It seems insignificant! You're thinking about buying a raincoat, and when you see the words " waterproof " or " water-repellent ," you think it's a raincoat that can easily be worn for hours in the rain without the rain soaking through. After all, it's called a " raincoat " for a reason.
However, this is not always true; there is a big difference between waterproof and water-repellent , and we would like to explain this to you briefly and concisely.
WATER-REPELLENT
A raincoat made of water-repellent fabric is ideal for lighter, milder showers and will keep you perfectly dry. However, during prolonged, heavy downpours, this jacket will eventually leak. There are significant differences between different types of water-repellent fabrics; some keep out more rain and for longer periods than others. A water column of 0-1,000mm is considered water-repellent.
Unfortunately, many stores sell jackets as "raincoats," but they're often water-repellent jackets that barely keep out any rain. You often only discover this after wearing the jacket in a rain shower, and for this reason, you can no longer exchange or return it. The best way to test the jacket is by holding it under running water. This will quickly tell you whether a fabric is water-resistant or not.
WATERPROOF
A raincoat Waterproof fabric will keep you dry, even during prolonged heavy downpours . Waterproof means that water cannot penetrate the material. However, even raincoats made of waterproof fabric vary in size and water resistance.
Water columns indicate the waterproofness of a fabric. Generally, a water column of 1,000mm or more is considered waterproof, but some fabrics have a water column of 28,000mm, which are often not suitable for use in rainwear. A water column indicates the number of mm of water a material can withstand per m². You can assume that if a jacket is called waterproof, it will easily withstand rain showers.
WATERPROOF SEAMS AND ZIPPERS
Whether a raincoat is waterproof depends not only on the fabric, but also on the seams and zippers. Rain can penetrate the seams of a raincoat, which is why most raincoats have taped seams. This prevents rain from leaking through the seams. Water can also enter the jackets through zippers, so when buying a raincoat, pay close attention to the measures taken to prevent water from penetrating the zippers. This can be achieved by using waterproof zippers, but also by using an extra flap over the zipper to prevent water from reaching the zipper.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
We are happy to provide you with appropriate advice.
