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Nikwax TX-Direct Spray-On Water Repellent Treatment - 16 oz.

$21.50

(13)

Item # 724688

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Apply Nikwax TX-Direct spray-on water repellent treatment to revive water repellency without adversely effecting the garment's breathability.

Works well on most fabrics and fabric laminates such as REI Elements®, Gore-Tex®, Ultrex®, Entrant™, Permatex™, SympaTex® and eVent™.
Ideal for garments with wicking linings, synthetic sleeping bags and items that shouldn't be machine washed, such as single-wall tents and bivy sacks
Quick and easy to apply; can be used anywhere, anytime, on either wet or dry fabrics

Imported.

Item 724688

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Nikwax TX-Direct Spray-On Water Repellent Treatment - 16 oz. Customer Reviews

REVIEW SNAPSHOT®

by PowerReviews

Nikwax TX-Direct Spray-On - 16 oz.

2.8

(based on 13 reviews)

54%

of respondents would recommend this to a friend.

Pros

Protective (6)
Improves performance (4)

Cons

Offers no improvement (3)

Best Uses

- Reviewer Profile:
- Enthusiast (9)
- Was this a gift?:
- No (6)

Reviewed by 13 customers

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Displaying reviews 1-10

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Feb

2011

(31 of 34 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Great DWR spray: NOT A WATERPROOFER!

By BergMann

from The Iced Coast

About Me Competitive Athlete

See all my reviews

Pros

Improves Performance

Cons

Sprayhead needs redesign

Best Uses

For insulated garments

Comments about Nikwax TX-Direct Spray-On - 16 oz.:

First off, the performance of the TX-Direct product in the bottle deserves 5 stars, but I've given Nikwax 4 stars because the spray head is prone to clogging & failure.
Secondly: people need to DO THEIR HOMEWORK and know what they are buying!
The one and two star reviews of this product here do NOT reflect failure of the product, but USER FAILURE to understand how technical fabrics work, and how to care for them.

THIS IS NOT A WATERPROOFER!
This is a product that *restores* a Durable Water Resistant (DWR) coating to a Waterproof-Breathable fabric. What this means: this product causes water to bead up on the outer surface of a fabric, thus helping it to shed water. If the fabric itself doesn't incorporate a waterproof barrier inside, it will NEVER be waterproof!
This distinction is important! Most pack covers, backpacks, tents, etc. are NOT made of waterproof/breathable laminate fabrics like Gore-Tex, instead, they are typically coated with a thin layer of non-breathable PU plastic, and once this coating starts to crack & flake off, the fabric has PERMANENTLY lost its waterproofness.

For the poster who complains that his 10 year old Northface jacket was leaking after treating with this product, this has nothing to do with the Nikwax treatment: either 1) your seams are now leaking, or 2) your waterproof-breathable barrier inside the fabric is damaged. (Both 1 & 2 are quite likely if jacket was subject to frequent chlorine exposure, and/or frequent machine washing & drying).

As for the proper use and application of this product:
1) spray application is only neccessary and recommended for *insulated* or fleece-lined waterproof-breathable garments. Nikwax's wash-in product achieves more consistent results with less work for shell garments, but for lined garments, you don't want to mess with the vapor-transmission properties of down or synthetic insulators, so apply the spray to the outside shell only.
2) As another poster noted, you need spray the product on, and RUB IT IN for best results. I simply pull on a medical glove and rub it in by hand to get an even, consistent application and to work it thoroughly into the fabric.
*In the event of sprayhead failure, you can simply apply it using an old sock or small washcloth, which will aid in "massaging" the product into the fabric.
3) ACTIVATE w/ 5mins IN THE DRYER. Excessive exposure to heat is NEVER good for a seam-sealed waterproof garment. Air-dry your insulated garment *first*, then place it for 5-10 minutes in your dryer on low heat. This *reactivates* (essentially "irons in") the DWR coating, and is a trick worth trying on relatively new, clean garments that have begun to lose their water-repellancy, *before* you try re-treating the fabric with TX-Direct.

Feb

2009

(11 of 11 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

NICE product!

By vikingmole

from Bergen, Norway

About Me Enthusiast

See all my reviews

Pros

Improves Performance
Protective

Cons

Difficult to applicate
Smell

Best Uses

Comments about Nikwax TX-Direct Spray-On - 16 oz.:

It really makes a difference and the droplets run off nicely over the jacket!!

I recommend you to use gloves to apply the product because u get really sticky and "waterproof" and you can not wash it out easily (good for the fabric, not for the hands)

U need to find a good place to apply the product where u can make a little mess around.

I personally didn't want to try the Wash-In version, which may be easier to use, but I am concerned it may damage the Gore-Tex membrane or reduce breathability.

Water Repellency is great but it leaves a strong smell to silicon or plastic and the application is something you don't enjoy to do. After a couple of weeks the smell goes away.

Nov

2009

(9 of 10 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Good Results

By Ski-AtaC

from Orangevale, ca

About Me Enthusiast

See all my reviews

Pros

Improves Performance

Cons

Best Uses

As Needed

Comments about Nikwax TX-Direct Spray-On - 16 oz.:

I mainly use this on my 10yr old ski pants as the first line of defense against wet Sierra Cement and snow covered chair lift seats. I have yet to get a wet butt or crotch since using. I don't just spray it on but also work it into the fabric with a NixWax dampened rag. For those concerned about smell, it goes away after a week. For those with application issues, it is a wax. So try poking a needle through the nozzle to clear any blockage that may have incured during manufacturing. I've been using the same bottle for 3yrs now. Little goes a long way.

Oct

2007

(8 of 20 customers found this review helpful)

1.0

This won't spray out of the bottle

By mmlittman

from Portland, OR

About Me Quality Oriented, Value Oriented

See all my reviews

Pros

Cons

Complicated To Use
Spray bottle ineffective
Use Wash In not this

Best Uses

Comments about Nikwax TX-Direct Spray-On - 16 oz.:

I think the wax quality of this product does not work through the straw/spray nozzle of the spray bottle. I tried two different bottles of this stuff, from two different stores, and neither would even pump out the fluid. I had two sales persons try it and they were unable to get it to spray. It was then recommended that I use Wash In instead. I'm sure the actual fluid would be great, if you could just get it out of the bottle as intended.

Dec

2007

(7 of 9 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

NIKWAS TX-DIRECT SPARY-ON

By SHIRAZ

from Pittsburgh, PA

See all my reviews

Pros

Protective

Cons

Best Uses

Comments about Nikwax TX-Direct Spray-On - 16 oz.:

I have been using Nikwax TX Spray On for 5 years now for waterproofing items I feel have either lost their manufacturer's waterproofing, or could use more. It stands up to rugged abuse when sprayed on horse turnout blankets. I just reapply it to clean blankets at the start of the season. It's a great product!

Feb

2011

(2 of 3 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

works great for me

By octospit

from San Jose, CA

About Me Enthusiast

See all my reviews

Pros

Protective

Cons

Smells

Best Uses

Recreation
Waterproofing

Comments about Nikwax TX-Direct Spray-On - 16 oz.:

i used this to reapply the waterproofing for a couple snowboarding apparel. three jackets, two pants, one pair of glove and two hats/beanies. i washed all first with a wool-lite like wash detergent. after wash, i sprayed all garments while damp with Nikwax. i sprayed evenly and sprayed even more where waterproofing was needed (seams, pant seats). then i threw the garments into the dryer depending on the garments drying specifications. i then dried it twice; i ran all the garments through the drying process twice. all waterproofing was restored. one of the garments was a fleece jacket which also stayed dry when i wore for snowboarding. i will update after more snow trips to see how long the waterproofing lasts. works great for now.

Oct

2010

(2 of 12 customers found this review helpful)

1.0

Ineffective

By SMLE

from Austin, Tejas

About Me Enthusiast

See all my reviews

Pros

Cons

Offers No Improvement

Best Uses

Comments about Nikwax TX-Direct Spray-On - 16 oz.:

I tried this on a Dana Designs PackFly that had the original waterproof coating worn off. This didn't make it waterproof again.

Mar

2011

(1 of 5 customers found this review helpful)

1.0

poor results

By carolandoz

from Boston, MA

About Me Enthusiast

See all my reviews

Pros

Cons

Expensive
Lasts as little as 15 min
Offers No Improvement

Best Uses

Comments about Nikwax TX-Direct Spray-On - 16 oz.:

Sorry but this product just does not work long enough to justify its price. I coated two garments - an old breathable/waterproof jacket and an "activent" jacket. Results not great on either. The first jacket beaded up water for about 1.5 hours (and stunk). On the 2nd the water repellency lasted about 15 minutes. Exposed winter location, in rain. Not good
I guess there just is no replacement for the original coating on a new jacket. At least I have never found it.

Jan

2011

(1 of 3 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

Wet the garment and it works!

By Hike

from Seattle, WA

About Me Enthusiast

See all my reviews

Pros

Easy to use
Improves Performance
Protective

Cons

Temporary odor

Best Uses

Waterproofing

Comments about Nikwax TX-Direct Spray-On - 16 oz.:

picked up a bottle of the TX-Direct Spray on waterproofing instead of the wash in because I didn't have access to a machine before the next day's hike in the rain. I checked out some of the reviews on the spray on type and it didn't quite make sense as to why things weren't working out for most people because, a friend recommended this stuff as being great. It sounded like some people did not apply to a WET GARMENT. I did that and it worked just fine. If you think about it, it's like trying to mix water and oil if you are spraying liquid on a jacket with any waterproof finish left on it. As for the smell, yes it does linger for a bit, if you want to avoid it try the wash in formula. The Spray On Waterproofing worked great the next day when a flood warning was issued for the area we were hiking in and will be using the rest of the bottle to waterproof more gear.

Jan

2012

4.0

This stuff works!

By Bigdust in the Great Northwest

from Port Orchard, Washington

About Me Casual/ Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Protective
Strong

Cons

Best Uses

Recreation

Comments about Nikwax TX-Direct Spray-On - 16 oz.:

I decided to try nikwax because my hiking boots (Vasque goretex) were soaking and retaining water more than I like. I live here in the Northwest (lots and lots of rain) and I commute with my bike year round. Needless to say I need protection for my shoes. (Galoshes dont work for me) Because my boots are on their 3rd season their life is wearing thin and dont shed water like they did when they were new. I gave nikwax a try using it exactly as directed on the bottle and it works like a charm. My boots retain very little water and I can watch the rain literally bead up and shed right off. Very happy with this product as it can add some extra life to that expesnive gear we like to use and would rather not have to run out and buy again. Get out there!