Glossary
Gore-Tex
Gore-Tex is a unique tissue paper thin microporous membrane, which contains over 9 million pores per square inch. Each pore is 20,000 times smaller than a water droplet, yet some 700 times bigger than a moisture vapour molecule. This gives the fabric excellent levels of waterproofness and breathability. The outer face of the Goretex fabric is coated with a hydrophobic DWR (Durable Water Repellency) treatment which encourages surface water to bead up and run off, improving the wet weather performance of the garment and promoting breathability by preventing wetting-out of the outer face which can cause the face fabric to become less breathable, thus preventing the membrane from breathing.
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Gore-Tex Paclite
Gore-Tex Paclite garments are the ultimate in extremely breathable, lightweight, packable weather protection. The new Gore-Tex Paclite product uses a protective layer on the membrane made from an oil-hating substance and carbon. This oil-hating, or oleophobic substance allows a water vapour to pass through, but is a physical barrier that prevents contamination from oil, cosmetics, insect repellent and food substances which could otherwise affect the waterproof performance. Gore’s advanced processing techniques used to apply the oleophobic substance and to integrate the carbon allow the membrane to retain adequate durability.
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eVent direct venting technology
eVent fabrics get their unique properties from a proprietary and patented waterproof membrane. Its unique composition allows millions of tiny pores to breathe at their full potential. Sweat vents directly to the outside of the fabric in one easy step. We call this Direct Venting™ Technology. Its genius is hidden in its simplicity. eVent fabrics simply let the sweat out.™
forerunners: PU membrane technology
Most common waterproof/breathable technologies do not literally “breathe”. Instead they move sweat in two slow steps by a process of diffusion through a Polyurethane (PU) layer. First sweat is condensed and absorbed into the PU layer on the inside of the fabric. Because PU absorbs and retains sweat, the inside of the fabric becomes wet. Then, body heat begins to push that dampness through to the outside of the fabric where it can finally evaporate – a very inefficient process.
Durable waterproof protection
eVent fabrics provide durable waterproof protection, trusted by people like you in the most extreme weather conditions on the planet.
lab test results
We could mention the exceptionally low “Water Vapor Resistance” (RET) of eVent fabrics. Or, we could talk about how much higher our “Moisture Vapor Transmission Rates” (MVTR) are in laboratory tests. But, do you run in the lab? Do you ice climb inside a climate chamber? The bottom line is decided in the field. Out there it’s a black and white world: you’re either wet or dry. You either soak in your own sweat, or not. It’s that simple. eVent fabrics let the sweat out.™
eVent Windproof fabric and eVent waterproof fabric
All eVent fabrics protect you from the wind. And, all eVent fabrics provide you with sweat-free comfort through our unique Direct Venting™ Technology. Garments, gloves and footwear made with eVent Waterproof fabric add another level of protection. Patented surface treatments and fabrication methods keep out water – even hard-driving rains – without blocking those millions of tiny pores that let the sweat out.™.
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PrimaLoft Advanced Insulation Technology
PrimaLoft insulation is an integral component in products that provide warmth and comfort from head to toe, and is warmer, drier, softer and more compressible than all other insulations.
PrimaLoft has products to meet specific needs for outdoor enthusiasts, sportsmen, and the military. Learn more about the PrimaLoft product for your specific application.
The proprietary ultra-fine fibers of PrimaLoft insulation form a tight collection of air pockets that trap heat from your body and keep the cold out, providing an excellent warmth to weight ratio that keeps you warmer.
When insulation gets wet it loses the air pockets and insulating properties. PrimaLoft ultra-fine fibers were developed to be water resistant to stay drier and maintain insulating properties. The fine fibers create a tight surface tension that won’t allow water to pass through the insulation. Specially developed fiber finishes repel water and keep the insulation drier even if water is forced into the insulation.
Fiber diameter directly influences softness. If you compare canvas fabric to silk fabric, the finer silk fibers result in a softer material. PrimaLoft fibers have been engineered to be ultra-fine and mimic the softness of goose down.
PrimaLoft insulation is made with ultra-fine fibers which make it more compressible. Compare the two containers, one with only 10 feet of climbing rope, the other with 160 feet of dental floss. The finer dental floss is much more compressible than the climbing rope!
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Down Fill Power (We only stock products that use 800+ fill power)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Fill power is a measure of the loft or “fluffiness” of a down product that is loosely related to the insulating value of the down. The higher the fill power the more insulating air pockets the down has and the better insulating ability. Fill power ranges from about 175 cm³/g (300 in³/oz) for feathers to around 900 cm³/g for the highest quality down. Higher fill powers are associated with a larger percentage of down clusters and a larger average down cluster size.
Measurement
Fill power is the most frequently used measure of down quality. It involves measurements taken of a one ounce sample of down in a plexiglas cylinder with a weighted piston compressing the down. The test requires controlled temperature, humidity, and preparation of the sample. All other things being equal a parka (duvet or sleeping bag) made with high fill power is lighter and more compressible than an equally warm one made with lower quality down. Fill power is expressed as cubic inches per ounce (in³/oz)—a lofting power of 400–450 is considered medium quality, 500-550 is considered good, 550–750 is considered very good, and 750+ is considered excellent.
750+ fill is quite different from 400 fills. Almost all down commercially available is a secondary product of geese raised for consumption. It would be prohibitively expensive to raise geese for down alone. The geese that are the source for lower fill down are about four months old when they are “harvested” for food. Down from these geese can be carefully sorted, washed, and blended, but it will never loft like really mature down. The 700+ down fill comes from a small number of birds kept for breeding purposes throughout the year. These geese molt naturally in the spring. While their down is loose it is collected by hand. It is very rare and, of course, expensive. The larger individual plumules are what gives the greater loft. The only way to get down of this quality is by careful hand selection which is the major factor in its scarcity.
Depending on the intended application, the highest available fill power may not be necessary. A high fill power will provide more insulating ability for a given weight of down. The warmth of a down comforter depends not only on the fill power, but also on the quantity of fill. So the difference between a comforter with 550 fill power down and a comforter with 700 fill power down is that the 700 fill power down comforter will be lighter for the same warmth rating. High fill powers are most important for weight sensitive applications such as backpacking.
Down (or any insulation) provides warmth by trapping a layer of air that separates the cold side from the warm side. A thicker layer of trapped air gives more insulation. This thickness is often called “loft.” A comforter that uses 550 fill power down, for example, would have to use approximately 40%-50% greater weight of down than a similar item that uses 800 fill power down to provide the same loft.
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