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My rain jacket seam tape gave out halfway through the Wonderland Trail loop
I always thought seam sealing was overkill for a factory-taped jacket, but after getting soaked for two days near Mowich Lake, I had to patch it with duct tape. Has anyone else had a major gear failure on a long loop like that?
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tessac251mo ago
Honestly, it's not just the brand. I've seen it happen to all kinds of jackets after a few seasons. That sun exposure breaks down the adhesive over time, even if you store it right. Tbh, checking and maybe even re-taping the high-stress seams, like the shoulders, before a big trip is a good move. It's a pain, but less of a pain than a wet sleeping bag.
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patel.leo27d ago
Read an article a while back that said the glue in seam tape just has a shelf life, like five to seven years even if you never wear the thing. It dries out and gets brittle. Makes sense why my old rain shell started leaking at the elbows first, that's where it gets the most flex. Kinda sucks that a jacket can look fine but the guts are giving out.
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