#waterproofing

[ltwilliammowett]

Caulking the Main Deck of HMS Trincomalee by jones_shipwrights

Source

[charliecraftsthings]

Obnoxious Cat Backpack

I got this beautifully obnoxious cat print fabric from IKEA and was "saving it for something special"...

... but if you never use it, it'll never get used.

So I decided to dive right!

I wanted a backpack with a front panel that would really show off the print. I chose the Len Backpack pattern by I Think Sew. (Spoiler alert: I don't strongly recommend this pattern, especially not to beginners. But I'll do a more thorough review some other time.)

Before cutting the panels, I decided to treat the fabric for water resistance: I washed the fabric, then soaked it in a preparation of Nikwax Cottonproof, a wash-in waterproofer. After thoroughly rinsing, I put the fabric in the dryer on low. I only did some cursory testing of the treated fabric by flicking water droplets on it, which beaded up and rolled off the "right side", but had a harder time on the "wrong side". I decided this was probably good enough.

When cutting the panels, I wanted a cat face on every side of the bag. I wanted derpy cat faces to stare disconcertingly from every vantage, I wanted this backpack to say, "If you observe me, I will observe you back."

I think I was successful.

One major modification I made was adding a zipper flap for the main compartment. This was not in the original pattern, and I didn't thoroughly think through my execution here. I think the original pattern can be adapted to include a zipper shield, but it will take a lot better planning than I was prepared to do.

I made my zipper shield by tacking a long strip of lining fabric along the zipper tape before attaching it to the bag. However, this meant the bag couldn't be constructed per the instructions, and I puckered the shield when sewing over it. The fabric I chose was also thinner, so it gets caught in the zipper if you're not careful. I'm actually tempted to carefully snip away the shield (there's too much topstitching for me to justify unpicking the seams and re-sewing it entirely).

Although I don't wear the backpack often, I really get a kick out of taking it on mundane activities like grocery shopping.

I will absolutely make more bags with this fabric!

[topgearlab1]

How To Break In Walking Boots: The Best Guide

Table of Content

Break In Walking Boots

How To Break In Walking Boots: Three Easy Steps

In your home

Around town

On the trail

How to Avoid Blisters When Breaking Into Your Hiking Boots

How To Break In Walking Boots: Important Tips

Lace-up your boots

Avoid trying shortcuts

Remember to break in your feet.

What makes a good walking boot?

Waterproofing

Breathability

Material

Fit

Different Types of Hiking Boots

Light hiking boots

Boots for mountain climbing

Boots for hiking

Final Words

Most people have boots now, whether they need them or want to wear them. If you are reading this, you probably wear them for work, and we are sure you know how hard it is to break them in. This article will be the perfect step-by-step guide on How To Break In Walking Boots.

We wear leather boots to work and for fun, and we have a set way of breaking in the new ones, and we wanted to tell you that the next time you get a new pair of boots, you can hit the trail faster and feel even better.

[geocyclist]

I’ve always wanted to try waterproofing fabric with wax, so after a small amount of research, I settled on a half recipe of Nighthawkinlight’s proportions for mineral oil and paraffin wax (1 cup mineral oil to 1 pound paraffin wax).

Melted together in a double boiler, then poured off into silicone cube molds. These cubes can be rubbed into cotton to waterproof them! I’ll try first with my work pants.

In addition to getting away from teflon and other per/polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) for health reasons, we also have to get rid of it because having it on your clothes can be a cross contamination risk when sampling for these compounds, which I do frequently for work.

[shinyhunksai]

[fixhousehyd]

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[fenrislorsrai]

The Quest to Ban the Best Raincoats in the World

Why Patagonia, REI, and just about every other gear retailer are going PFAS-free.

But what made my raincoat so trustworthy that day on the mountain could also, in theory, kill me — or, more likely, kill or sicken any of the thousands of people who live downstream of the manufacturers that make waterproofing chemicals and the landfills where waterproof clothing is incinerated or interred. Outdoor apparel is typically ultraprocessed and treated using perfluoroalkyl and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, a class of water- and stain-resistant “forever chemicals” that are more commonly referred to as PFAS (pronounced “pee-fass”). After decades of work by environmental groups and health advocates, states and retailers are finally banning the sale of textiles that have been treated with the chemicals, which in the outdoor industry often manifest in the form of Gore-Tex membranes or “durable water repellent” treatments. These bans are fast approaching: Beginning in 2025 — less than 12 months from now — California will forbid the sale of most PFAS-treated textiles; New York will restrict them in apparel; and Washington will regulate stain- and waterproofing treatments, with similar regulations pending or approved in a number of other states. Following pressure from activists, the nation’s largest outdoor retailer, REI, also announced last winter that it will ban PFAS in all the textile products and cookware sold in its stores starting fall 2024; Dick’s Sporting Goods will also eliminate PFAS from its brand-name clothing. - - - It is also because of this bond that PFAS are so stubbornly persistent — in the environment, certainly, but also in us. An estimated 98% to 99% of people have traces of PFAS in their bodies. Researchers have found the molecules in breast milk, rainwater, and Antarctica’s snow. We inhale them in dust and drink them in our tap water, and because they look a little like a fatty acid to our bodies, they can cause health problems that we’re only beginning to grasp. So far, PFAS have been linked to kidney and testicular cancer, decreased fertility, elevated cholesterol, weight gain, thyroid disease, the pregnancy complication pre-eclampsia, increased risk of preterm birth and low birth weight, hormone interference, and reduced vaccine response in children.