Hello I have head that fabrics used in breathable drysuits (like Gortex, Triton, Tropos and others) can get "clogged" with salt when used in a salt water environment. Is this true? If yes, which fabric is least susceptible to this problem? How do you wash out the salt to return the garmet to make it "like new" again? Derek --------------------------------------------------------------- Please limit all email attachments sent to this address to a maximum of 0.5MB. All email attachments that are larger then 0.5MB will automatically be deleted. --------------------------------------------------------------- ICQ: 262152266, AIM: GlamourpetsD, MSN: [my email address], Yahoo Messenger: glamourpets --------------------------------------------------------------- ____________________________________________________________________________________ Finding fabulous fares is fun. Let Yahoo! FareChase search your favorite travel sites to find flight and hotel bargains. http://farechase.yahoo.com/promo-generic-14795097 *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Derek wrote: > I have head that fabrics used in breathable drysuits (like Gortex, > Triton, Tropos and others) can get "clogged" with salt when used in a > salt water environment. Is this true? If yes, which fabric is least > susceptible to this problem? How do you wash out the salt to return the > garmet to make it "like new" again? Kokatat recommends you rinse the garment each day of use on salt water: fresh if you've got it, and salt if you have to. As to "like new," read on. I don't know about "clogging" or even what that might mean for such a laminate, but the presence of microscopic salt crystals, aside from the remote possibility of mechanical injury to the PTFE layer*, will attract water, and reduce the water-repelling characteristics of the DWR coating. The DWR coating is an important piece of how Goretex and similar fabrics work. I've found that once a Goretex garment is "wetted" with water, so that the surface droplets of water do not bead up, its breathability is very limited, and you might just as well be wearing 100% nonbreathable raingear. Consequently, I renew the DWR when it begins to fail; used to be Revivex was the stuff; now, it's Grainger's. I get a couple seasons between treatments. YMMV. *Note: the pore size in the PTFE layer of these garments is enormous in size relative to the typical size of salt crystals likely to form near/within them, unless you allow the thing to become a "stand-alone" garment, not a likely prospect for a paddle jacket or a dry suit in active use. Hence, the chance that a salt crystal will "cut" a hole in the PTFE layer is remote. As to "clogging," what specific layer is supposed to get clogged, Derek? -- Dave Kruger Astoria, OR *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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