Description Easy to use, safe, high performance wash in waterproofing for down filled clothing and gear. Adds Durable Water Repellency (DWR); reducing weight gain, maintaining the insulation and breathability of down filled items in cold and damp conditions. Down filled items are used to provide lightweight insulation to keep you warm. The structure of down allows air to be trapped between its filaments and warmed by body heat to provide insulation for the user. If down gets wet it clumps together. This causes it to lose loft and insulation as it can’t trap air effectively. When wet, down loses all of its insulating properties, as water conducts heat away from the body up to 25 times faster than air. It will also gain weight and its breathability will be significantly reduced; leaving you feeling cold, wet and uncomfortable. Down filled items are most likely to get sweaty and wet inside when used in damp or wet conditions. Therefore it is important to stop down filled gear from getting wet by applying DWR. The outer fabric of your down filled item, as well as the down inside, must be maintained to ensure comfort. Through use it will eventually wear off and need to be renewed with Nikwax Down Proof. Down has exceptional insulating properties, trapping air between its filaments to keep you warm. No other product offers so much insulation for so little weight and bulk. It’s ideal for sleeping bags, jackets, gilets and down clothing in general. Water, whether it is rain or condensation from sweat, compromises the insulating properties of down. If down gets wet it loses all of its insulating capacity and also causes weight gain. This reduces the comfort of the user, causing them to feel cold and wet, but more importantly the reduction in insulation is dangerous and in severe cases can lead to hypothermia. When wet, down loses all of its insulating properties, as water conducts heat away from the body up to 25 times faster than air. Treating your down with Nikwax Down Proof adds DWR to both the outer fabric and the down fill. This prevents water absorption whilst maintaining insulation and breathability, keeping you warm, dry and comfortable. Your down gear could be soaking up water just because it is dirty. First, try cleaning it with Nikwax Down Wash, and if it is fairly new, or recently re-waterproofed, the DWR will be revitalised just from cleaning. But, once the gear has been thoroughly used, you will need to add DWR, using Nikwax Down Proof, after cleaning first with Nikwax Down Wash. This will add DWR to the outer fabric of the gear and also the down fill. Wet down is heavy, so it is important to use the right wash cycle to ensure no damage occurs to your machine or your down items. A gentle cycle with a slow spin is recommended. After washing it is important that down items are thoroughly rinsed and very thoroughly dried. Even if you treat your items by hand, spin drying is recommended using a slow spin to get the maximum amount of water out of your down. It’s best to spin dry multiple times, each time incrementally increasing the speed of the spin cycle. If items are spun too quickly while still holding a large amount of water it is possible that internal baffles may be broken. Nikwax Down Proof requires no heat to develop its DWR. However, tumble drying is recommended to ensure that the down is dried thoroughly and as quickly as possible. Leaving down wet or damp can ruin it completely. Ensure that there is sufficient room in the tumble drier to house the item once dry, as items will return to their original size during the drying process. Teasing apart clumps repeatedly during the drying process will help restore loft to the down. It is recommended that larger items are cleaned & waterproofed professionally.
