From Popular Science Magazine - May 2011:
BREATH EASY
New jacket fabrics vent sweat without letting water or cold air sneak in
For 35 years, Gore-Tex has dominated the market for waterproof, breathable fabrics., but this spring it has some competition. Textile maker Polartec® has developed its own waterproof, breathable fabric that threatens to trump Gore-Tex's latest. We put both through the wringer to see which stands out. – Berne Broudy
THE TECH:
Rab Stretch Neo Jacket with Polartec® NeoShell®
Under a microscope, NeoShell's permeable layer looks like spiderwebs spun from a polyurethane thread. The webs form tiny channels large enough that humid air can escape but small enough that water droplets (even those with the force of a 10-foot waterfall) can't get in. A polyester lining and durable outer-face fabric sandwich the layer and are fused to it with pinhead-size dots of adhesive, which keeps channels clear and air flowing. $365; us.rab.uk.com
Millet Trilogy Limited GTX with Gore-Tex Active Shell
Thinner and lighter than its predecessor, Gore-Tex's Active Shel fabric features a porous membrane that looks like cotton candy up close. The fabric bonds directly with a moisture wicking lining, eliminating a heavy layer of adhesive and trimming a few ounces off the jacket. An outer-face fabric attaches with the microscopic glue dots; this way, the pores (about nine billion of them per square inch) don't get gummed up. $400; milletusa.com
THE TEST:
For one month this winter, four testers wore both jackets while
skiing front - and backcountry in the mountains of Vermont, Colorado and
Utah. Conditions ranged from snow squalls to bright sunshine, and temperatures varied from close to freezing to as low as -30ºF.
THE RESULTS:
For All four testers felt consistently more comfortable in the 17-ounce Polartec shell, despite the Gore-Tex's jacket being three ounces heavier. Testers had to physically air out the Gore-Tex jacket by unzipping its armpit vents, whereas sweat evaporated quickly out of the ventless Polartec.
THE WINNER: POLARTEC® NEOSHELL®
See the Popular Science article here
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RTEC CHALLENGE
