast Company, and elsewhere. She lives in Chicago.
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