Has anyone tried a spray or any method to re-waterproof their rain gear? I usually use a Columbia jacket I bought about 3 years ago for my snowboarding/skiing/fishing needs, but recently i've notice that it soaks up more water than it repels.  

Any thoughts and ideas would be great guys! thanks!

Interesting question.  I know the 5 dollar vinyl Poncho sold at dick's sporting goods work fairly well.  

ahh, but it'd be such a waste to toss the columbia jacket =D

Speak to a local dry cleaners and find out if one of them does waterproofing.

I have used those spray cans to waterproof my boat cover and they work OK but not as good as a professional job.  Plus my hand hurt from holding down the spray button.

You may want to check out waterproofing in the Yellow Pages but I would think most of the listings would be for basements and crawlspaces.

Let us know what you find out.

Thanks.

Many Outerwear garments need conditioning.  Just because it is gore-tex, entrant,or hyvent or some other waterproof material, you have to understand what these things are.

Gore-tex is merely a layer inside the garment.  It looks like tissue paper and is between the hard outer layer and the liner.  The outer layer is treated with a scotch guard type material at the factory.  This is why the rain beads off, NOT because of the gore-tex.

With that said, a scotch guard type treatment needs to be reapplied a few times a yr depending on how often you use it.

Now, if there IS gore-tex inside the garment, you MUST be sure to use a Gore approved treatment as a regular scotch guard treatment has chemicals in it that deteriorate gore-tex.  VERY IMPORTANT!!  There are 4 or 5 different makers of Gore approved treatments.

(pss- NEVER, NEVER use fabric softener or detergents containing them!!!!)

(ps-a gore-tex tip- putting gore-tex garments in the dryer (on low) is actually good for gore-tex.)

For more Gore-tex care and maintenance, read HERE

depends on the material...columbia makes alot of different jackets.

I used to get this stuff from "Army Navy Surplus" near me before they closed that was for tents etc. It was a gel you rubbed on. It worked pretty well.

The last stuff I got was something a friend of mine had from sierra Nevada or someplace like that...it was just you typical spray on waterproofing. Does not work as well as the gel, but still works okay.

They sell the stuff at my local ski shop,  I learned my lesson after washing my sons outfit it started to absorb water not repel it.

jackets work

If your jacket is GoreTex, use ReviveX to recondition the outer shell. Just follow the instructions as that product is recommended for GoreTex.

http://www.prolitegear.com/pl_revivex.html