I recently purchased a used hybrid jacket with Gore-Tex XCR fabric used for the yoke, hood and arms.
The Gore-Tex parts of the jacket have a slight musty smell, the softshell fabric parts less so. Otherwise the jacket appears like new, with no signs of discoloration or wear.
I do know that the jacket is 3 or 4 years old, and given it's excellent appearance, hung in a closet in Seattle during that time.
I read somewhere that PTFE membranes can mold or mildew and that this can destroy functionality by clogging the pores in the membrane.
Is there any way to check if the fabric has suffered damage?
Since it's a hybrid I'm not sure I'll notice if moisture vapor transfer has been affected, as the softshell parts will breathe anyway.
