The key is to keep the face fabric clean so it can breath and so the DWR can bead water.
This is what most folks fail to address. Think Nikwax TX Direct--it primarily restores the water repellency to the outer shell. If the outer shell becomes soaked, no breathable inner fabric has a chance.
I have three Cabela's Gore Tex rain shells with the "Stealth Cloth" outer shell from the early 90's (yeah, I like them so much I bought three). One is plumb wore out and it hangs around for old time's sake, but every year I wash the other two them (with synthetic wash) and wash in TX Direct. I've also started spraying them with the TX Direct spray on stuff. These jackets are "Extreme Wet Weather" rated by Gore Labs, which means they are highly water repellent, low breathability. I've been dry when other, newer jacket guys were wearing (GTX, E-vent, etc) were getting wet.
Casey
