Waterproofing Treatment for Outerwear?

[LEMJMcC]

Hi All-

 

Preparing for our first Alaska cruise and am wanting to treat a couple pair of pants with some sort of waterproofing.  What products have you found to do well?

 

Thanks.

[martincath]

Honestly, when it comes to waterproofing a pair of pants either buy them made that way or else buy a dirt-cheap pair of plasticky over-pants - the bits which move the most are the bits which are hardest to keep sufficient coating on, and while I don't want to fall foul of CCs naughty language no-no list I'm sure you get the idea that having dry calves really doesn't matter if your underoos are damp from rain sneaking in around a seam, shall we say - further up?

 

But if you've got a good waterproof jacket that hangs low enough to mean you're really only worried about say mid-thigh or lower - and note that you should check coverage when sitting, as in my experience it's things like being on a small boat taking pics of whales during liquid sunshine when you're unable to hold a brolly or reposition a coat because your hands are on a camera or binocs that are when your legs get the most rained on! - then I've had good luck over decades with Nikwax products.

[Coral]

I just have water proof clothing. I have a rain jacket and Gore-tex athletic shoes (Brooks Ghost). Water proof rain pants are not expensive.

[LEMJMcC]

4 minutes ago, Coral said:

Water proof rain pants are not expensive.

True, but they are one more article of clothing to pack.  I do have waterproof trail shoes and a raincoat that has some length to it.  I am planning to use some kind of fabric spray on a couple of my pants that can convert to shorts, assuming we'll hit rain on some of our excursions.  It may not work, but then again, it may...

 

Thanks.

[triiip42]

Hi @LEMJMcC, Especially for Alaska, we have used "Atsko" silicone water-guard...easily found on on-line shopping...Used it on hats, shoes, clothing, even cloth suitcases....In our experience it has not changed clothing color but YMMV. It has worked for us. 

[NengEuis]

I live in Alaska and treat our clothing often Who wants to buy more rain pants? Hell no. We use Nikwax direct spray on. Available in lots of places, got mine at REI. 

4b99daa9-c327-45c0-91ab-1aec73fd413a.avif

[Coral]

4 hours ago, NengEuis said:

I live in Alaska and treat our clothing often Who wants to buy more rain pants? Hell no. We use Nikwax direct spray on. Available in lots of places, got mine at REI. 

4b99daa9-c327-45c0-91ab-1aec73fd413a.avif 16.78 kB · 5 downloads

I have one pair. I will wear them multiple times if it rains more than once. Not a big deal.

[NengEuis]

20 minutes ago, Coral said:

I have one pair. I will wear them multiple times if it rains more than once. Not a big deal.

  Never mind 

Edited May 16 by NengEuis
never mind

[Northern Aurora]

I also live in Alaska.

 

My husband, a retired geologist, and I live active lives.  We have rain pants which easily fit over an outer layer.  Not only do we use them in Alaska we have used them in Northern Europe (such as Scandinavia, Northern Germany and Iceland), South America (such as the Falkland Islands, Ushuaia, Drake Passage and Antartica), Asia and a number of other areas.  These rain pants are more practical than trying to "water proof" conventional pants.

 

Never mind.

[wolfie11]

Frog Togs

[Coral]

19 hours ago, Northern Aurora said:

I also live in Alaska.

 

My husband, a retired geologist, and I live active lives.  We have rain pants which easily fit over an outer layer.  Not only do we use them in Alaska we have used them in Northern Europe (such as Scandinavia, Northern Germany and Iceland), South America (such as the Falkland Islands, Ushuaia, Drake Passage and Antartica), Asia and a number of other areas.  These rain pants are more practical than trying to "water proof" conventional pants.

 

It is just easy to throw them in a suitcase when traveling so you don't have a vacation ruined.

 

 

[objko]

From another thread on CC:

 

Kiwi Camp Dry Heavy Duty Water Repellent

Scotchgard 3M Fabric Water Shield 

Sof Sole Waterproofer

Bread bags, sans bread, over shoes

Edited May 28 by objko