# Making pants water proof or repellant



## JJR512 (Jul 27, 2011)

I ran a rescue in a summer squall yesterday. I'm talking torrential downpour. My pants are the 5.11 EMS Tactical pants. I'm not sure off the top of my head if water repellancy was an original feature of these pants, but if it was, it's worn off by now.

Is there some product I can use to make pants more resistant to water soaking through?


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## GoTowardsTheLight (Jul 27, 2011)

JJR512 said:


> I ran a rescue in a summer squall yesterday. I'm talking torrential downpour. My pants are the 5.11 EMS Tactical pants. I'm not sure off the top of my head if water repellancy was an original feature of these pants, but if it was, it's worn off by now.
> 
> Is there some product I can use to make pants more resistant to water soaking through?



When they're new, wash them cold and air dry them.
Someone used the spray can scotch guard with some success, but they stiffen a little.


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## JJR512 (Jul 27, 2011)

GoTowardsTheLight said:


> When they're new, wash them cold and air dry them.
> Someone used the spray can scotch guard with some success, but they stiffen a little.


I've always washed in cold. I've also always machine dried, but always on the delicate setting using the lowest heat setting possible without actually turning the heat off.

I've also tried to avoid using fabric softener (drier sheets like Bounce) because the manufacturer of another pant (Aspen Mills) said it reduces water repellency. But I didn't like the static attracting dust and lint so I've been using half a drier sheet in a full load of my EMS clothes as a compromise.

I'll look into the Scotchguard spray, I'm sure I've seen that at Walmart.


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## mycrofft (Jul 27, 2011)

*No, nothing makes pants water repellent.*

Some fabrics are being woven to shed water better (they seem a little "hairy", the old woodland camou NATO field jackets were like that), and of course there are rain pants, but nothing will waterproof pants.


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## JJR512 (Jul 27, 2011)

mycrofft said:


> Some fabrics are being woven to shed water better (they seem a little "hairy", the old woodland camou NATO field jackets were like that), and of course there are rain pants, but nothing will waterproof pants.


True, but it is possible to make them water _repellant_, at least for some time.


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## Bullets (Jul 27, 2011)

Nikwax, it comes in a spary and wash-in. You wash you clothes in it first then spary it after, provides a double seal thats awesome. i have on pair of pants that washed this way for EMS and for PD if i know its going to rain and i dont end up with soggy pants. I only use scotch guard for the inside of my shirts so sweat doesnt show through.


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## JJR512 (Jul 27, 2011)

Bullets said:


> Nikwax, it comes in a spary and wash-in. You wash you clothes in it first then spary it after, provides a double seal thats awesome. i have on pair of pants that washed this way for EMS and for PD if i know its going to rain and i dont end up with soggy pants. I only use scotch guard for the inside of my shirts so sweat doesnt show through.


Nikwax was one of the first products that turned up when I searched for this kind of thing on Google. Why do you have just one pair of pants treated with this stuff, instead of treating all your pants with it? Is there some undesirable side-effect of using this product that you don't want on a daily basis?


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## mycrofft (Jul 28, 2011)

*ScotchGuard is toxic.*

Oh, I misread it. I thought it said waterproof and water repellent.
I can tell you how to make pants repellent....


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## Bullets (Jul 29, 2011)

JJR512 said:


> Nikwax was one of the first products that turned up when I searched for this kind of thing on Google. Why do you have just one pair of pants treated with this stuff, instead of treating all your pants with it? Is there some undesirable side-effect of using this product that you don't want on a daily basis?



cause its my rain pants, i only wear them when rain is forecast. I akways have them in my lockers at both jobs, but i dont always wear them. the side effect is, as with all waterproofing agents, they dont breathe as well, so it can get a little hot in the pant. its a waxy substance, so it seals the holes


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