CRUISING & DIVING

How To Revive Foul Weather Gear and Rain Jackets

On February 22, 2022
By Kimberly

Caring for Your Foul Weather Gear

Care of this very expensive investment is easy, but important since good foul weather gear is rather pricey.

Cost Per Wear

Cost per wear initially will seem rather high on your new foul weather jacket. Pretty soon, though, you will realize you are reaching for it as often on land as at sea. They are just so useful and practical, you will wear it over and over.

So, learning how to extend the life of your foul weather gear pays off in the end!

Thoroughly Dry After Each Use

After getting the jacket wet, if possible, allow the exterior to dry thoroughly over 24 hours, then turn it inside-out, and let the inside dry a well. If hanging it in the sun later does not completely dry it, then hang it inside in a climate-controlled space where there’s less moisture.

What If You Do Not Dry Your Gear

They will get moldy and icky very fast, and cause your skin to break out. And the smell is very unpleasant. If you see those black spots on the inside of your jacket, it will need to be thoroughly cleaned and dried and possibly re-waterproofed.

You may think after wearing the gear that the inside kept you completely dry, however, the cuffs, neck, bottom could have gotten a bit of rain blown on them, and the entire inside could have gotten sweaty. I air out the inside another 24 hours when possible. Perspiration can produce quite a bit of moisture inside.

Resuscitating Older Gear

Waterproofing your jacket is another way to prolong its life. My primary jacket was failing at repelling water, so I invested in a new jacket.

Then I discovered some fairly expensive rain proofing from Rust-Oleum called NeverWet Fabric Water Repelling Treatment. As expensive as it was, around $15, it was a 20^th the cost of a new jacket on sale, and with nothing to lose, I bought a bottle and picked a dry day to see if I could renew my old friend.

It Works!

It worked. It worked so well that at the next opportunity, I re-waterproofed two more heavy duty foul weather jackets shown above, as well as a couple lightweight windbreaker-type versions.

Keep Your Old Gear

Backups – It sure is nice to have your older jacket as a backup in case your number one foul weather jacket gets soaking wet and you need a second on day two.

Like out of date flares, keep your older jacket as a backup. If something happens and you soak one jacket, having a spare is rather nice. Or, you can loan it to someone who arrived unprepared.