UKH

I don't have access to a tumble dryer so my options are iron or hair dryer.

Which would people recommend, and what setting to use?

Do i re-activate when the garment is still damp, or when dry?

Doesn't matter, it never works anyway!

Try Nikwax instead?

Or, I just brushed some Fabsil Gold on my soft top car (ooh, get me!) and can see the water beading up beautifully on it weeks later. Not sure if it's recommended for nylon though so do check!

Historically you needed heat to activate the likes of TX Direct, but that's is no longer the case - air drying works perfectly fine.

We filmed the following a few months ago, which may or may not be of help, although ignore the various cups that need washing (I didn't realise they were in frame): https://www.ukclimbing.com/videos/categories/product_videos/how_to_wash_and...

Thanks for that - I wasn't aware of the PFC issues....

Interestingly the Montane website still says to tumble dry or iron.......

Interesting, I'll have to have a word with them next time I see them.

FWIW, I think the vast majority of people are unaware. It's further complicated by the fact that it used to be a requirement and that's probably what sticks within most people's memory. For me it was probably the biggest barrier to re-proofing, as I don't own a tumble drier - or an iron - so it was an absolute pain!

We've got plans to do another film on washing/proofing a down jacket, which should act as a good social experiment, as that's always something that's terrified me.

Wish me luck!!

Fabsil is silicone based and designed with tents and rucksacks in mind. As such, it isn't suitable for breathable membranes (i.e. GoreTex). I'm presuming - rightly or wrongly - it'd clog the pores within the membrane, which would have a massively detrimental effect on breathability.

Indeed - no matter what I've tried, it never seems to last longer than about 5 minutes of rain before wetting through.

That's on various waterproof jackets and kayaking cags and making all efforts to clean the washing machine out really well first and using Tech wash and extra rinses and drying/not drying after washing before reproofing, etc, etc.

Was that ever the case? No-one told me when I was selling the stuff in the 90s...

The tumble-dryer heat treatment was supposed to reactivate the original DWR in the fabric - I suppose that might no longer apply with the newer eco-friendly DWRs? Not that it ever worked wonders, but that's what the Montane guidance is clearly about so presumably they still think its worth doing:

https://montane.com/pages/waterproof-aftercare

The other thing to consider is potential damage using a tumble drier. As manufacturers aim for more eco-friendly substances, I don't think the seam seal tape on modern, lightweight waterproofs is anyway near as robust to high temperatures as it is on older garments. It might well detach if you're not very careful.

I'm pretty certain my bottle of TX-Direct says to tumble dry the garment afterwards, and it's only a year or so old. However I've just looked at the Nikwax site and it says it's not necessary :-/.

I'm not sure why no one told you, but given that it was the advice printed within the instructions on the bottle, the information was very much out there. I can't remember exactly when this changed, but it was only quite recently - hence why our other poster's bottle still has it printed on.

The change only happened within relatively recent history, so that could explain why.

Ah.

I'm a fan of those American silicone jackets, proofed both sides but well ventilated. When it rains they're better than membranes, when it doesn't they can stay in the pack.

Shame nobody makes decent ones over here. 

Just cleaned a very old down jacket, 25-30 y.o. (Lightline I think). Used the Grangers kit with the fancy spiky balls to fluff up the down when tumbling.
It's come out beautifully.
I was on the point of binning it prior to trying to wash it.
Go for it.

Thanks, that gives me hope!

If you machine wash quick cycle cold or 30, with Tech Wash (and no other detergent or conditioners) and use either down proof, polar proof or TX Direct (actually I'm not sure they are vastly different) in the fabric softener part of the wash depending what you are washing them it "works" without tumble drying. If you don't need to wash again making up solution of the relevant water repellent in a bucket with slightly warm water and spending time to kneed the item in the water, you can watch the water slowly go clear as the garment picks it up and this takes a bit of time 5 or 10 minutes of doing that. Wear rubber gloves. Hang to dry.

Once air dried, tumble drying (if garment ok) for a short while helps because it fluffs the fibres on the surface which helps the water repellent work. So it's helpful but not essential.

In my experience re-treating stuff is never as good as new, but definitely better than not doing it.

I did this with 2 pairs of over trousers, 1 jacket, 1 fleece and a fibre pile (remember those?) in the last week. 

Thanks.

Wow. Fibre pile. Was that invented by the makers of windproof jackets?

Wash it in TX Direct or similar.

Be very wary of tumble drying jackets.  Some shrink.  I've ruined fleeces that way.

I think the twice I’ve bothered doing i’ve hung the jacket out to dry and realised the material had worn thin around the shoulders (assume rucksack straps)… nothing reproofing can do about that…

(and yes you would think i should have learnt after the first time