HydroView, hydrostatic head tester

The hydrostatic head test is used to support claims of a product or material being water resistant or waterproof. Waterproof penetration testing is key to understanding the performance of a garment or material in adverse weather conditions.

Your product application will define your target hydrostatic pressure. To provide some context, the lower a hydrostatic pressure measurement the more easily water can penetrate under pressure.

For example, hydrostatic pressure is important in outdoor applications, such as tent groundsheets, because a groundsheet needs a high resistance to water penetration; especially when placed on saturated ground.

When pressure is applied to the ground sheet by people standing, sitting or sleeping on it, water could then be forced through.

Failure in this area would mean anything in contact with the groundsheet will become wet.

Similarly a performance garment claiming waterproof properties, would need a high hydrostatic head value to demonstrate its defence-ability against driving wind, rain and other physical factors.