Gore-Tex for Rain Gear

[bipock]

I bought a set of GoreTex rain gear (Cabelas brand) maybe 10 years ago for a trip to Alaska. Didn't take it on my elk hunt last year as weather forecasts showed it wouldn't be needed. Lesson learned on that one.

As I am planning for this year, rain gear is high on the list. I see alot of people recommending the Sitka Dewpoint as rain gear, which is GoreTex too.

How much has GoreTex changed in the last 10 years? I probably haven't worn this set more than 5 times in 10 years, so I don't really want to invest in something I have that would work. My set isn't exactly quiet, so I'm not sure how it would work for bow hunting in the rain, but I'm not sure it's any louder than all the DWR nylon stuff/Gore Tex I'm seeing either.

Any thoughts or guidance?

 

[well_known_rokslider]

General consensus is anything that is not rubberized crab fishing type rain gear will inevitably soak through eventually. If you're actually walking around, brushing up against vegetation, you're going to get wet. If you're curious how well your stuff will still hold up, turn on the hose and see how long it keeps you dry and see if that duration is acceptable!

 

[Brewski]

If your cabelas gear is in good condition (check the inside seams to make sure they are still seam sealed) then all you need to do is wash and retreat with Nikwax. I also have the 10 year old cabelas goretex rain gear and I wash and re treat a month or so before every hunting season. I just bought the Sitka Dewpoint jacket as a backup and it is noticeably louder and thinner than the cabelas.

Hardshell DUO-Pack - Nikwax NA

The Nikwax Hardshell DUO-Pack is the complete care system for cleaning and re-waterproofing wet weather clothing. Non-flammable and PFAS-free.

nikwax.com

 

[Macintosh]

Gore makes/made like 10 different laminates all collectively called “gore tex”. In addition, it seemed every few years they changed all the fabric names, so its virtually impossible to really compare without really going deep. It is also complicated by the face fabric, which makes a difference as well. So without very specific info on exactly which fabric it is, its not possible to directly compare to another jacket.
What does matter is if you havent really used it, it doesnt just wear out from a few years, assuming it hasnt been sitting in the sun/elements the whole time. Also, the dwr treatments 10 years ago were better than what you can get today, so theres a good bet your old set is actually better than a new set of the “same” thing.
My $$ says unless its one of their basic fabrics with a drop lining (and therefore really heavy/bulky, etc) follow the care instructions to wash any dust off, dry it according to care instructions ( a dryer actually helps the dwr in many cases) and dont look back.

 

[rayporter]

test it so ya know.

 

[Laelkhunter]

I agree with Brewski. Get some Nikwax and retreat what you have. It must be clean (free from dust & dirt) for the Nikwax to work correctly. Follow the directions on the bottle, and throw it in the dryer to set the Nikwax which will make the garment more water resistant.
All of the new "rain" garments are really expensive for the good stuff especially Sitka (I have the Sitka Cloudburst). For something you may not even use, I would just retreat what I had and use it.