Rain Gear lifespan?

[Poser]

I admit to not being the best about taking care of my outerwear, which does tend to get used pretty hard, but I do retreat annually with a Nikwax wash in DWR and a cycle of tech wash 1-2x a year.

This Kuiu Chucagh jacket is 6 years old. It’s had a Nikwax wash in treatment annually and never really had any noticeable issue. I don’t live in the PNW, but we do get real mountain storms and a “monsoon” season here in SW CO. I do notice that my rain jackets take a beating from wearing packs, so the shoulders and back are always problems spots in relation to failure. This jacket started to fail surprisingly quickly recently fresh out of a Nikwax wash in treatment. I applied a full bottle of spray on and water did bead on a spot check using the sink, but failed within just a handful (3 tops) of minutes in the shower (shower has average pressure at best).

Came out looking like this and I noticed some of the Toray showing wear around the shoulders. Seam tape is in fine condition.

Is that it for the useful life this jacket?

 

[cuerro viejo]

The membrane is starting to delaminate. Eventually All membranes will wear through and delimitate in those spots.

Call Kuiu they might warranty it.

 

[207-12A]

I find that Kuiu is helpful in the ‘normal use’ wear and tear when it comes to their warranty. They’ve sent buckles and stuff for no charge, I hope they’d replace a jacket that’s been well taken care of but outlived it’s use.

 

[WRM]

Dang--let us know. If KUIU will warranty a 6 year old rain jacket from delam at strap points--I'm in!!

 

[gelton]

It will be interesting to see if they live up to their "lifetime" warranty or cling to the small print that says the useful life of the product and what they might consider a useful life.

I had a first lite Stormtight (one of their originals) rainjacket, that failed in 3 years.

 

[Poser]

I don’t know if I can allow myself to be “that guy” who attempts to warranty a 6 year old rain jacket that has seen hundreds of days of use. I’ll send off an email and see what they say and take it from there. Gear does have a reasonable life span, afterall.

 

[Poser]

Correction: after looking at the receipt: 7 years.

 

[WRM]

I think you answered your own question. I can't imagine they will warranty that. BUT....let me know if they do!

 

[Poser]

So, heard back on from the warranty department. They called it 8 years of use, but what’s the difference between 7 and 8 years?

Anyway, not surprisingly, they said that this is the product finally “giving out as nothing lasts forever”, which is accurate and fair. I’m not one of those guys to complain about “lifetime warranties” meaning “my life” and not “the life of the product."

 

[SonnyDay]

7 years is pretty darn good for a rain jacket that sees consistent use (especially under a pack). I'm lucky to get 3 years out of most brands, including some of the higher-end ones like: TNF, Marmot, Mont Bell, Patagonia, etc.

 

[Totoro]

Wow, 8 years; well you got your monies worth. Donate them to a local charity/homeless shelter etc and go buy another set and use the hell outta them for another 8 years.

My personal mix of waterproof gear range from TNF/Arc'teryx LEAF/Sitka/Marmot/Beyond Clothing but all in GoreTex. My longest wearing is TNF lasted 10 years and my shortest was Sitka at 3 years. The TNF seam sealing began to separate and started to leak and the Sitka began to delaminate.

I take of care my gear according to manufacturer specifications, but like other pieces of gear, it's a consumable given time/use/care.

 

[AK_Skeeter]

30+years....
I have Helly Hansen commericial fishing rain gear I bought in 1989 for halibut fishing.
Still in great shape and my go-to rain gear for cold boat rides in the rain.
Since it stays on the boat, no brush abrasion, etc.