How to make clothes waterproof with the Fjällräven Greenland Wax

Wet trousers that cling to your body are not only unpleasant but can even be a factor that could lead to hypothermia.

Add a cold wind to the problem and you could be asking for trouble.

Fortunately, if your outdoor trousers aren't as wind and waterproof as you would like, then there's a solution in the form of Greenland Wax from Fjällräven.

But first, about Fjällräven and my G1000 Trousers

18 months ago I bought a pair of Fjällräven Karl G-1000 trousers.

Fjällräven is a Swedish company with a great history and reputation in creating outdoor gear.

Their Kånken rucksack has been very popular with kids and adults recently. However, it's not just fashionable bags they are known for. You can spot their gear on many adventurers you see on TV and in magazines. For instance, it's quite often I see Ed Stafford with a Fjällräven backpack on some of his many different travels.

The Karl trousers I have been using are made from a thick and durable fabric called G-1000, which is a cotton and polyester mix.

They have lots of useful pockets, and still look great despite a lot of punishment.

Some sizes of these sell out fast, but fortunately, the guys at Cotswold Outdoor were able to find my size at another store and ship them over to me 🙂  I was pleased to find this service was free, and in a few days after visiting the shop, they arrived at my home.

Applying the Greenland Wax

Many of the Fjällräven made with their G-1000 fabric you can adapt the breathability or waterproofness by using their Greenland Wax.

You can get Greenland Wax in a block that looks a little bit like a bar of soap. It is made from a mix of paraffin and beeswax and provides a non-chemical way of adding some waterproofing and windproofing to your clothes.

Although designed for the Fjällräven G-1000 clothes, I have no reason to suspect it won't work on other clothes.

I found applying it extremely simple, easy, and not messy at all.

First of all, you simply rub the wax block onto your clothes.

Then you melt it.

You can do this either by using a clothes iron (though remember to clean it afterwards!) or a hair dryer. I used the latter.

It soon disappears into the fabric without leaving a trace.

Putting the Greenland Wax to the test

It wasn't long before my trousers with the Greenland Wax were put to the test.

Up on the hills we soon encountered blizzard conditions, with strong winds and driving snow and ice.

I was thankful that I had applied a few coats of the Greenland Wax as it helped keep the cold wind down, and the snow simply brushed off, with no wet patches as it melted onto my trousers.

So whether you own any Fjällräven G-1000 items or not, getting a bar of this could just help you stay warm and dry when exploring the outdoors.