Abstract: A felt for use in a papermaking machine includes a woven base fabric and a batt layer for supporting the paper web. A flow control layer is interposed between the base fabric and the fibrous batt layer, to impede rewetting of the paper web as the paper web exits a press nip of the papermaking machine. The flow control layer is formed of a porous hydrophobic material. Pressure exerted by the press nip forces water from the paper web through the batt layer and the flow control layer into the base fabric. When the pressure is relieved, the hydrophobic properties of the flow control layer impede back-flow of water to the batt layer and thence to the paper web, thereby impeding rewetting of the web. The flow control layer is preferably formed of a spunbonded filamentary nylon material which is non-circular in cross-section, such as tri-lobed/triangular, and which may be treated with an hydrophobic chemical composition to enhance hydrophobic properties.