Many of SITKA’s outerwear and all GORE-TEX® garments are treated with an ultra-thin treatment of DWR, or durable water repellent. This treatment causes water to bead up and roll off of the outer layer of the garment, instead of being absorbed or wetting out. DWR is not what keeps you dry in a GORE-TEX® garment. Its benefit is to prevent loss of breathability and performance caused when a garment wets out.
DWR is not permanent. Regular wear and tear, plus exposure to dirt, detergents, campfire smoke, cooking odors and other impurities diminish the protective DWR treatment. When water no longer beads up on your garment’s outer fabric, you can restore its DWR properties by using a topical spray-pump or a wash-in DWR treatment available at retail outdoor stores. These special treatments help maintain and restore the DWR on the outer shell fabric of the garment so that it remains water and stain repellent.