I have a down gilet that I am going to wash and wondered about using nikwax down proof on it at the same time.I have had a search but can't find much about it here but did see a comment elsewhere that if the stuff was any good then manufacturers would be proofing down as standard, which I can see the logic of.
In reply to BigBrother: Thanks for the reply but I am not talking about the stuff for washing down (Down Wash) but the stuff for adding water resistance to it (Down Proof).
I used it years ago on a down jacket. I felt that it affected the loft but only very slightly, and certainly helped in damp conditions (when th eeffect on the loft was positive).
However, you shouldn't consider it a waterproofing: it helps in damp conditions, say in a snow hole, but rain etc is still going to 'kill' your down (until you can throughly dry it out again).
In reply to BigBrother: If you're washing the jacket anyway then you might as well but as someone else has said, it wont waterproof it. I used the softshell proof and it did give a water repellent coating but it didn't last long. Looked good under the tap but once I was outside if was pretty pointless.
Re tech wash vs. down wash. I'm not sure what's different about them but I opened the bottles of them side by side the other day and they were different, totally different smell. ALthough I'm sure tech wash would work too.
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