Many people buy waterproof or water-resistant gear and assume it’ll be that way forever, but the reality is that DWR (durable water-repellent) coatings wear down over time, and they start doing what industry experts call “wetting out”—when the surface of the item starts absorbing water rather than repelling it. (The surfaces will get splotchy when wet instead of beading raindrops.) Even Gore-Tex products will eventually wet out; though they’re not as likely to let water in as other fabrics when that process occurs. They do, however, become heavier when wet and less breathable since the moisture from the inside can no longer escape.  When wetting out happens, you can either purchase new gear (expensive), or you can apply a waterproofing spray, wash-in, or wax.  While people are sometimes intimidated by the products, assuming they can potentially ruin a much-loved item or that the process of application is more complicated than it is, Heidi Allen, vice president of marketing at Nikwax, is working to spread the gossip of re-waterproofing.  “I wish everyone in the world knew you could do it, and you should do it, to help extend the life of your outdoor gear—your rain jackets and ski jackets, your high-tech stuff, even your leather boots, your Blundstones,” Allen says. “We always like to say the greenest gear is the gear you already have. By extending the life of all your outdoor gear, it will keep it out of the landfill.”   Allen notes you can even waterproof items you might not imagine. Nikwax and other manufacturers sell waterproofing products for cotton, fleece, and softshells, and you can use them on everything from your jeans to your Patagonia Synchilla Snap-T.  “It’s not going to turn your fleece into a rain jacket, but it will make it not absorb water,” Allen points out. “It won’t get heavy, which is great for traveling. If you waterproof all your stuff, it’ll dry faster if you do get caught in a downpour; it’ll dry in your hotel overnight. Again, it won’t turn cotton into a rain jacket, but it will help keep the water off for a while and prevent it from absorbing.”