Skiers and snowboarders sweat a lot. It might not be pleasant, but it’s a fact! Due to the playground of white, wet stuff there is also a huge potential for suffering wetness on the outside, as well as wetness on the inside from sweat.
So, it matters what kind of clothing you wear. For decades, Gore-Tex has been leading the way in fabrics for outdoor clothing that claim to be both breathable (allow the sweat from you body to vapourise through the fabric) and waterproof.
Last season, a serious challenge to Gore-Tex’s market-leading position came from Polartec and their new fabric called NeoShell. Some people who tried NeoShell really loved it, while other people have stuck to their favoured Gore-Tex brand.
And now Gore-Tex is bringing out a new fabric. Next autumn, the company will launch “new generation of fabrics", with a product, which – according to one clothing manufacturer's test – is 22 per cent more breathable than its predecessor.
Coming up with the best fabric for ski clothing
It is simple enough to produce garments that are waterproof. Just think of those thick yellow rubbery jackets that yachtsmen used to wear. They were very, very waterproof! But breathable they were most definitely not!
The tricky part is making a fabric that is waterproof AND breathable.
At the recent launch of Gore-Tex’s new Pro fabric, press and retailers were told about how the material will perform. This fabric has been 4.5 years in the researching and creating.
It’s claimed that the Pro fabric is better than their previous top-of-the-range fabric, Pro Shell, because it is just as waterproof but more durable and between 10% and 28% more breathable. It’s this breathability that will be a defining factor.
And how will you tell the difference between Pro Shell and Pro? While the jackets will look more modern, the most obvious difference is that the new Pro has a rip-stop pattern (a grid) on the inner side of the fabric, while Pro Shell doesn’t.
The Gore-Tex Pro fabric jackets will be ideal for skiers and snowboarders who need a durable, highly waterproof and very windproof jacket with excellent breathability.
Gore-Tex Active wear, too
There is another Gore-Tex fabric that will suit other skiers and snowboarders. For those who are zipping about the slopes, don’t often stop and do not carry a rucksack, the Gore-Tex Active wear range is ideal. This is a lightweight and highly breathable fabric for “done in the day” activities.
It was only in the last two weeks that Gore-Tex revealed their new Pro membrane to European retailers and press. Time will tell how testers of the jacket feel it performs. And will there we another product comeback from Polartec? Who knows, but it’s great that there are so many great options for skiers and snowboarders who want to stay warm and dry.
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