With all jobs that involve spending a long time outside, it’s imperative that you’ve got the right equipment to keep you warm and dry. If you’ve been traipsing along using the same old waterproofs for years now, you might want to consider whether it’s time for an upgrade. Looking at articles like this will likely be the first sign that it’s time, but if you’re still not sure, then here are 3 more to look out for.
- They’re no longer keeping you dry
No waterproof fabric, no matter how advanced, is magic. It won’t last forever, and eventually, it will start to leak. As a result, if you find that your farm waterproofs are no longer keeping you dry, it could be a sign that it’s time to buy a new set from a supplier such as Stormline Gear.
Before buying your new kit, it’s worth seeing if you can increase the waterproofness of your existing items. Some fabrics, such as GoreTex, will need to be washed in a specific way every now and then to ensure that they remain effective, while others might need to be treated with special waterproofing products.
Of course, eventually these kinds of treatments will no longer be effective, but it’s worth at least trying before you fork out on a new set of expensive waterproofs.
- You haven’t upgraded in a long time
The saying if it’s not broken, don’t fix it definitely holds a certain wisdom, but you shouldn’t use it as an excuse to remain stuck with a potentially ineffective solution. While your current waterproofs might have been the best on the market when you bought them, if that was quite a few years ago, you’ll likely find that fabric technologies have come a long way since then.
It’s worth at least taking a quick look at new companies and fabrics, to see if there might be a solution that you weren’t even aware of, potentially one that could keep you much drier and warmer while on the job.
- You’re getting too hot
While this one might seem somewhat counterintuitive at first, it’s incredibly important. If you’re getting too hot in your existing farm waterproofs, they can be almost as uncomfortable to work in compared to if you’re getting too cold.
If you’re regularly getting much too hot in your waterproofs, you’ll probably also be sweating. Once your sweat starts to cool down, you’ll be left cold, damp, and miserable. There are a number of things you can do to solve this kind of issue; for example, you can look into getting farm waterproofs made from a more breathable fabric, or try adopting a layering system to allow for more temperature regulation.
If your current farming waterproofs aren’t doing their job, then don’t just accept that this is the best you’ll be able to get. Waterproof clothing isn’t perfect, but there has been a lot of research and development that’s been done over the past few years, and with a bit of research, you should be able to find a solution that you’re perfectly happy with.