Have you ever been on that hunt when you think, “it can’t get any worse than this.” And then it does? It always seems to involve water, doesn’t it? Cold, cold water. Wet clothes and gear are nobody’s recipe for success, so it's Badlands to the rescue. We’ve spent decades testing different ways to keep you and your stuff safe from the rain, snow, sleet, and every other nasty form H2O can take.
Durable Water Repellent (DWR)
DWR is a term you hear all the time in regards to hunting equipment, but you may not know there are different types, with different levels of effectiveness. At Badlands we use top-of-the-line C6 DWR on our apparel and packs. For example, Dupont® Teflon™ fabric protector repels moisture, dirt, stains, oils, and perhaps most importantly for you, blood. It’s kind of like magic – you can watch all kinds of moisture bead up and roll off your gear. If it’s good enough for your no-stick pots and pans, it’s good enough for your hunting clothing.
Waterproof Fabrics and Membranes
In addition to water-repellent coatings, Badlands also uses waterproof fabrics in the construction of our packs and gear. Typically, these consist of multiple layers: a face fabric and one or multiple waterproof, yet breathable membranes. Together, these work to keep you dry, and also comfortable. The breathability of the membrane is key, keeping larger water droplets out while allowing smaller moisture molecules to escape. We could just wrap you up in plastic, but that would just trap heat and moisture inside your clothing. By keeping you dry and allowing air flow, you’ll be able to better regulate your body’s temperature no matter the conditions.
Taped Seams
Until someone comes up with a seamless, waterproof hunting unitard (boy, we can’t wait for that one), stitching is going to be a part of hunting clothing. Where there’s stitching there are holes. And where there are holes, water can get in to places you’d rather it didn’t. So when Badlands says something is 100 percent waterproof, that means we’ve taken the extra step to seal those stitched seams with waterproof tape. It’s the only way to ensure that not one drop of water gets where it wasn’t intended.
