Grangers: Waterproof Essentials

£9.95-£12.50

With the weather often being a bit unpredictable here in the UK, you never know when a rain shower might hit. Therefore, you won’t find many people venturing outside without a waterproof jacket ready for whatever weather that day might bring. However, over time, waterproof things can start to lose their repellency, especially after multiple washes to keep things like coats and shoes clean. Therefore, I was excited to test out a range of water repellent goods from Grangers, which aim to help keep your clothing items waterproof for many adventures to come. 

The first product is the Performance Repel Plus (£10.95), which is a spray-on waterproofing treatment which helps restore the water repellent finish on technical gear. The spray is super simple to use; you just wash your item, spray on the Performance Repel Plus whilst the item is still damp and then wait for it to dry (or dry your item following its specific care label). Once dry, your clothing item is ready to face the elements, supported by a durable waterproof layer thanks to the Performance Repel Plus Spray. Grangers recommends focusing especially on areas that are prone to wear, such as around the side under the arms, to help maintain the waterproof coating for as long as possible, even in high-contact areas. I love how easy the spray is to use, and that it has been made with no harsh chemicals that will hurt you or the environment in the application process. The spray comes with 275ml inside, so it's perfect for refreshing multiple items of clothing with a waterproof coating, in just a few simple steps.

For footwear, Grangers then has a specific Footwear Repel Plus (£9.95) spray treatment, which is designed for upper materials in shoes. The waterproofing treatment, much like the Performance Repel Plus, just needs to be sprayed onto your cleaned and damp footwear. Once applied, you just dab off any excess with a clean cloth and leave it to dry before use. This provides a protective coating across your shoes to ensure they are ready to keep your feet warm and dry, no matter the adventure or weather conditions you face. The spray even includes additional conditioning ingredients, which are perfect for leather, suede or nubuck upper materials that are popular in hiking and walking boots. This helps maintain the appearance and performance of your shoes, whilst keeping them waterproofed too.

However, before you waterproof your gear or shoes, the best option is to always clean them, as this stops any dirt or grime from affecting the water repellency process. However, Grangers is aware that sometimes you don’t have the time to do a multiple-step process to clean and then waterproof, especially for active jobs where the items are being worn every day. Therefore, they have developed a unique 2-in1 formula that cleans and waterproofs in a single step. The Wash + Repel Clothing 2-in-1 (£12.50) treatment cleans your items, and then provides a durable repellancy making your item both clean and water repellent in just one step. This exclusive treatment from Grangers is designed to offer a more streamlined cleaning and waterproofing option, that requires less energy and water too. By using less energy and water, the solution also helps keep the washing of your items more sustainable, helping protect the environment in the long term, too.

To use the Wash + Repel Clothing 2-in-1 solution, you just pour 100ml (around 2 capfuls) into your detergent drawer on your washing machine and pop in your item. You can increase the amount of the solution used for more items, adding another capful for each additional item. You then wash your item on a regular cycle and dry it as per the item's specific label instructions. The Wash + Repel Clothing 2-in-1 Solution, like the Performance Repel Plus, is suitable for waterproof, windproof, soft shell, fleece, Gore-Tex, Helly Tech, eVent, Pertex, and FutureLight materials, offering a wide variety of uses to keep your outdoor gear waterproof and clean. I will note that the bottle we got to review was 300ml, so you only get a few washes per bottle. However, this seems fair if it's only a quicker option that is used less frequently than complete cleaning and waterproofing options.

Overall, the Performance Repel Plus, Footwear Repel Plus, and Wash + Repel Clothing 2-in1 offer a great toolkit for cleaning and restoring your outdoor gear to its best. Each one is designed to ensure that your items are waterproofed and ready for whatever weather your next adventure throws at you. I love that each bottle is made from 100% Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) materials, and the company’s products are Bluesign approved, showing their commitment to eco-friendliness across its entire production chain. Therefore, not only are you getting top-quality cleaning and waterproofing solutions, but you’re also supporting a company that is working to protect the environment in the process.

Pros:

• Easy-to-use products that provide a good level of water repellency
• Suitable for a variety of materials, including GoreTex, eVent, with the Footwear Repel Plus ideal for suede, nubuck, leather, and fabric
• Made with no harsh chemicals, which won’t harm you or the planet
• Wash + Repel Clothing 2in-1 offers a unique and environmentally friendly option to clean and waterproof at the same time

Cons:

• The Wash + Repel Clothing 2in-1 will only have a few uses per bottle if the recommended 100ml of product is used for each wash, but this is likely, as it doubles up as a time-saving option, so it will be used less frequently than full waterproofing and cleaning options (which are also available from Grangers).