Breathable Outdoor Wear
Breathability is essential in controlling body temperature and remaining comfortable and dry during high exertion outdoor activities, like those undertaken with GORE-TEX fabrics that block precipitation while permitting perspiration to escape through them – keeping you comfortable and dry at all times!
Eastern Mountain Sports offers an extensive selection of waterproof/breathable jackets, pants and accessories – along with wind resistant options – perfect for every adventurer’s needs.
Waterproof & Breathable
Waterproof and breathable fabrics allow sweat vapor to escape, keeping you cool and dry. However, if this fabric doesn’t also allow rain and snow out it may become waterlogged and lead to hypothermia causing you to become wet and cold.
Most waterproof/breathable rainwear combines fabric on its face or shell and an inner membrane or coating, often treated with durable water repellent (DWR) finish to repel raindrops without impairing breathability of its inner coating or membrane.
GORE-TEX membranes lead the industry, but high performance Polyurethane and Polyester membranes are quickly catching up. Some are even fully laminated with their face fabric for improved durability and reduced costs compared to 2-layer designs.
Windproof & Breathable
Windproof rainwear can help keep you warmer when working hard uphill, as sweat can easily leave the body without an outlet. Many waterproof fabrics also rate as windproof (while remaining highly breathable). There may be exceptions that have lower ratings in either category.
High-rating fabrics usually cost more, but will certainly pay dividends when worn for hiking, trekking and freeride skiing/snowboarding outerwear. Gore-Tex 3-layer fabrics such as Montane Fleet Jacket feature new GORE-TEX C-KNIT backer technology which makes the fabric lightweight yet windproof/water resistant with no PFC use to harm the environment – an added advantage!
Climbers, hikers and other users who engage in high aerobic activity will require these high-end fabrics in their gear. They help block precipitation from reaching the skin while moving perspiration away quickly to maintain optimal body temperature without compromise.
Windy & Breathable
When working hard uphill in windy conditions, waterproof breathable shells like Gore-Tex (found in many Eastern Mountain Sports, Marmot and The North Face jackets) or ePTFE membrane fabrics like System Three MemBrain Pertex Shield are great choices to protect from wind while remaining breathable and windproof.
Typically, these fabrics feature a protective lining to shield their waterproof/breathable technology from wear-and-tear and provide some degree of breathability, in addition to keeping snow, rain and melting snow at bay. Two or three layer (2L/3L) fabrics typically find use.
Gore-Tex Really Light was first released several years ago as an ultralight fabric that promised to be light yet extremely breathable, an essential quality in high aerobic, fast moving outdoor gear. Unfortunately, however, Gore Activent never caught on and eventually disappeared from the market; nonetheless it was great stuff; nearly as breathable as Gore-Tex Really Light itself!
Ski Touring & Breathable
Ski touring can be an ideal way to explore the mountains while working up a sweat. Ski touring requires strength, coordination and stamina from all parts of your body while creating an intimate connection to nature’s wilderness.
If your riding and hiking activities include lift services and regular breaks at a lodge, a jacket with low breathability may suffice. However, for high intensity biking and hiking that generates much sweat production, look for one with higher breathability ratings.
Ski touring can quickly become very warm on an uphill, so having a breathable shell to shed snow is of vital importance. Some membranes offer dynamic breathability which increases as you exert yourself; ski touring skins typically comprised of nylon or mohair blend can last hundreds of trips with proper care and impregnation.