UKC

I know lots of people have noted here in the past that they were really disappointed with eVent jackets from various make, but I've had this jacket http://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/review.php?id=2285 since 2009 and have generally been rather happy with it. Being super light it has tended to have been carried in the pack more than actually used, but when the weather has crapped out it has always done rather well. Anyway I was wearing it on just a family hike a few weeks ago when rain and hail started heavily. After getting back to the car after maybe an hour of walking in such conditions it was really obvious that the fabric was letting water through on the shoulders. I've now washed and warm ironed it as the care instructions suggest, but was wondering if other people have found that gets some more use out of their eVent clothing, or once it has started leaking, that's it - it is going to just keep on leaking.

In reply to TobyA:
I think the main problem with eVent is that the membranes pores trap oil, grease and other mank which compromises the waterproofing.

If I remember rightly, the original concept was that the membrane itself had the urethane coating built into it, whereas gore has/had? an individual PU coating to protect the membrane.

I think the best thing for keeping event going is a solid 40°C detergent wash to clean the membrane, followed by a serious overdose of reproofing agent.

I often wonder if the 'open' membrane idea is inherently flawed because of contamination and what that means for neoshell and other membranes of the type.

In reply to GarethSL:

Yes, probably true. TBH I don't think I have ever washed it previously. I found in the past that washing spoils the DWR on shells and even with a respray of silicon or whatever they never seem to be as reliable as when new. But I guess once it is old enough to have got grubby on the inside that could be drawing water through.

Thanks.