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After considering the existing answers and doing some additional research, here's my take:
Spray-on waterproofing
Spray on waterproofing should be used on Multi layer garments. You only want to treat the outer layer which reduces the chance that it will be 'wetting out' quickly, which allows the inner membrane to maintain it's porous properties. I've ...
12
I don’t think that will work for heavy rain. The waterproofing coating will make the water slide away from the garment (this is the so-called lotus effect), but that’s just one part of keeping the water out. The harder part is not letting the water through under pressure, like when you press the garment against something, under your backpack straps, under ...
12
From my experience, water resistant means that the item will survive a splash of water but not any form of prolonged exposure.
Water proof suggest that it is
Impervious to or unaffected by water.
For waterproof items, there is often an IP number provided which helps you understand the level of waterproofness the item offers.
IP codes are widely used in ...
11
The whole thing comes down to weight, if your setup can displace more than its weight then it will float, those jeeps were made to be very light. You could be in the situation where your "wrapped car" could float but its so deep in the water you wont be able to move it anywhere (or you would need an huge canvas and a mean to hold it in deep water as much as ...
10
The first commandment of leather care is to never let your boots dry too quickly, for example on direct sun or next to a source of heat. The leather could crack or shrink. You have to let them dry slowly.
Second, you should use something to keep the leather in good shape. There are tons of products for this, so pick a dependable outdoors brand and use what ...
10
Use an ammunition box - commonly found at Army/Navy surplus stores or on eBay/Craiglist for ~$10 USD, depending on the caliber size of the box. .50 caliber boxes are larger than, say, 30 caliber.
Waterproof, cheap, and very durable.
Another option is to use Tupperware or something similar if a smaller size is desired. Buy higher-end containers that will ...
10
The variety used by pipe fitters working the oil fields in the Great White North:
You sound like you're working on the oil rigs, which explains why the pointer finger on your gloves keeps blowing out. Ski gloves and climbing gloves aren't going to take the abuse of turning pipe all day, what you need is a sturdy pair of leather gloves with a reinforced ...
10
From a website giving information on jackets, specifically for "Venturi" fabric, the material appears to be similar to GoreTex, etc. and recommended washing is given as:
The durability of Venturi is dependent on proper care. Regular and correct care has a positive effect on the durability of the membrane. Unless otherwise stated, wash in the washing ...
10
The soft dry bags aren't as good as the stiffer sort anyway. My traditional plasticised dry bag can handle long periods in the water if it's been rolled down properly, but my nylon ones eventually let a little moisture in if squashed around in water. I think the roll seal isn't as good if they're too flexible, especially if you also attach it by the loop ...
9
My personal recommendation would be to use Super/Krazy Glue for any small "cracks" in the rubber. I have successfully used it on rubber and it is quite effective!
for the slightly larger holes than cannot be filled using a liquid glue, I would recommend the following:
Apply a Gore-Tex or similar patch along with some "Shoe-Goo" or similar product. **After ...
9
Whatever you do, the membrane will wear out in a few years. That's one of the reasons why many people prefer leather boots, because once the membrane starts to leak, they can still waterproof the leather (it's much harder to perfectly waterproof textile).
That said, you can always try to keep the membrane as long as possible. One thing manufacturers ...
8
As a rough guide to waterproofness - 5000mm is generally rainproof but won't necessarily stand up well to torrential rain. Around 15000 should be fine in that context. If you go higher than that then you're looking at fabric that can be immersed in water and still stay waterproof for a while, but should be ample for any rain shower that might come along!
...
8
"Waterproof" means that no water will penetrate.
"Water resistant" means that there exists a limit of exposure at which water will penetrate.
Watches are normally water resistant to a particular depth below which the water pressure is too high and the seals are breached.
Breathable clothing quite of often states some comparable metric indicating, for ...
8
Contrary to what a lot of people are saying, the wash-in treatment won't block pores of multi-layer fabrics (unless it's really dirty).
The chemicals used are designed to break down particulates as small as possible. The 'wash-in' also doesn't do a whole lot of actual waterproofing on the fabric, since it's soaked in water itself. It simply removes dirt and ...
8
I have camped in a tent with a similar rain fly - it was fine in gentle rain, and I found it amusing in a force 8 gale with lashing rain - because it leaked about 11 litres of rain into the tent overnight (so my middle daughter ended up a bit damp)
My wife wasn't so keen, as she had never camped in storms before. I found it okay - if you don't like water in ...
8
The chemical coating on the outside when new is what is commonly known as DWR and chemically known as a Fluoropolymer. Fluoropolymer is a fluorocarbon based polymer with multiple strong carbon–fluorine bonds. It is characterized by a high resistance to solvents, acids, and bases.
This is the same chemical treatment used on all water resistant fabrics.
...
8
Ok to address your question: Can I use a plastic blue tarp to float my vehicle over water?
Yes
Limits and Considerations:
WILL YOU FLOAT?
First off I will describe the physics of the floating car. The force of buoyancy acting on your car must be greater than the force of gravity pulling it down. The equation for buoyancy is this . Where Fb is the force ...
7
Folding becomes an issue if you religiously fold in the same spot over and over -- say line up the corners all pretty and re-fold. Try this with any plastic, thin metal, etc... fold, unfold, fold, unfold, fold ad infinitum, and it will weaken and fail.
If you fold a different way each time, then you run little risk of this becoming a problem, though be ...
7
I'm not a native speaker, but being waterproof suggests more endurance to water than being only water-resistance. But linguistic nuances doesn't make law. More important is, what are the norms and regulations about using such definitions, in the country where that equipment is produced or sold. If there are such regulations, false promises may make ...
7
Goretex does two things well.
It's a very light completely windproof layer.
Properly cared for it's waterproof.
There are many places it's used where it's completely inappropriate and just adds cost. In my experience boots are one of those places.
Goretex only "breathes" when there is a significant difference in the moisture content on one side of the ...
7
To answer the question simply - no, you shouldn't spray it with anything.
Waterproof fabrics (the higher end kind) are coated in the factory with a DWR (Durable Water Repellent) finish that is usually silicone based. DWR will wear out over time (and then you spray again), but straight off, it is good to go for many days of wear and use.
Just wash it ...
7
Based solely on the video you provided the link to, and my experience with blue thick tarp, I have a few things to address. I don't know what kind of tarpaulin you have, how heavy your vehicle is, and how deep is the river/pond/lake you're trying to cross through. Despite that, there are a few things you should keep in mind.
You should make sure that your ...
6
The Gore-Tex trail shoes I'm wearing right now have the Gore-Tex layer on the inside (between my socks and the outer suede/synthetic). I'm not sure that you can do anything to fix that layer once it is worn out.
I would make sure you clean mud off your boots as soon as you can (usually once you get home from a hiking trip).
If you have leather boots, then ...
6
Silpoly is based on polyester, which means it's hydrophobic (doesn't absorb water). Not all slippery materials are hydrophobic, but this definitely factors in. Silicone sealant also repels water, but through different properties. Those different properties are also the ones that let it adhere to many different surfaces. Silicone has a high coefficient of ...
6
Considering the construction principal: "Water Will Find The Failure," water-proofing barriers must be complete, or provide outlets.
If you seal your object 100%, it's ability to retain water will increase as water will be trapped by both the foam and the sealant. However, if the foam contains 0% humidity when you seal it and it is sealed 100%, then it ...
6
Most products require 24-48 hours of dry time. Some also recommend multiple coats, with some time (i.e. 4 hours) between coats.
Allow article to dry for 24-48 hours Source
We often spray waterproofing on our fabrics in the garage. This keeps them out of the rain while drying and allows for ventilation, while drying.
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