Gore-tex, and other waterproof breathable fabrics are often coated with a durable water repellent (DWR) finish that helps prevent the fabric from wetting out. It is not uncommon to hear people complain that their rain jacket has wet out and is now leaking. While obviously if the fabric is so worn it is compromised, or if the seams are not properly sealed, a rain jacket will leak, but what if the jacket is in relatively good shape by the DWR is compromised.
In the absence of a DWR and the presence of dirt, oil and other contaminants on the outer layer, does a Gore-tex jacket become more permeable to outside water seeping in or does it become more like a non-breathable waterproof fabric? In other words, in the absence of a DWR finish, if I prevent overheating and sweating and ventilate the jacket to mitigate the effects of perspiration, will it still keep me dry?