Blind & Brush

How to Waterproof Hunting Gear

Waterproof gear only stays waterproof if you maintain it — here is how to restore the DWR finish on your rain gear, boots, and blinds so water beads instead of soaking in.

By Stephen V.Last updated How we pick

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Staying dry is a concealment skill

Staying dry is not just about comfort — it is a concealment skill. A wet, cold hunter fidgets, shifts, and quits early, and a deer’s eyes are built to catch that movement; peer-reviewed work on cervid visual ecology describes deer as highly sensitive to motion across a wide field of view even though they resolve detail and color poorly. So the hunter who stays dry stays still, and the one who stays still stays hidden. But here is the catch that surprises a lot of hunters: waterproof-breathable gear only stays waterproof if you maintain it. The DWR — durable water repellent — finish on the outer fabric wears off with use and washing, and once it does, water stops beading and soaks into the face fabric instead. That “wet-out” makes even a good jacket feel like it is leaking and kills its breathability. The good news is that DWR is restorable, and this guide walks through how, item by item.

Rain jackets and shells

Your rain jacket or shell is where DWR maintenance matters most, and the process is straightforward. First, wash it with a dedicated tech wash— not regular detergent, which leaves a residue that actually attracts water and undermines the repellent finish. Then apply a wash-in or spray-on DWR to the clean fabric. Finally, and this step is the one hunters skip, heat-setthe finish by tumble-drying or ironing on low per the care label — heat is what activates the DWR so water beads and rolls off. Do all three and a tired jacket sheds water like new; do only the wash and you have cleaned it without restoring anything. The full step-by-step for a jacket is below. If your rain gear is genuinely worn out rather than just thirsty, our best camo rain gear roundup covers replacements worth buying.

Boots

Boots are waterproofed by material, so identify what yours are made of first. Clean off the mud, let them dry, and then treat: for full-grain leather, work in a wax or grease-based treatment that feeds and seals the leather; for fabric boots or those with a waterproof membrane, use a spray-on repellent made for that material. The two are not interchangeable — a leather grease will not do the right thing to a fabric upper, and a fabric spray will not condition leather. Clean first every time, because dirt blocks the treatment from bonding, and let the boots dry fully before and after treating so the finish sets properly.

Ground blinds and packs

Ground blinds and packs take a simpler approach: a spray-on fabric waterproofer on the outside surface, plus seam-sealingany spots that leak, since seams are the usual failure point on both. The rule that saves these items over the long run is to always dry them fully before storage — a blind or pack put away damp grows mildew, which rots the fabric and creates odor that works against your scent control. For blinds, waterproofing is one piece of routine upkeep; our ground blind maintenance guide covers cleaning, drying, and storage in full so your blind stays weatherproof season after season.

General rules for all technical gear

A few rules apply across everything you waterproof. Never use fabric softener on technical gear — it coats the fibers and destroys both the water repellency and the breathability. Dry everything completely before you store it, and store it dry, to keep mildew from taking hold. Clean before you treat, always, because a treatment cannot bond to a dirty surface. And treat based on condition rather than habit: reapply when water stops beading, which is covered more below. Follow these and your gear’s waterproof performance lasts far longer than most hunters ever get out of it.

Waterproofing is maintenance, not magic

It helps to be honest about what a DWR treatment does and does not do, because the marketing around waterproofing invites big expectations. Restoring DWR makes water bead off the outer face fabric again, which stops the wet-out that kills breathability and makes a jacket feel clammy. It does not turn a light shell into a storm shell, and it does not seal a garment that was never fully waterproof to begin with. Waterproofing is maintenance of the performance your gear already had, not an upgrade past it. It also does not solve the other half of staying dry: the moisture you make yourself. On a hard walk in, a waterproof shell can trap your own sweat against you if it cannot breathe or vent fast enough, and damp from the inside chills you just like rain from the outside. That is why the same rules that make a jacket shed rain — a working DWR, a clean face fabric, no residue clogging the pores — also protect its breathability, and why venting and pacing yourself on the approach matters as much as the treatment. Keep the outside repelling and the inside breathing, and you stay dry from both directions; neglect either and the best membrane in the world will still leave you wet.

Re-waterproof a jacket, step by step

Here is the full sequence for restoring the DWR on a waterproof-breathable jacket or shell.

Step 1: Empty and close the jacket

Empty all pockets and close every zipper, flap, and hook-and-loop closure. This lets the treatment coat the fabric evenly and keeps closures from snagging or getting missed.

Step 2: Wash with a tech wash

Wash the jacket in a dedicated technical wash rather than regular detergent — which leaves a residue that attracts water — to strip dirt and old residue from the fabric so it is ready to accept a fresh finish.

Step 3: Run an extra rinse

Run an extra rinse cycle so no wash residue remains in the fabric. Leftover soap can keep a new DWR treatment from bonding, so this small step protects the whole job.

Step 4: Apply a DWR treatment

Apply a wash-in or spray-on DWR treatment per the product directions, coating the entire outer surface evenly. Wash-in treatments go in the machine; spray-on treatments let you target the outer face fabric only.

Step 5: Heat-set the DWR

Heat-set the DWR by tumble-drying or ironing on low per the care label. Heat is what activates the finish, so skipping this step is why a re-treated jacket sometimes still wets out.

Step 6: Test that water beads

Sprinkle water on the jacket and confirm it beads and rolls off. Re-treat any high-wear areas — shoulders under a pack, cuffs, and the seat — that still wet out instead of beading.

Test and store before the season, not during it

Do your waterproofing before the season, not in the middle of a rainy hunt when it is too late. At the end of each season, clean everything, re-treat what needs it, and confirm water still beads before you put gear away, so you are not discovering a wet-out jacket at first light in a downpour. Store shells, boots, blinds, and packs fully dry and loosely — not crammed or compressed — and keep them out of the long-term damp that breeds mildew. A quick pre-season check tells you exactly what to treat while you still have time to let it dry and heat-set properly: sprinkle water on your shell and watch whether it beads, flex your boots and look for cracked or dry leather, and run your hand along your blind’s seams and windows for leaks. Gear maintained on this rhythm lasts for years; gear ignored until it fails in the field lets you down on precisely the wet days that put deer on their feet.

The honest close

DWR wears off with use, so re-treat when water stops beading, not on a fixed schedule — the fabric itself is the only signal you need. But know the limit of what treatment can do: no DWR restores a worn-out membrane. If your gear wets through even after you have cleaned and re-treated it, the waterproof layer itself has failed, and the honest call is to retire that piece rather than keep fighting it. Maintain what is still good, replace what is truly done, and you will stay dry — and therefore still, and hidden — when the weather that puts deer on their feet finally rolls in. For hunting those wet days once your gear is ready, see how to hunt deer in the rain.

Frequently asked questions

Why has my waterproof jacket stopped keeping me dry?

Almost always because the DWR — the durable water repellent finish on the outer fabric — has worn off. DWR is what makes water bead up and roll off. It wears down with use, abrasion, dirt, and washing, and once it fails the face fabric soaks up water instead of shedding it. That wet-out makes the jacket feel like it is leaking and kills its breathability, even if the waterproof membrane underneath is still fine. The fix is to clean the jacket and re-apply DWR, then heat-set it — not to throw the jacket away.

Can I just use regular laundry detergent?

No — use a dedicated technical wash instead. Regular detergent leaves a residue on the fabric that actually attracts and holds water, which is the opposite of what you want on a waterproof shell, and it can interfere with a new DWR treatment bonding. Also skip fabric softener entirely on technical gear, since it coats the fibers and destroys both the water repellency and the breathability. Wash with a tech wash, rinse thoroughly so no residue remains, then treat and heat-set. That sequence is what actually restores performance.

How do I re-waterproof my hunting boots?

Treat boots by their material after cleaning off mud and letting them dry. For full-grain leather, use a wax or grease-based treatment worked into the leather. For fabric boots or those with a waterproof membrane, use a spray-on repellent made for that material. Clean first — dirt blocks the treatment from bonding — and always let the boots dry fully before and after treating. Matching the product to the material is the key step, since a leather wax and a fabric spray are not interchangeable.

How do I waterproof a ground blind or pack?

Use a spray-on fabric waterproofer on the outside surface, and seam-seal any spots that leak, since seams are the usual failure point. Then always dry the blind or pack fully before storage to prevent mildew, which rots fabric and creates odor. For blinds specifically, this is part of routine care — our ground blind maintenance guide covers cleaning, drying, and storage in more detail. As with all technical gear, clean it first so the treatment adheres, and reapply when water stops beading rather than on a fixed schedule.

How often should I re-treat my gear?

Re-treat when water stops beading, not on a fixed calendar. DWR wears off at different rates depending on how hard you use the gear and how often you wash it, so the reliable signal is the fabric itself — when water soaks in and darkens the face fabric instead of rolling off in beads, it is time. Also know the limit: no treatment can restore a worn-out membrane. If your gear wets through even after cleaning and re-treating, the membrane itself has failed and the piece should be retired.

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