I'm not quite sure why you heard this. I have a gortex jacket that will
be 7 years old this April. (For riders who haven't seen it yet here in
CA, you will when we ride. It's bright pink, yellow, and blue.) I
wear it almost every day around the ranch. (Got a new one for
to wear as my "good" jacket.) It's looking a little used, but it's still
as waterproof as the day I bought it. I've been in downpours. The
last time it was soaked was last Saturday when we rode up in
the coastal mountains here. The higher we rode, the harder it rained.
I was completely dry. The jacket was soaked, but dried by the time
we got back to the ranch. It gets *DIRTY*!!! I wear it over anything
to keep the horse slime off my work clothes. I wear it when I feed.
I wear it when it's dusty. I wear it in the mud and muck. It goes
in the washer with my horse jeans... right after the blankets and pads.
I've spilled ink on it (very sad... but it's slowly coming out after 2 or
3 years).
I don't know who told you Gore-Tex wouldn't hold up if it got dirty.
The original stuff would leak with oil and dirt... but that was back
in the 70's. Believe me, they got rid of that problem real quick.
This stuff is made for people who climb Everest. And if you've ever
seen anyone who can get dirtier faster than horse people, it's people
who are climbing Everest.
I love this company (can you tell?) They've got a great history. I'm
not sure of the status of their patent... it's either run out or just about
to. That means we may soon see "Cheeper copies" of micro-stressed
teflon layers. It's lightweight. It's comfortable and it breathes. I can
take it off and stuff it in my saddlepad pocket.
I haven't bought a pair of pants yet, but since I'm only here in CA and
it *should* stop raining soon, I just got a pair of polar fleece riding
pants to go under the jacket. They stay warm when wet and don't
hold water. So far so good...
:) - kat
ps for those of you with access to San Francisco, check out the
North Face outlet store... great gore-tex at great prices.