Product Test: Kiwi Heavy Duty water Repellant & Performance Fabric Protector

Anne, AWB's outdoor contributor, has given two Kiwi products a test drive to see if they really can make your clothing water repellant. Following a lengthy trial period and some time in the shower, she reports that Kiwi exceeded her expectations.  Here are her comments:

Several months ago the Kiwi Camp Dry Company sent me two products to review for Adventurous Women. I received Heavy Duty Water Repellant and Performance Fabric Protector.  The water repellant is for any product that you would like to have repel water.  The Performance Fabric Protector is to extend the life of a performance fabric.  

A little background, I live in Western Montana. It’s a dry climate here for most of the year. We get about 12 inches of precipitation in a normal year. I wanted to give the product a thorough test, but I didn’t want to rely on the results to keep me from getting hypothermia.  I remember using camp dry about 40 years ago when I first started skiing.  We used to spray our jeans with it before we set off for a day on the slopes.  Yes, we used to ski in jeans, and our long underwear was cotton.  Nowadays, “cotton kills” is a common saying among outdoorspeople.  Anyway, the Camp Dry would keep our jeans semi water repellant until about noon, and then we’d be drenched. Strangely, my twelve-year-old self thought this was fine—at 51, it doesn’t sound so good.

Back to my test. First, I selected the clothes I wanted to test. I have an old jacket that used to be water resistant and a newer pair of powder pants.  I carefully read the instructions because of the cautionary language on the can.  It’s a good thing I don’t live in California because they know that “the product contains a chemical known by the State of California to cause cancer,” but since I live in Montana, I didn’t have to worry.  Anyway, I needed to use it in a well-ventilated area, and then let it dry for at least 24 hours.  I let it dry in the garage for about two months.

I decided to conduct the test while I cleaned the shower.  I put on the pants and jacket and turned on the shower water. The force from the shower is harder than rainfall.  It wasn’t a completely fair test, but I didn’t want to risk getting really wet while I was out on the trail and miles away from home. Anyway, the Camp Dry preformed better than I really expected. The jacket was repellant at first, but it gave out quickly since it felt the full force of the shower spray. On the other hand, my pants kept me quite dry.  I have gotten wet biking in these pants before, but with the Camp Dry they were a good water barrier.

So, I give the product 3 out of 5 stars.  I’ll use it again. I need a pair of rain pants, but I don’t want to buy a pair for the five times a year that I need them.  It will work well when I’m caught in the rain on my bike or out on a hike. 

Anne