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Topic Date User

OT Goretex Jackets - Reproofing or Replacing 15-Aug-2011 At 7:23:22 PM Mike Bee

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On 13/08/2011 JamesMc wrote:
>On 12/08/2011 rockotter wrote:
>>It's not a suit of armour, scrub bash at your peril.
>
>I've since had considerably more success with Hydronaute seems more durable.
> It's also cheaper so there's not so many tears when it finally fails.
>
>So the conclusion is replace the Goretex rain coat, but not with Goretex.
>
>JamesMc

The beefy versions of Hydronaute are certainly super durable. Things like the Tempest and Austral jacket have such awesome face fabrics that they'll last for years of hard scrub use. Mont (the guys who make Hydronaute jackets) are an Aussie company, and they make stuff for Aussie style trips.

The problem with a lot of goretex jackets these days is they simply aren't made for bush bashing. Most GTX brands are from overseas, either Europe or US. As a (very general) rule, the walking and climbing done over there is more developed than over here, and isn't as taxing on the outer fabric of a jacket. If you get somethign with a thin (ie lightweight) face fabric, it won't deal with scrub as well as something that has a thicker burlier face fabric.

Lightweight, almost disposable gear is the cutting edge in Europe, where is all about light and fast, but the truth is that it's relatively hard to get seriously bushwacked anywhere in western europe. If you're going on a 14 day trip in the Alps, you'll pass a hut every 2 or 3 days at the most. If something is wearing out early, you have a refuge and escape route.
If you go for 14 days to south west Tassie and your jacket is dying on day 8, you'll be in a bit of a pickle, and you'll wish that your shredded 350g goretex paclite was in fact a 700g Hydronaute Pro that wouldn't even be looking used yet.