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#144824 - 01/13/11 05:50 PM WM Flight Jacket
knosaj Offline
newbie

Registered: 09/19/10
Posts: 13
Loc: Tx
Just got mine in. Awesome feeling jacket. tying it out this weekend.

I hated to, but it was time to retire my heavy fleece ive been using for years. I loved that I could still wear the fleece in heavy fog, drizzle, and not really worry even in very light sprinkles. it stayed warm and dried quickly.

For anyone with a flight jacket, what has been your experience with the same conditions. i know they are slightly water resistant. i know you can retreat the jacket at some point but, has/would anyone added a coat of say, revivex, up front?

thanks in advance.

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#144825 - 01/13/11 05:55 PM Re: WM Flight Jacket [Re: knosaj]
Rick_D Offline
member

Registered: 01/06/02
Posts: 2939
Loc: NorCal
Assuming it's DWR (durable water repellant) coating on the shell fabric we're talking about, a trip through the clothes dryer should renew its water repellancy if you find water is no longer beading up. I seldom wash my down stuff, far less than fleece, so don't often have to do this. The WM website should have detailed care instructions; if not check somebody else like Feathered Friends.

Enjoy your new jacket!
_________________________
--Rick

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#144827 - 01/13/11 06:09 PM Re: WM Flight Jacket [Re: knosaj]
knosaj Offline
newbie

Registered: 09/19/10
Posts: 13
Loc: Tx
just spoke to them.

it does have nice water resistance to start off. if it starts to diminish in the future, just apply some revivex. -good to go.

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#144831 - 01/13/11 06:23 PM Re: WM Flight Jacket [Re: knosaj]
ral Offline
member

Registered: 11/30/02
Posts: 123
Loc: San Francisco
Be interesting what other folks say---I have had one for many years and to be honest the thing is not water resistant and any attempt to make it so has not worked well--there are just to many seams.

Also unless they changed it the zipper is very light and I'd say they should have used one a bit heavier---it continually has issues.

But it has lasted many years so all and all I have been pleased.

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#144945 - 01/16/11 12:12 AM Re: WM Flight Jacket [Re: ral]
BarryP Offline
member

Registered: 03/04/04
Posts: 1574
Loc: Eastern Idaho
1/15/11
“Also unless they changed it the zipper is very light and I'd say they should have used one a bit heavier---it continually has issues.”

I bought mine in 2005, I think. It had a #3 zipper then. In 2006 the zipper broke and WM replaced it for free with a #5 YKK zipper. Their new jackets should have #5 zippers which should hold up well.

I take the WM Flight backpacking in 0F to 40F weather. One time in 30F weather it got soaked with sopping wet snow (backpacking in Spain). I was worried I was going to freeze to death because of all the ‘wet down’ wives tales I heard. But actually, I stayed perfectly warm, even in a wet down Flight Jacket.

WM down is awesome; the colder it gets, the loftier it gets--- it expands! I believe other 800+ down does the same thing.

Who invented goose down smile? I can’t think of any man made insulation that expands in the cold. There are other things that you must do to allow this phenomena but I won’t get off topic here…

-Barry

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