am i expecting too much from reproofed rugs?

Firehorse

Firehorse

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i've got 2 lightweights my boy has been in the last couple of weeks. both had started getting slight dampness inside after rain. so i've washed and reproofed them with nikwax. did exactly what it said on the tin and this morning, after heavy rain and wind last night, the one he was wearing had leaked again. i've swapped it for his other one to see if that is ok or not.

he'd been in a brand new mediumweight or an old heavyweight all winter and not a single drop of rain got thru them. is reproofing rugs a waste of time? should i just buy a new one? if i send it away to a launderer, they only use nikwax so would surely get the same result as i have?
 
I washed, repaired and reproofed two necks and they've been fine. However I noted today that presumably due to the strong almost horizontal rain on the wind the neck he had on was dampish quite a way inside the neck and up from the back where the neck meets the rug when his head is down munching.
 
lightweight rugs (no fill) aren't designed to be stormproof, they are showerproof. so any heavy rain will go through regardless of whether you just got it out the pack or whether its 10yrs old.
 
I always have mine done by a rug wash company and have never had a problem. I also think it depends on the rugs too. The 600d amigos are known to leak a bit, Mastas are renown for it but Ive had a Shires Typhoon LW and currently on my 4th yr with a Rambo LW and they have never leaked even in the worse weather.
 
LadyRascasse said:
lightweight rugs (no fill) aren't designed to be stormproof, they are showerproof. so any heavy rain will go through regardless of whether you just got it out the pack or whether its 10yrs old.
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Hmm, I'm not sure I agree about that. My girl Beans only had LW rugs on all winter - a rambo or rhino no fill, and neither of those leaked at all :)

OP, what brand are your rugs? It may be down to that as much as anything. :)
 
As said above, such as the lightweight Amigos, they are only designed to withstand showers and not heavy rain.. If you get the heavier denier lightweight then they are more waterproof and able to weather better. If you have followed the instructions correctly and your washing machine soap dispenser was scrupuously clean then you shouldnt have had a problem. However, if the material didnt "crisp" when dry then it may well be that the rug is past re-proofing and its time to get a new one. The usual signs are when the material feels very soft and floppy that they are no longer waterproof. They will only withstand so much, just like our coats, before they will leak. Nikwax is a very good product, unfortunately some rugs are not. You may have to use your rugs on dry but cold days instead.
 
the first rug is a william funnell. not sure how old it is as it came with my pony. the other is a saxon weatherbeeta, only 2 yrs old. my mediumweight that has been fine is a rhinegold and the heavyweight thats been fine is jhl. i've jst bought a mediumweight jhl as i love the fit of it on my pony and it has the seperate neck cover too.
 
On the back of the fabric is a rubber coating. If that starts to deteriorate then the rug will leak, regardless of if its re-proofed. The proofer just helps with water repellency but it wont work miracles on a fabric that has loose weave or the rubber backing perishing. Unfortunately you also cant see if the backing is ok because obviously its between the lining and the upper surface
 
Tbh the weather we have just had i be surprised if any lighweight rug will stand up to it tbh!
I NEVER wash and reproof any of my turnout rugs as they never are the same again,lesson learnt!However i sponge the scum off the neck covers as they rub otherwise!Have had a rambo plus for 4 yrs this yr and it has had some hammer,probably get a new one this yr and keep it as a spare as it still dosnt leak...never been touched :)
 
I've been repairing and reproofing mine at home and all seem fine. I used the outer of an old damaged rug that someone else was chucking out as patches, and waterproof using cementone from b and q. I figured it was worth trying as it works out cheap for the amount you get out of it, so did my yard jackets with it too!

Incidently, I have saxon lightweights, and they haven't leaked this winter...... yet.......
 
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