Seam Sealing Tape - Waterproof Garment Testing

The interesting thing when it comes to waterproofing is that waterproofed clothing is actually supposed to keep you dry

. That's the premise behind the garments, and that's what people think when they hear "waterproof". Unfortunately, most waterproofed clothing and garments aren't actually 100% waterproof. You can find professional safety garments that offer maximum waterproofing with seam sealing tape and other protective factors. Most garments however offer less protection.

The term "waterproof" used to carry a consistent meaning - that the garment would completely lock out water. This was true for many types of garments and dates back to the early 1900's where fabrics were treated and layered to completely block moisture. Now, garments are made to be more breathable. Unfortunately when something is breathable it's never truly waterproof. Even some high quality garments that utilize seam sealing tape aren't fully waterproof.

There are some natural and artificial elements that are fully waterproof but they're few and far between. Clothing is not one of them, at least not for most consumers. Metal, glass and garments used in hazardous situations are. The rest of us consumers buy water resistant clothing that is proofed against water to some degree but they're not fully waterproof. Each garment touting water repellant technology is rated and measured using standard criteria.

Rain Room Endurance - Rain rooms are research labs designed to do just what they sound like. These rooms rump controlled amounts of water on a garment to simulate real life conditions. Unfortunately this doesn't replicate real life conditions where water is concerned and so it's an ineffective way of fully showing off the waterproofing of a garment.

Static Column Testing - This is the most effective method for testing the waterproofing of a garment. While it does not emulate real world conditions, this test is able to check how water transfers through a garment under pressure. A 1 inch tube is placed upright on the fabric, flush with the surface. The tube is then filled with water. The measurement is the height of the water column in millimeters when leakage starts to occur.

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From these test we garner the ratings that are intended to tell us how waterproof the garment is. Unfortunately those ratings can be a bit confusing if you don't understand the process. When the findings are recorded and published or printed, they appear in mm form, such as 20,000mm waterproof. While these two tests combined can be relatively accurate in determining the reliability of a waterproof garment, there are no real world tests that can consistently deliver results across multiple types of garment.

While a lot of casual consumer clothing isn't 100% waterproof, some manufactures use seam sealing tape to help reduce water leaks. The downside here is that some of those seam sealing tapes are put on using poor quality PU adhesive that wears away quickly. Once it becomes damage the water can easily collect at the seams and soak through. The best garments will have maximum waterproofing of the fabric with high quality seam sealing tape all around.

by: henry e lopez

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