GORE-TEX® Rainwear Care

GORE-TEX® products are not only built to last, they're easy to take care of too. Routine care and maintenance will ensure the highest performance from them and extend their useful lifespan.

It's critical that you clean your GORE-TEX® products frequently, relative to the level of use and even if your garment does not appear soiled. Dirt, perspiration, body oils and sunscreens can build up over time and affect your product's performance.

Follow the manufacturer's recommended care instructions, which are typically found on an inside tag, and yourGORE-TEX® products will be ready to go when you are.

Restoring Water Repellency

'Wet out' can put a real damper on your day. Wet out occurs when water saturates your garment's outer fabric layer above the GORE-TEX® membrane, as opposed to water beading and rolling off, leaving you feeling damp and clammy - as if your garment were leaking, even when it's not.

DWR is not permanent. Regular wear and tear, plus exposure to dirt, detergents, insect repellent and other impurities can shorten its lifespan. The good news is that restoring the water repellency of your GORE-TEX® shell is easy.

To restore water repellency, simply machine wash your garment, rinse it and put it in the tumble dryer, being sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions on the care label attached to the inside of your garment. Washing removes dirt and other contaminants and the heat from the dryer helps redistribute the DWR treatment on the fabric surface.

Once the garment has been cleaned and tumble dried, you can test the DWR's performance by putting a few droplets of water on the outer fabric. If the water beads up and rolls off, you have effectively restored the DWR. If the water fails to bead up on the surface and appears to soak into the surface fabric, the DWR treatment on your garment has reached the end of its useful life. You can restore the garment's DWR water repellency by applying a topical water repellency restorative (DWR treatment) for outdoor fabrics, available at Mountain Designs stores.