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CDRoot wrote: ↑ Be careful with this store. Their rock solid guarantee is not that good. Took a goreTex jacket in as it's letting water through. It's around 5 year mark. They refused to exchange/refund it.

Porfiry wrote: ↑ That said, have you tried re-waterproofing your GoreTex? These waterproof fabrics do need regular washing and treatment to restore their waterproofing performance, because it naturally degrades with use. I do my ski gear annually. Search for "Tech wash" or "Grangers".

One of the biggest scams is the idea of waterproof breathable fabric. Mostly these fabrics have a little bit of breathability and mainly rely on the DWR coating to repel most of the water.

To keep these fabrics repelling water, indeed you need to retreat the fabric. I find the Graingers works ok but it still wears down fast and you have to do it regularly.

https://andrewskurka.com/backpacking-cl ... ain-pants/

rancid82 wrote: ↑ Have you tried contacting the manufacturer? If the goretex is failing the manufacturers will be your best course of action. My friends have had successfully warrantied the north face jackets when the waterproofing failed. This was done through North Face. Unless you're was an me branded one? But even then the goretex is guaranteed for life if I remember correctly.

Manufacturer is MEC! Yes we've washed it and used the DWR. The mec returns person said 5 years is end of life for goreTex so he can't help. I heard the returns person next to us trying to reject a pair of Merrell shoes that was only used a few months. Said the tread looks like it was used on concrete/asphalt so can't return it. MEC got a new management a while ago, so I think their returns policy might be different.

CDRoot wrote: ↑ Manufacturer is MEC! Yes we've washed it and used the DWR. The mec returns person said 5 years is end of life for goreTex so he can't help.

"I paid top dollar for this technical outdoor gear, and I expect I should be able to pass it on to my grandchildren!" smh

joo wrote: ↑ Is membership still required to place an order?

No, they're no longer a co op - privately owned now after the board of directors ran the financials into the ground.

MEC is transferring ownership to USA, so the lifetime warranty is probably gone soon

CDRoot wrote: ↑ Manufacturer is MEC! Yes we've washed it and used the DWR. The mec returns person said 5 years is end of life for goreTex so he can't help. I heard the returns person next to us trying to reject a pair of Merrell shoes that was only used a few months. Said the tread looks like it was used on concrete/asphalt so can't return it. MEC got a new management a while ago, so I think their returns policy might be different.

Seems about right for the service life of goretex if used frequently. I have found that keeping up with the DWR treatments on a monthly basis on my ski pants and jacket was helpful. My jacket (mountain Hardwear) is over 5 years old and is still like new. I changed habits when my older ski jacket lost its waterproofing abilities and same with my pants. It has made a difference. I use Granger's waterproofing for reference if you were looking to try something. I don't use the all in one wash. For the garment wash I use nikwax and then after the wash cycle is done, I put in the Granger's. I use my gear often and it's used 4 days a week at minimum during winter so keeping up a routine seemed to help keep my gear in as best shape as possible.

Not doubting your abilities or anything with the wash so if it comes across that way, it's not meant to. You may want to try and soak the entire jacket in the DWR treatment for a few days. Let it all absorb into the fibers and then wash it. This ensures the fibers are all saturated with the DWR stuff. Dry it and see what happens? I have heard of people using this method with good results and I know you maybe able to send it into either nikwax or Granger's and they will do it for you. I have read on the gear forums some people were able to get that done. There maybe a cost or it could be part of their performance guarantee. May want to explore that option and see.

joo wrote: ↑ Is membership still required to place an order?

It’s free though to be a member now
Since it’s not a coop anymore.

https://www.mec.ca/en/product/4015-985/ ... membership

warpdrive wrote: ↑ One of the biggest scams is the idea of waterproof breathable fabric. Mostly these fabrics have a little bit of breathability and mainly rely on the DWR coating to repel most of the water.

To keep these fabrics repelling water, indeed you need to retreat the fabric. I find the Graingers works ok but it still wears down fast and you have to do it regularly.

https://andrewskurka.com/backpacking-cl ... ain-pants/

Goretex is waterproof though when the DWR goes it loses some of its breathability but it is always waterproof.

Angultra wrote: ↑ MEC is better but at least get one somewhere, still see lots of cyclists with no lights whatsoever.

Better is subjective. I'm sure MEC stuff coming out from same place as Dollarama stuff in China but at a premium.

muffin4life wrote: ↑ Hmm... expensive and not good reviews. Better off just going to Dollarama.

if you compare any product you can buy at Dollarama with anything else, yup expensive.

mec is good. not as good as they used to be, but still good. I find them fair and the prices are decent for the products they sell. Find it cheaper, and they match.
I haven't had many returns or issues, but never had any problems (though no experience with this since they changed ownership).
As a private company now (vs. co-op), I shop them vs. others, and buy on price/quality/availability. Spent more at mec this year than many past years.

muffin4life wrote: ↑ Better is subjective. I'm sure MEC stuff coming out from same place as Dollarama stuff in China but at a premium.

That's a bit of a stretch. Got anything to back up "I'm sure".
Apple sells chargers and many other products made in China. "I'm sure Apple stuff coming out from same place as Dollarama stuff in China but at a premium."

We like cheap stuff, which is why manufacturing moved from high wage, unionized countries to those that are not. From those places, you can get both good and bad products. Then again, back when we made lots of stuff in North America, you could also buy crap made here.

And thanks OP. Bought a bunch more things, probably enough to get free shipping anyway any other day.

warpdrive wrote: ↑ One of the biggest scams is the idea of waterproof breathable fabric. Mostly these fabrics have a little bit of breathability and mainly rely on the DWR coating to repel most of the water.

To keep these fabrics repelling water, indeed you need to retreat the fabric. I find the Graingers works ok but it still wears down fast and you have to do it regularly.

https://andrewskurka.com/backpacking-cl ... ain-pants/

This is so wrong it's not even funny.

DWR provides the first line of defense, once that is gone or the material wets out you will FEEL the moisture much more. It does NOT mean the garment is now "not waterproof".

Two of the most important things about goretex

1) Cleaning OFTEN, with a CLEAN detergent, if not the graingers wash, fabric can't do it's job if it's dirty with skin oils and dirt and grime
2) Re-DWR however the garment manufacturer wants you to do it

Goretex has a lifetime warranty on their crap. The fact that the retailer says it's 5 years EOL is bullshit. I've warrantied almost every single goretex i've bought. They WILL delaminate in time. All of them. I've also worked at an arcteryx retailer selling many versions of their fabric.

danascully wrote: ↑ This is so wrong it's not even funny.

DWR provides the first line of defense, once that is gone or the material wets out you will FEEL the moisture much more. It does NOT mean the garment is now "not waterproof".

Two of the most important things about goretex

1) Cleaning OFTEN, with a CLEAN detergent, if not the graingers wash, fabric can't do it's job if it's dirty with skin oils and dirt and grime
2) Re-DWR however the garment manufacturer wants you to do it

Goretex has a lifetime warranty on their crap. The fact that the retailer says it's 5 years EOL is bullshit. I've warrantied almost every single goretex i've bought. They WILL delaminate in time. All of them. I've also worked at an arcteryx retailer selling many versions of their fabric.

Waterproofness is not absolute. Even Goretex rates their different fabrics with different waterproof ratings. These fabrics are not waterproof, it's just very water resistant. If it rains hard enough or long enough, some water will get through. And the breathability is limited.....I'm always a hot sweaty box with pit zips and venting. Basically I'm saying don't buy into the hype, these fabrics don't live up to their promise....they are very water resistant and have a small degree of breathability.

I used the regular, Pro, and even their recent ShakeDry Goretex fabrics jogging, hiking and walking. They are water resistant fabrics with some limited breathability, and the DWR is the weak point, Maybe they don't lose waterresistance, but it's effectively as bad when the DWR goes.

I do the tech wash clean and Grangers every year for all my jackets. I find applying directly with the spray and sealing in with the dryer works best.

I stopped shopping there since they dumped VistaOutdoors. I was under the impression that we had a word to say since it was a coop and all... My 2 cents

Thanks. I really needed to pick up their Nixwax detergent

About DWR, my friend bought a new jacket with the new environmentally responsible DWR (PFC free). Can't remember which brand of jacket, but the DWR wore out even faster than past jackets. All my jackets are from before they started switching over to PFC Free DWR, and I found the DWR lasted about a year or so in moderate use before I felt the need to respray and started getting that wetted out feeling.

I jog with a Goretex ShakeDry jacket and there is no separate DWR coating on that jacket and mostly it works. Breathability is higher (but still very limited) and you don't have to replenish the DWR because the fabric is just pure goretex membrane (no DWR layer). It's too bad the fabric will tear if you breath on it, I'm on my second jacket.

MEC is an interesting reseller.

They assured me seven ways from Sunday that they'd do no hassle returns.

When I came in to return some wrong fit disappointing clothing wear, they fought me up to the manager who said he would only perform a return on this one-off basis.

Haven't been back since.

What is it with haughty taughty navel gazing brands and the need to say one thing and do another? I literally said your return policy is no hassle like Costco, and the clerk said yes.

Garbage.

Thanks OP.

Bought some camping biodegradable soap.

Thanks.

cashinstinct wrote: ↑ It’s free though to be a member now
Since it’s not a coop anymore.

https://www.mec.ca/en/product/4015-985/ ... membership

WTH??
So, MEC Members that paid the $5 Membership years ago, what happened to all this money?? Pocketed by Management? New Owners? What a Scam. They should at least Refund the $5. or issue a Credit. It's the Principle about this Fee.