How To Waterproof Ski Pants

Learning how to waterproof ski pants is one of the best ways to make your favorite skiing garments last as long as possible and keep you comfortable while you are out on the slopes. All ski pants are manufactured with a certain amount of resistance to water, but water-resistant materials are far from waterproof. The waterproof conditioning that has been applied to a pair of ski pants can become less effective over time. Here is everything that you need to know about how to waterproof ski pants.

1. The most important thing to consider when you are deciding how to waterproof ski pants is the type of waterproof chemical treatment that you decide to use on your skiing garments. There are two different types of water-resistant ski pants: those that are lined with waterproof textiles like Gor-tex or Dermizax and those that are simply made of a water-resistant fabric. In both cases, it is crucial that you use the Durable Water Repellant (DWR) solution that is appropriate for your particular ski pants.
   
2. If you have ski pants that are made with waterproof textiles, you can often revive your garment's resistance to water by using a simple spray-on DWR like ReviveX or Tectron Water Repellant. For these chemical solutions, simply spray on the DWR as instructed and wait for your garment to dry. Once your ski pants have dried, you can test whether or not the solution worked effectively by dripping water onto the garment. The water should bead up on the outside of the garment and roll off without soaking into the fabric.
3. For ski pants that were only manufactured to be water-resistant, you are better off using a wash-in DWR like Nikwax. So long as the instructions are followed properly, Nikwax can make ski pants and other wet weather clothing nearly completely waterproof. You can also use products like Tectron Water Repellant or ReviveX to try to make these garments 100% waterproof, but you will often find that spray-on DWRs can make ski pants uncomfortable to wear if they were not made with waterproof materials to begin with.

By experimenting with some of the different DWR products that are available, you can save a surprising amount of money and learn how to waterproof ski pants like a pro.