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Nikwax Tent & Gear SolarProof

rated 3.0 of 5 stars
photo: Nikwax Tent & Gear SolarProof equipment cleaner/treatment

I tried a number of products to restore the water repellence of my gear and this stuff did the job.

Pros

  • Works

Cons

  • Messy

I have a winter coat that was waterproof at 15000ml and a pair of pants that were hydrophobic repelling light rain and wet underbrush. After a few washes though the pants stopped being hydrophobic and the jacket began to soak through in harder rains.

I tried the Nikwax wash-in stuff and it worked on the jacket the first few washes but then stopped. I looked online for a product and ordered the Nikwax Gear and Solar Proofing stuff. I washed the garments with the Nikwax Wash-in then sprayed with the Gear and Solar stuff. The result was water beading on my jacket under the tap and the pants did repel water again.

I am going to buy more for use on my tent this year and on our hiking boots.  

Background

It is working to restore the waterproofing of my gear.

Source: bought it new
Price Paid: $22.95

Not only didn't help, but when it rained the material soaked through fabric and came into tent.

Pros

  • Comes with a spray pump

Cons

  • No change in surface runoff
  • Once subjected to rain, material came through tent surface into tent

Used it on a four-year-old, single wall Nemo tent that has light usage. Applied spray as directed, wiped off, and let it dry. 

Went on a trip two days later. Every time we had rain I had to continuously wipe the inside of the tent and wipe up the puddles that formed at the foot of the tent. So glad our group decided to pull out a day early. 

I should have left a section untreated so I could see if the product made the situation worse, or had just had no benefit. At a minimum, it was the latter. 

Fourtunately Nemo has a lifetime warranty. 

Background

Used it on a tent right before a Sierra weeklong trip.

Source: bought it new

A good tent is not cheap, take care of your investment!

Pros

  • Re-waterproofs tent
  • Protects from damaging rays of the sun

Cons

  • Spray bottle covers approximately one 3-man tent

Treated my tent fly and tent after one season of use. It was very easy to apply, just spray it on your tent and tent fly and wipe off access. If you don't wipe if off it leaves some residue.

Took my tent out backpacking in Colorado over Memorial Weekend after using this product. We encountered rain, thunderstorms, hail, and everything else mother nature could throw at us at 10,000 ft and we did not have a drop of water in our tent. 

I am thouroughly impressed with this product and would recommend it to anyone looking to maintain the water repelency of your tent.

Source: bought it new

Protect your investments so so they can protect you.

Pros

  • Maintains the water repellency of tents and outdoor gear
  • Protects tents and gear against UV degradation
  • One application can double the effective life of gear
  • Gear dries quickly for packing away

This is just another step in protecting your investment. This was one of the only products we found that offered water repelling and UV protection in one easy to use product. If the results are anywhere near as good as the reviews we read online then it's well worth the small cost and effort to protect your gear.

Source: bought it new
Price Paid: $18.50

Just a scam, IMHO.

Pros

  • NONE—Don't waste your money

Cons

  • It just doesn't do what is claimed
  • No water resistance at all

Applied per instructions to a 3-person tent fly with zero effect. Water immediately passes through the fly. It's a waste of money on a lame claim from this company. I'm done buying any Nikwax products. I've moved to McNett's Gear Aid line and they are the shizzzz! 

Source: bought it new
Price Paid: $16 at REI

Pros

  • Good for tent waterproofing

Cons

  • Brittla

Nice for backpack waterproofing and tent.

Source: bought it new
Price Paid: online

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Specs

Price Current Retail: $18.25-$19.95
Historic Range: $8.99-$159.95
Reviewers Paid: $16.00-$22.95
Product Details from Nikwax »

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