From Gear Guru ICE2536943
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 …
Washing 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 …
So, 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 …
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 …
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 …
Well, 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 …
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. 
And 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 …
Let’s face it, whether you’re heading out to brush snow off the car or freezing your ass off in base camp, nothing beats the packable warmth of a puffy jacket. But all warmth is not created equal, and there’s a big difference between the box-store special you had when you were six and the plethora of ultralight compressible puffies available today. In Part I of this series, we’ve outlined the major differences between down and synthetic fills, which apply to jackets, sleeping bags, and other insulated gear. Read More …
Sweat soaks your back on the approach, and it turns to ice as the howling wind steals your warmth. You’re so cold that can only talk in vowels. You’re wearing every stitch of clothing that you brought, but it doesn’t seem to be enough. You didn’t layer properly. Read More …
Shoes to packs, hit the trails.
Backcountry house-hunting, simplified.
Stay dry out there.
GORE-TEX® Technology: The Dry Truth
By: JGW | March 18th, 20102 Comments »
Tags: fabric tech, factory tours, GORE-TEX®, rain jackets
Posted in Commentary, Gear Guide |