Gear Articles tagged ‘fabric tech’

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The Definitions of Seam Taping

By: Adam Riser | December 3rd, 2010
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Alex Meyer happy for fully taped seams during an early season Wasatch snowstorm.

You’ve made up your mind to buy a new jacket for the ski season, and you’re down to three choices. They all have the features you want: waterproof breathable membrane, removable hood, powder skirt, and underarm zip vents. But they all have different types of seam taping. One has fully taped seams, one has welded seams, and one has critically taped seams. Which one is better? The more appropriate question is, which one is better for you? Depending on how you use your jacket, the appropriate style of seam taping can mean all the difference in the world or not matter one little bit. Read on, and find out what you should be looking for in your new shell.

Read More …

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The Welded Age: Advantages of Welded Seams

By: Bill Hartlieb | November 22nd, 2010
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Welded Seam Technology

Welded Seam Technology

Bill Hartlieb, product designer, tester, and mastermind behind Stoic, gives us a quick lowdown on one of the brand’s signature technologies: welded seams.

Welded or bonded construction is not easy to do. If it were easy, every company out there would do it. However, at Stoic, we’ve found the advantages of welding seams far outweigh the challenges of manufacturing. Read More …

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Jacket No Longer Waterproof? Why It Happens, What To Do

By: Rob de Luca | October 19th, 2010
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A well-cared-for Helly Hansen jacket still beading after five seasons

You paid good money for that stupid jacket. Hundreds of dollars, in fact, because you wanted the best weather protection money could buy. It’s only a year old, maybe less if you’ve really put it through the wringer. It’s raining, and your shoulders are soaked. Guess that waterproof guarantee wasn’t really a guarantee, huh?

Guess again.

It’s your fault. Yep, yours. But before you begin gnashing your teeth, read on. You aren’t alone; and unless you really screwed something up, all is not lost. Read More …

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Summer-ify Your Gear – Part II: Rejuvenate Your Rain Jacket

By: Rocky Thompson | April 13th, 2010
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Re-waterproof your rain jacket

So you left your old rain jacket balled up in a stuff sack all winter and now it’s time for it to shine. Well, you might want to give your jacket a little attention before shipping off to the British Isles.

Luckily for you, most rain jackets and pants—whether they have a GORE-TEX® membrane, a waterproof laminate, or simply a water-repellent coating—are easy to clean and rejuvenate. Read More …

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Posted in How To |

Summer-ify Your Gear – Part I: Wash your Sleeping Bag

By: Rocky Thompson | April 12th, 2010
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wash your sleeping bagWashing your down sleeping bag will make it seem like new. Natural oils and dirt from grimy hiking pollute the down and make it lose its natural loft. Over time, the bag will look less puffy and those insulating properties go poof.

Whether you’re washing your winter bag prior storing it for the season or finally washing your nasty summer bag, the procedure for down is the same. Read More …

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Posted in How To |

Waterproof Ratings Demystified

By: Rob de Luca | April 1st, 2010
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rain jacket waterproof ratingsSo, you’re in the market for a new rain jacket (or ski shell and pants or any other waterproof breathable apparel). And you see in the tech specs listed or on the garment hangtag a number (such as 5K or 10,000mm) that’s supposed to give you an idea of how waterproof that garment is. And maybe you think, But that makes no sense—isn’t waterproof an absolute term? Something is either waterproof or it isn’t, right? Or, maybe you think, 10,000mm? WTF does that mean? Yeah, we understand where you’re coming from. Read More …

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Understanding Recovery Garments

By: Catherine Greenwald | March 30th, 2010
1 Comment »

Recovery Leggings

Recovery Leggings

Faster recovery from intense workouts is one of the reasons many pro athletes turn to steroids – the ability to bounce back and train just as hard the next day gives them a decided advantage. Athletes in search of a safe, legal alternative have started to  turn to compression recovery garments as a way to recuperate quickly from a killer workout.  Read More …

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Sun-Protection Clothing: SPF … UPF … WTF?

By: Genevieve Mount | March 22nd, 2010
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SPF and UPF Clothing Explained

What’s the big deal about sun-protection clothing? You’ve never gotten a sunburn through your clothes, so why should you wear stuff with UPF ratings? As summer approaches, and the number of alarmingly red noses, ears, and shoulders increases, it’s good to know about your skin-saving options. Read More …

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GORE-TEX® Technology: The Dry Truth

By: JGW | March 18th, 2010
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GORE-TEX® Jackets - The TruthWhether you’re six miles and four hours of storm into a hike, or you’re just braving the maelstrom as your ski lift sways in the wind, cold and wet is not a good place to be. So you go looking for a waterproof breathable shell, and you’re left with two choices: GORE-TEX® outerwear or everything else. Read More …

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Posted in Commentary, Gear Guide |

Waterproof Breathable: Buy the Right Rain Gear

By: Rob de Luca | March 17th, 2010
2 Comments »

What rain gear is right for you?

Get the right rain gearWell, it depends on why you need it, when you’ll need it, and where …

Are you fishing for Alaskan king crab in the middle of the North Sea? You need a bright orange rubber suit and nerves of steel. For any type of aerobic activity that doesn’t involve claws and months of oceanic solitude, though, you’ll want something waterproof and breathable. Read More …

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Posted in Gear Guide |

Breathability vs Windproofing – Measuring it Up

By: Beth Lopez | February 16th, 2010
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Outerwear manufacturers gratuitously toss around the terms “windproof,” “wind-resistant,” and “breathable.” And yes, every garment registers somewhere between zero and awesome on the wind-resistance and breathability scales. But it can be hard to pin manufacturers down on an actual number rating. windproofing picAnd usually when you do see a rating, all you can guess is that higher numbers are better, because, to us Americans, bigger is better (duh).

We’d like to shed a little light on this whole ratings thing and how manufacturers come up with those numbers—and what those numbers actually reflect in terms of your comfort. Read More …

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