You're standing outside, it's raining, you're totally wet, and as if that weren't enough, you're wet under your jacket too, because you're sweating. How can you fight this? The simple answer is the Gore-Tex membrane.
So what exactly is Gore-Tex?
It is an extremely thin layer made of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE). This membrane contains more than 1.4 billion pores per square centimeter, thanks to which Gore-Tex has all of its best properties.
Do you know which properties it has?
This protective membrane has 3 basic properties that you should definitely consider when choosing the material of your clothing. Because these are the most important. They are:
1. Waterproofness
We all know how bad it is to get soaked. With wet clothing, you also get cold much sooner, and thus your body loses body heat. But that can't happen to you here. This system offers fully waterproof surfaces that will protect you even in the most extreme conditions.
This is thanks to the fact that the surface layer is treated with a DWR treatment (Durable Water Repellent). It helps by making water droplets roll off the hydrophobic surface.
The pores that this membrane has are 20,000 times smaller than a drop of water. This means, logically, that not a single drop can get through this protection.
2. Breathability
The second problem is usually that you sweat, so you're wet under your jacket too. With this material, however, this rule doesn't apply either. The membrane is so breathable that all the sweat and accumulated heat your body produces can escape outward without any problems. So no sweaty spot forms, and you'll stay dry the whole time. Even under the greatest exertion.
This is caused, again, by the pores, which are 700 times larger than a water vapor molecule, allowing it to evaporate into the atmosphere.
3. Windproofness
And thirdly, even when you're neither sweating nor getting soaked, the wind can still blow through and leave you cold. But not when you're wearing a Gore-Tex material. Wind is repelled and cannot penetrate the surface, so you can calmly maintain your own body heat.
What is the middle layer?
Gore-Tex doesn't just have three properties, but also three layers:
- the outer layer, which is usually made of polyester
- the middle layer, which is made of microporous expanded polytetrafluoroethylene
- the inner layer, which is actually the contact material
The middle layer itself has its own name, the Gore-Tex laminate, and is divided into another three constructions:
- two-layer construction
laminated only on the outer side, used when the product is intended for outdoor activities and combined with an insulating layer, so you won't be cold and will stay dry
- three-layer construction
in this case, it is laminated together with the outer fabric as well as the lining, and since no friction occurs here, no wear occurs either, and thus no tearing
- Z-liner construction
here it is combined with a lightweight fabric, plus a protective lining is created between the outer fabric and the lining. The advantage is that fewer seams need to be used here, so it can have various fashion uses. It is combined with an insulating layer
What do you need to know?
As you surely know, all seams can let some moisture through. But when it comes to this membrane, they thought of that too. Because they used Gore-Seam® tape, which is unique and does not let any water through. This taping is handled by proven and certified factories that specialize in this equipment.
