Gore-Tex Jacket Wet Inside

[cofen380]

I bought an REI goretex rain jacket recently on sale, and yesterday was the first time I really got to test it out.

I was walking to my stand location and had the jacket on along with my pack and my stand, sticks etc. It wasn’t a downpour, but just a steady medium
rain. I definitely got pretty warm walking in, but I was only walking for maybe 20 minutes.

When I got to the stand I felt really wet under my jacket, took it off and it was soaked everywhere on the inside. I can’t imagine that I was sweating so much to cause that much moisture buildup, but it also seems unlikely that a brand new goretex jacket would leak that bad all over. I’m confused as to what happened. Any insight from those with more experience with goretex rainwear and perspiration would be really appreciated.

See pics attached



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[rbutcher1234]

Gore tex can have issues with wetting out because it cannot transfer moisture from inside the jacket to the outside fast enough. Especially if you are moving in the rain and sweating. Someone else may be able to explain it better, but you probably overwhelmed the fabrics thermal exchange rate. It’s the Achilles heel of gore tex. It’s also why I only use a gore tex layer when I am stationary and trying to “cook” my wet clothes back to dry.

 

[5MilesBack]

I can't walk 5 minutes with a rain jacket on without sweating it out on the inside.

 

[snowymtnwolf]

That’s never fun

Can you return the jacket and look for something else?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[cofen380]

That’s never fun

Can you return the jacket and look for something else?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I’m sure I could, I just want to make sure it’s the goretex and not my sweat before returning it. REI has a great return policy, so that doesn’t concern me


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[cofen380]

I can't walk 5 minutes with a rain jacket on without sweating it out on the inside.

So you’ve seen this happen with your jacket before? I want to make sure I’m not crazy


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[cofen380]

Gore tex can have issues with wetting out because it cannot transfer moisture from inside the jacket to the outside fast enough. Especially if you are moving in the rain and sweating. Someone else may be able to explain it better, but you probably overwhelmed the fabrics thermal exchange rate. It’s the Achilles heel of gore tex. It’s also why I only use a gore tex layer when I am stationary and trying to “cook” my wet clothes back to dry.

I’m hoping this is the case and not the goretex itself failing to stop rain from the outside. I might just have to really rethink my approach to rain gear while moving in warm weather.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Poser]

Gortex requires a pretty good temperature differential, something like 40 degrees temp difference between inside the garment and outside in order to effectively transfer moisture. Warm and high humidity is a recipe for failure.

 

[snowymtnwolf]

Yea I was just going to say - hot and humid is a recipe for disaster

For me - even when bone chilling cold out - I layer super light because I’ll sweat when hiking.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[SHTF]

I have some of the best Gortex Jackets out there and if you dont properly Vent your heat this is what youll get. High humidity also will do exactly what your seeing here. No amount of Gortex or any material for that matter will keep you dry if the humidity is high. May as well just go with a good merino insulation that will get wet but still keep you warn. That way your not cold from the moisture. Any rain jacket I get must have pit zips for me to open up so I can vent my heat out. Even that isnt always going to keep you dry though. Just gotta regulate your temps and find that happy medium.

 

[Bendejo]

Also, blocking the venting with a backpack covering 1/3 of the goretex surface area will diminish a lot of the breathability. Did the exterior fabric bead water, or wet out?

 

[SonnyDay]

Yeah, the dirty little secret of Gore-Tex is that the physics don't really work under many conditions. The claim is that water vapor can pass through the pores of the fabric, while water droplets cannot. The reality is that the water vapor condenses on the inside surface of the jacket (which is cooled by the rain to below the dew point).

Of course, there's some possibility that you got a bum jacket and it actually leaks. Should be able to test that in the shower at home.

There are some newer fabrics that outperform Gore-Tex in conditions like this. After all, Gore-Tex is a 50+ year old technology!

 

[cofen380]

Gortex requires a pretty good temperature differential, something like 40 degrees temp difference between inside the garment and outside in order to effectively transfer moisture. Warm and high humidity is a recipe for failure.

That makes sense. I’m probably underestimating the affect of the humidity and my exertion level


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[cofen380]

Yea I was just going to say - hot and humid is a recipe for disaster

For me - even when bone chilling cold out - I layer super light because I’ll sweat when hiking.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I’m probably just inexperienced in this area, that’s probably why it’s throwing me off to see that much moisture buildup


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[cofen380]

I have some of the best Gortex Jackets out there and if you dont properly Vent your heat this is what youll get. High humidity also will do exactly what your seeing here. No amount of Gortex or any material for that matter will keep you dry if the humidity is high. May as well just go with a good merino insulation that will get wet but still keep you warn. That way your not cold from the moisture. Any rain jacket I get must have pit zips for me to open up so I can vent my heat out. Even that isnt always going to keep you dry though. Just gotta regulate your temps and find that happy medium.

This is really helpful. NC humidity and temps are looking like the culprit here from what people are saying. Looking back I probably would have been better just wearing my core hoody and nothing else and just getting wet. Maybe putting the jacket on after getting in stand and cooling off.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[snowymtnwolf]

Sometimes there is no way to avoid “depending on conditions” but I would try to use a diff type jacket in the same environmental conditions to determine what the prob is

And double check layering to see if you can layer differently to reduce the wet jacket inside


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[cofen380]

Sometimes there is no way to avoid “depending on conditions” but I would try to use a diff type jacket in the same environmental conditions to determine what the prob is

And double check layering to see if you can layer differently to reduce the wet jacket inside


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

For sure that makes sense. All I had on was a core hoody on underneath the jacket. I think I’ll go in the shower with it just to make sure it’s not the goretex membrane itself and that I was just sweating too much


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[cofen380]

Yeah, the dirty little secret of Gore-Tex is that the physics don't really work under many conditions. The claim is that water vapor can pass through the pores of the fabric, while water droplets cannot. The reality is that the water vapor condenses on the inside surface of the jacket (which is cooled by the rain to below the dew point).

Of course, there's some possibility that you got a bum jacket and it actually leaks. Should be able to test that in the shower at home.

There are some newer fabrics that outperform Gore-Tex in conditions like this. After all, Gore-Tex is a 50+ year old technology!

Thanks for the reply. I’m gonna do the shower now thing with the jacket to make sure it’s not the goretex membrane that’s at fault. I was just shocked to see that much moisture inside, but it would make sense that it was sweat since it was evenly spread through the entire inside of the jacket, not just like the shoulder or hood where you might see moisture if it was leaking.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[rideold]

There's nothing wrong with your GoreTex. Any breathable membrane jacket will do the same thing to varying levels when the outside of the jacket is wet and you are generating moisture inside by sweating. To get rid of the moisture inside it has to pass through the membrane and evaporate off the outside....which can't happen if it's raining and the jacket is wet. Like others have said, venting is key. There are just some conditions where you can't stay dry no matter what you do or wear.

 

[EdP]

I think I’ll go in the shower with it just to make sure it’s not the goretex membrane itself and that I was just sweating too much

Exactly what I was going to suggest. You would be better off with a GT jacket with pit zips. Also, as someone else alluded to, the outer surface has to bead water or the fabric won't breath. Water vapor from inside can't pass out through a liquid film on the exterior.