How do you prevent jacket delamination?

I sweat more than average. Wearing a cap under the hood has helped delay delamination. And made it much easier to get the hood turn with my head. Never thought of it until I noticed how my rain jackets were delaminating a few years back…

I think taping would delay delamination, but it would make the jacket non breathable so it’s not a viable solution.

Cheaper “proprietary” 2.5 layer jackets (Precip etc) delaminate pretty quickly in my experience, in fact, the only 2.5 layer shell I have had luck with not delaminating is GTX Packlite.

I have found eVent to delaminate as well and have had a 3 layer eVent jacket (mostly hood) and 2.5 layer rain mitts (everywhere) delaminate and currently have an eVent shell which looks like it is getting ready to delaminate under the arms.

I have had good luck with GTX jackets not delaminating and though I am not a fan of Gore and how they run their business, I have come to prefer GTX shells

Its dirt and body oil that seems to make them delaminate, which is why the tape seems to help but it would render the shell a plastic bag.

I’ve had 2.5 layer eVent delaminate at shoulders and hood

For my next jacket I used 2.5 layer Shield which might be better.  And made a lining of breathable fabric, Supplex, but probably a lighter fabric would work.  And I always use long sleeve shirt.

I think body oils and sweat are what cause the delamination.  Maybe washing it more often?

So thinking about this we might postulate delamination happens as a combination of multiple factors:

– Hydrolysis. Temperature builds up and moisture has issues being evacuated in high sweating areas and compressed areas.
– Abrasion. Pack, straps and gravity all make the jacket rub more in these areas.
– Contamination. Internal (body oils and minerals) and external (dirt)

Does that make sense?

I thinking a mapping approach would be fine for the problem. Areas under straps and packs could be taped. They probably don’t need to be breathable as they can’t breathe anyway. Always wear something on your head with the hood on (cap/bandana/hat). Any other ideas to make PU jackets last longer?

For jacket construction could we think about incorporating sil coatings in some specific areas instead of a membrane and offset that with more breathability in less susceptible areas around that? There’s a lot of air pumping action going on during activity inside a jacket so that might work. That’s only applicable to someone interested in making something that would last longer obviously.

Or, have a breathable lining just at shoulders and hood.

Your three points makes sense

My jackets delaminate at the bottom, the fold where the elastic runs. That is not due to sweat or oils. Has happened to me with 3 different Arcteryx rain jackets and that is the only place and the only problem I have had with them. I don’t even cinch them so that cause is out too….

You don’t have serious delamination, this is serious delamination; see Alan’s  (smile).

• Use a 3-layer version to extend the life of its replacement
• Buy from a manufacturer that will replace your WPB if you use the new one like you did the old one
• When wearing a pack during heavy extertion, use a >300 mm HH windshirt in lieu of a WPB for rain to help extend the WPB’s life

Maybe everybody already knows this, but many waterproof/breathable membranes are made of polyurethane. And the DEET found in many insect repellents will destroy the polyurethane membrane in short order. DEET will do a number on your Lycra bike shorts, too.

I buy from OR and have them replace the Jacket until they are 10 years old and I believe I have gotten fair life out of them.

The way to prevent delamination is carrying a windshirt.