Camp Dry is a godsend for the poor miserable creature known as the Officer Candidate.
Wet is the Enemy. Always. It’s snow in the winter or freezing rain in the fall or freak rain showers and saturated, muddy ground in the summer. Next comes swollen, wet, blistering feet or soggy, chafing skin under belts and pack straps.
I distinctly remember my whole squad feeling the bone-chilling wetness of melting snow on our boots one fine January morning. We all look over, and there’s one squad member who had magically dry, warm(er) boots. He smugly told us about his Camp Dry, and we told him where he could put said bottle of Camp Dry.
Needless to say, we all had our own bottle at the earliest opportunity.
And I’ve never looked back. I just got a new pair of boots, and the first thing I did was give it two coats of Camp Dry.
This stuff just plain works
Snow, rain, sleet–a few coats will cause any precipitation to wick off. You probably couldn’t fix a boat leak with this stuff, but in your first Quantico rain shower, you will either be glad you used it, or wish you had gotten it.
Soggy “Rain Jackets”
In the first rain storm that candidates are exposed to, many will be shocked and dismayed to learn that the USMC Goretex top & bottom absolutely fail to repel water. Either through faulty design or excessive wear from thousands of candidates, those pieces of gear are an absolute disgrace. I remember mine and all my squadmates’ Goretex tops being completely waterlogged from all the water they absorbed. That is, absorbed–instead of repelled! Worthless.
Even before you get in rain, assume your Goretex is worthless and hit it with a couple coats of Camp Dry. You’ll thank me later.
Some tips:
- Use several coats
- Target seams closely
- Reapply periodically–the strenuous OCS Candidate/TBS Lt life wears it off!
- Give your boots one full day to dry out from foot moisture before application
- Share with your fireteam: don’t be “that guy,” who looks out only for himself
- Use it on your Goretex USMC “Rain Gear”