Author Topic: If I feel wet, is my waterproof jacket leaking or is it perspiration?  (Read 2443 times)

gunwharfman

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It was raining today so I decided to check out if my Marmot Precip is still waterproof or not? I wore my synthetic jacket underneath. I was going to run a circuit but then decided to walk it, just about 3 miles. By the time I was back at the bus stop, I felt a bit wet in a couple of places, along my arms and across my chest area. I took off my Precip on the bus, the outside of the jacket, of course, was wet but there were a couple of damp patches showing on both of my synthetic jacket sleeves. This is where I always have a problem, how do I tell the difference between a jacket that leaks from the outside to the inside to make my sleeves wet, or is it just damp caused by the build-up of moisture inside of the jacket, caused by the act of perspiring? Has anyone worked out how to recognise one from the other?

jimbob

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The shower, try it in the shower.

Not exerting yourself, so, if you get damp it's the coat, if not you can be sure you are just a sweaty person  :D
Too little, too late, too bad......

ninthace

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Alternatively wear it when it isn’t raining. Water used to drip out of the sleeves of my Paramo, I found it happened even when it wasn’t raining - case closed. The perspiration was wicking until it condensed and then obeying the law of gravity.
Solvitur Ambulando

sussamb

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Yep, the shower test  O0


Often it is sweat. I went out last week with just a baselayer and jacket, didn't rain and my baselayer was damp at the end of an 11 mile walk.
Where there's a will ...

tonyk

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This is where I always have a problem, how do I tell the difference between a jacket that leaks from the outside to the inside to make my sleeves wet, or is it just damp caused by the build-up of moisture inside of the jacket, caused by the act of perspiring? Has anyone worked out how to recognise one from the other?
Lick it.If it tastes of sodium its most likely perspiration.

sussamb

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Never thought of that one  ;D
Where there's a will ...

jimbob

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Surgical spirits 😳
Too little, too late, too bad......

gunwharfman

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Lick it! I was confident that someone on the Forum had worked out a test to check. I'll give it a go next time. A lot of ideas seem to be simple ones. When we were kids and scratched or cut ourselves we were also told to 'lick it!' When my father in law was alive, he owned a garage, we took our car to him because a red light on the dashboard kept flickering. He gave it back to us and we drove off and used the car for the next few months. We only found out after we sold it that his 'solution' was to take the bulb out! That's how much I know about cars!

Patrick1

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Lick it.If it tastes of sodium its most likely perspiration.


Seems an appealing idea (in some ways!), but I don't think it would work. Even if it starts out as sweat, by the time it ends up on the inside of your waterproofs its likely to be condensation, not actual sweat. So in theory it should be essentially distilled water, with no salts in it at all. In practice I'm sure there would be various bits of crud in it, but the principle that its essentially condensation not sweat remains true...
« Last Edit: 15:40:35, 28/01/20 by Patrick1 »

Jac

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Alternatively wear it when it isn’t raining. Water used to drip out of the sleeves of my Paramo, I found it happened even when it wasn’t raining - case closed. The perspiration was wicking until it condensed and then obeying the law of gravity.

Proves you perspired enough to cause condensation but can't see that it proves it didn't leak when raining.
So many paths yet to walk, so little time left

ninthace

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Proves you perspired enough to cause condensation but can't see that it proves it didn't leak when raining.
If the pattern of wet patches matches that experienced in rain, that is good evidence that the damp is condensation rather than a leak.
Solvitur Ambulando

GnP

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Yep, the shower test  O0


Often it is sweat. I went out last week with just a baselayer and jacket, didn't rain and my baselayer was damp at the end of an 11 mile walk.
A  runner can sweat almost 1  to 1&1/2 litres and hour from what I read. So walking fast especially on hills I`m sure could see similar amounts pouring into our waterproofs from the inside...

My bro complained to me one time about his expensive coat letting in rain while he was cycling, which he did at speed. I mentioned it could be just sweat but he didn`t think much of my idea..I do not know why.
A night under silnylon. Doesn't have the same ring to it.

WhitstableDave

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Alternatively wear it when it isn’t raining. Water used to drip out of the sleeves of my Paramo, I found it happened even when it wasn’t raining - case closed. The perspiration was wicking until it condensed and then obeying the law of gravity.

The more I read or hear about Paramo jackets, the happier I am that I bought a Rohan jacket...
Walk, Jog, Run : our YouTube video channel.

richardh1905

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Surest way is to wear the jacket whilst exercising when it isn't raining.
WildAboutWalking - Join me on my walks through the wilder parts of Britain

sussamb

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Lick it.If it tastes of sodium its most likely perspiration.

Tried that today, no sodium taste but it was definitely moisture due to 'perspiration'  O0
Where there's a will ...

 

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