Interesting. I stopped in at my local REI store to pick up some Nikwax. I was going to get some TX.Direct Wash-In (I was going to try it on some cotton and nylon items), but now they not only have that, but also a new one called Softshell Proof.
The blurbs sound almost idendical:
TX.DIRECT WASH-IN:
"Easy to use WaterBased waterproofing which restores and inproves water-repellency and maintains breathability of raingear. (Use Spray-on TX.Direct for garmets with wicking liners).
Recommended for Gore-Tex Ultrex, Entrant, Permatex and eVENT."
SOFTSHELL PROOF:
"Easy to use WaterBased waterproofing which improves water-repellency and maintains breathability of soft-shell gear.
Recommended for Windstopper, Windbloc, Schoeller and Polartec."
Anyone have any thoughts how these might be different?
-john
Edit: I just went to their web page (
http://nikwax.com ) and am even more confused. They even have "Cotton Proof" which isn't carried at REI. So what is the deal with all these different products? How are they different? Is it just marketing hype?
Edit2: And I still can't tell if you are supposed to run a rinse after soaking in it or not. For my test I just soaked, drained, spin and then threw them in the dryer.
So what do you guys think would be the best one for different items like a cotton jacket (very thin lining) or a jacket that probably has a nylon exterior with a lining. Hmm.