Best reproofing suggestion for Castelli Perfetto

[atoz]

Hi all. My Castelli Perfetto top's ability to shrug off rain is now not great. This was never it's best feature but having much use over the years has obviously taken it's toll. It dates from 2018 so I was an early adopter. I still use it for cold rides but not for rainy days. I now have a Lusso Perform jacket that does a better job in those conditions. Had I been aware of the Lusso then or it's then equivalent I probably wouldn't have bought the Perfetto, but you live and learn.

Question is, can anyone suggest a good reproofing method/product? I have reproofed in the past with Nikwax wash in reproofer but with not a lot of success.

PS for cold dry winter days it's still the business.

[pjclinch]

Nikwax and Grangers are the Usual Suspects, and yes they do work but no they don't work as well as the marketing makes you wish/hope, because marketing's like that...

But with either it's the case that a "reproof" binds to the existing DWR coat rather than simply replaces it, so if the original is gone (as opposed to depleted) you're pretty much stuck with substandard results.

A cool iron and/or tumble dry will often whizz up a freshly applied wash-in or spray-on reproof, at least a bit.

Pete.

[atoz]

Yes I suspected as much. Thanks anyway. The Perfetto has seen a lot of use, and given the type of cold weather we're now getting, even more, so I will screw more life out of it.

[slowster]

Did you use Nikwax's Tech Wash to clean the garment? Nikwax states that garments should be cleaned with Tech Wash before using TX.Direct Wash-In to add/revive water repellency. My understanding is that detergent based products should never be used on garments with a DWR coating, so Tech Wash or similar is the only cleaning product that should ever be used, whether or not it is followed by treating the garment with TX.Direct Wash-In.

From Nikwax's comments about TX.Direct Wash-In and Tech Wash, it seems that if a detergent is used instead of Tech Wash, residues of the detergent in the garment will then inhibit any subsequent TX.Direct Wash-In treatment.

[atoz]

Yes I did use Tech wash before using the proofing wash. I have never used detergent with the Perfetto. I have always made sure the detergent compartment in the washing machine is totally clear of any residue or contaminant. And after reproofing I used the revive reproofing setting on the tumble drier so the agent is activated.

I know from experience that there's a limit to how well this works. I still have an old Mountain Equipment down walking jacket that still has a small level of water beading off- after 25 years. It was of course much better originally. However this jacket was expensive (I was lucky it was sale price due to discontinued stock). Apparently the current product is top end and ruinously expensive. The Perfetto is not in that quality and price range. Mind you I have a Lusso l/s jersey that has decent water beading and it was only £55 to buy!

[Tinkerbell]

A bit late to this party, but it might be worth trying Millerain wax. Millerain is a waxed cotton, but it’s a dry wax, so not like the old waxed Barbour type - which is why the wax might be useable.

https://www.walkerandhawkes.com/shop/be ... ssing-40ml

[pjclinch]

A bit late to this party, but it might be worth trying Millerain wax. Millerain is a waxed cotton, but it’s a dry wax, so not like the old waxed Barbour type - which is why the wax might be useable.

https://www.walkerandhawkes.com/shop/be ... ssing-40ml

Waxes work as waterproofing by filling up all the holes. Which keeps the water out but the same holes that let water in also make it breathable for air flow.

So good for your cotton duck panniers, perhaps, but I don't think great on a light cycling coat

Pete.

[Tinkerbell]

A bit late to this party, but it might be worth trying Millerain wax. Millerain is a waxed cotton, but it’s a dry wax, so not like the old waxed Barbour type - which is why the wax might be useable.

https://www.walkerandhawkes.com/shop/be ... ssing-40ml

Waxes work as waterproofing by filling up all the holes. Which keeps the water out but the same holes that let water in also make it breathable for air flow.

So good for your cotton duck panniers, perhaps, but I don't think great on a light cycling coat

Pete.

This is true, but the OP’s jacket is no longer waterproof and the usual treatments such as Nikwax have not helped. Application of wax to the vulnerable areas (shoulders, front and upper arms) leave breathable areas and provide a reasonably weatherproof jacket.

I have a cycling jacket made for Pearson that has millerain patches on the front, arms, etc and is reasonably weatherproof as well as breathable.

Edit to include review of Pearson jacket - https://www.base-mag.com/review-pearso ... ry-jacket/

[pjclinch]

A bit late to this party, but it might be worth trying Millerain wax. Millerain is a waxed cotton, but it’s a dry wax, so not like the old waxed Barbour type - which is why the wax might be useable.

https://www.walkerandhawkes.com/shop/be ... ssing-40ml

Waxes work as waterproofing by filling up all the holes. Which keeps the water out but the same holes that let water in also make it breathable for air flow.

So good for your cotton duck panniers, perhaps, but I don't think great on a light cycling coat

This is true, but the OP’s jacket is no longer waterproof ...

That's not quite what they said!

The "shrugging off" water of the beading coat (DWR) isn't what does the actual waterproofing, but in helping stop the outer saturating it keeps the garment breathable for longer in the rain. Granger's/Nikwax products in this context are DWR beading treatments, not actually waterproofing (marketing has a lot to blame for this very common misconception).

Coat it in wax and it won't breathe at all.

Pete.

[AndyK]

Follow Castelli's own instructions and try a spray-on, not a wash-in.

"We recommend spray-on finishes (such as Nikwax SoftShell Proof™ and McNette) rather than wash-in finishes as it will affect the moisture management."

https://www.castelli-cycling.com/GB/en/ ... oduct-care