Waterproof membranes

Hales Smut

Well-Known Member
Gore-Tex , Sympatex, eVent, ......
I've been looking a bit around what to expect from waterproof membranes. Pressure points would need more than 10.000 rating, better closer to 20.000.
Gore-Tex has a rating from >28. 000 , Sympatex rates 45.000 . Most membranes are around 10.000 and some even only 5.000 to 8.000.

Do some users on here have bad experience with waterproof liners ? This with extreme use. Crawling in wet gras, heather, .......
 
In my experience gore tex is the only one that sort of works, though others come close like the top end Helly Hanson stuff, despite the numbers.

i also find that if it is cold and the membrane is not worn close to the skin the vapour will condense on the inside of the fabric whatever it is.

the ideal hasn't been invented yet imho.
 
I have had boots with both Gore-Tec and Sympatex and worn them until they were literally falling apart and they remained waterproof. I have also got a pair of boots with Gore-Tec lining that have never been waterproof, I think a lot depends on the manufacturing process.

Whatever the fabric that Fortis/Country Covers/Arktis use is brilliant but I'm not sure what it is. Same for Lowe Alpine's 'own brand' fabric.

The HM Queen and Sons issue MTP breathable stuff is great too especially when used as an unlinked shell. I have the POL sallopettes which are outstanding.
 
Whatever the fabric that Fortis/Country Covers/Arktis use is brilliant but.....
Polythene to stop the sweat getting out and with a liberal amount of holes pierced in it to let the rain in!! The worst coat I've ever had in my life, worse than even the Ridgeline smock as the Ridgeline is about a hundred and fifty quid cheaper.
Just successfuly got a refund through trading standards from Fortis/Country Covers after 26 months of lies and bull sh1*t fronm Oliver, terrible product sold by a terrible company run by terrible poeple, a disgrace the notion that buying British is buying best.
 
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Gore tex is only supplied to company's who are willing to resubmit there garments for further testing back at goretex, a true waterproof coat will have sealed joints and waterproof zips, if it has storm flaps etc, at sometime it will let you down. Another thing to remember is you need to keep it clean a build up of dirt will overtime render it useless , also never wash or clean with detergents, only Clearwater products. Hunt tec and stoney creek make a waterproof smock/ jacket that we sell as the only truely waterproof coat,( we don,t sell Swazi .
 
Polythene to stop the sweat getting out and with a liberal amount of holes pierced in it to let the rain in!! The worst coat I've ever had in my life, worse than even the Ridgeline smock as the Ridgeline is about a hundred and fifty quid cheaper.
Just successfuly got a refund through trading standards from Fortis/Country Covers after 26 months of lies and bull sh1*t fronm Oliver, terrible product sold by a terrible company run by terrible poeple, a disgrace the notion that buying British is buying best.

Quite the opposite to my experience in every aspect but we can only speak as we find, I have been wearing their kit professionally for years and in all that time my only possible complaint could be that my oldest smock (8 yrs hard use) is starting to let in water across the shoulders in really heavy rain and one small pocket zip has just gone.
 
Kuiu Yukon !
keeps me dry.

Absolutely.. Toray Dermizax NX.. Beats gore tex and the rest both in my personal experience and very much on paper.. Also the most breathable waterproof garment I have ever owned.... By a long, long way!
 
im interested to read your comment son country covers , ive had nothing but bad experiance with the , i bought asmock that was wrong sized . sold it and bought a custom mad eone which leaked so badly in a rainstorm that it was dangerous as i was so cold , they denied any problems with it and i found them rude and arrogant
 
Not a membrane but if you're working hard on the hill then Paramo takes some beating.

The downsides are; it isn't up to crawling through the undergrowth and I find that the material itself is so slippery the stock tends to move around when shouldered.

It's a shame they aim their products at spotters and photographers rather than shooters, I'm sure they'd be able to come up with some top kit.
 
Just curious to see if mebranes used by Deerhunter, Seeland, Swedteam(covertex) , Ridgeline, ...... stand up to crawling for more than a few minutes in wet conditions.
Deertex only has a 10.000 rating.
 
Flexothane ?? Waterproof ??

To be honest, I don't belief very much in very waterproof and very breathable. That's why I only speak about waterproof membranes.

An Alaskan brown bear and moose guide, simply says : Nothing stops water like PVC . Most of these guys use Helly Hansen Impertech, wich I think, is very similar to Flexothane.
 
Problem is its too personal. Each and every one of us will react differently in a fabric as we all sweat differently and again differently from one day to the next. What works for one may not for another. Also the way you layer changes things massively. I have had all types Gortex, Deertex, Hyvent, and the dreaded Ridgeline Smock.. That said the Ridgeline Smock if worn right by me works. If I get my layering wrong in it then that's my fault and I sweat too much but for crawling and Laying in wet grass its really good.
 
I gave up on waterproof membranes years ago (apart from cheap 'disposable' gore tex kit when working on the croft). For the last decade I've used a ventile jacket by Snowsled for both hunting as for in the Scottish hills. Very quiet material and it has never let me down in the foulest of conditions. The fabric can get a bit stiff when wet in Winter but breathability is second to none.
 
I'm with vital spark, the ventile I have used has been the best by far.
All the other membranes can only work by transferring gas (damp air) so fundamentally can't work in the rain.

when I'm puffin' and pecking the ventilation zips that open up a keela jacket come into their own.

I gave up on waterproof membranes years ago (apart from cheap 'disposable' gore tex kit when working on the croft). For the last decade I've used a ventile jacket by Snowsled for both hunting as for in the Scottish hills. Very quiet material and it has never let me down in the foulest of conditions. The fabric can get a bit stiff when wet in Winter but breathability is second to none.
 
I'm with vital spark, the ventile I have used has been the best by far.
All the other membranes can only work by transferring gas (damp air) so fundamentally can't work in the rain.

when I'm puffin' and pecking the ventilation zips that open up a keela jacket come into their own.

Incorrect.. They will work fine in the rain as long as a) the surface fabric has not 'wet out' and b) there is less than 100% humidity.. Raining does not = 100% humidity. Even then the warm moist atmosphere inside the jacket will be pushed to the surface and bead rather her than evaporate, so, as long as the surface fabric is up to the task and register wetting out, a membrane system will still work.

Where it won't work and is therefore pointless, is in sub zero temperatures where the moisture transiting the membrane freezes on the surface rendering the system inoperable.

I have said this time and time again, the biggest mistake people make is to wear a waterproof jacket when they don't need to.. That part of a layering system should only be put on when it is actually raining. Other than with a few technologically advanced fabrics, condensation will always form, then, when it starts to rain the user assumes and then blames it on the jacket not being waterproof.. It is almost always condensation to blame... Keepnet he waterproof back until you actually need it.. Makes life far more comfortable!
 
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I have said this time and time again, the biggest mistake people make is to wear a waterproof jacket when they don't need to.. That part of a layering system should only be put on when it is actually raining.

Intresting. In this case the rain jacket has to be very light an packable ? Not to be to cumbersome to carry all day.
A good windproof softshell ( Kuiu Guide DCS jacket) in combination with a waterproof shell could be O.K
 
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