Outdoor clothing designed for breathability is essential when participating in activities where sweat will form. Your shell jacket should ideally be both waterproof and highly breathable.

GORE-TEX fabrics remain the market leader, but an upswell in innovative fabric developments that push the limits of waterproof-breathable performance has seen breakthrough fabrics such as eVent, Polartec Neoshell and Pertex Shield as well as lightweight 2-layer and 2.5-layer structures emerge.

Waterproof Breathable Shells

Waterproof and breathable shells designed specifically for physical exertion provide protection from rain and snow while still allowing warm perspiration (water vapor) to escape from within the garment. All outerwear has some level of waterproofness; active shells have greater water resistance.

Himali and Rab offer premium alpine shells designed for extreme conditions with features like harness-compatible hand pockets and two-way pit zips – as well as Gore-Tex’s premium “Pro” membrane – such as Gore-Tex Pro membrane jackets with heavy-duty fabrics for protection. Himali offers jackets in this category with Gore-Tex’s premium “Pro” membrane that provide exceptional waterproofing performance, and most protective designs use heavyweight fabrics.

These shells are coated with durable water repellent (DWR). This treatment allows fabric to resist absorbing moisture; over time though, this treatment wears off and may leave it feeling damp against your face fabric. Reapplying another DWR treatment or using spray-on products such as Nikwax TX Direct to restore effectiveness is usually sufficient.

Waterproof Breathable Soft Shells

Waterproof breathable shells combine the wind resistance and insulation benefits of fleece jackets with waterproof membranes such as Gore-Tex or Black Diamond’s Helio Active for waterproof protection in light rain or drizzle conditions, keeping you dry even through light snowfall or drizzle. While such an outerwear won’t keep out sustained downpour, they should keep you dry during light drizzle and snowfall events.

Softshells are perfect for aerobic activities in rapidly changing weather conditions, like hiking on windy ridges or skiing when the skies clear and then open up. While most softshells provide some wind and light rain protection, unlike hardshells they’re highly breathable and comfortable – some come equipped with Gore-Tex or conventional microporous coatings such as eVent or PreCip membranes; others feature fleece lining for additional comfort; some even feature full waterproof membranes such as Gore-Tex Windstopper!

Waterproof Breathable Jackets

Waterproof membranes and coatings function by allowing sweat vapor to escape through micropores while rainwater remains on the outside of your jacket, creating an equilibrium in humidity between inside and outside, with maximum breathability for maximum effectiveness. This can only be accomplished if fabric used for your jacket also offers high levels of breathability.

Mountain Equipment’s Makalu jacket stands out as an example, featuring durable yet cozy fleece backing on both its face and back fabrics, making it light enough to be worn all year round in the mountains even with a rucksack. Perfect for climbing with its helmet-friendly adjustable hood and wide zips designed to accommodate glove use; additionally, its PFC-free Gore-Tex ePTFE membrane offers more sustainable solutions than what many other brands use today.

It uses an advanced waterproof rating system which divides waterproofness and breathability ratings into two separate numbers for improved evaluation compared to its predecessor, which only offered one rating system that provided one single number for both properties. This newer system represents a considerable advancement over its predecessor which provided only a single value.

Waterproof Breathable Pants

A good pair of waterproof pants is essential to staying dry and comfortable on any long hike or thru-hike, yet there is much to take into account when searching the rain gear aisle at outdoor shops, from fabric construction and features to pricing and features and pricing models.

Arc’teryx Beta SL Pants feature Gore-Tex PacLite Plus membrane, a 2.5-layer material which breathes easily while packing away easily for storage. They’re lightweight, feature two zippered hand pockets, full leg WaterTight Zippers and lacing hooks at the ankles to secure your cuffs for secure securing of cuffs cuffs; are slightly baggy for comfort on hikes, backpacking trips or other adventures – REI Activator 3.0 Pants provide similar qualities while being cheaper options;

Waterproof Breathable Underwear

Modern waterproof breathable fabrics have made tremendous strides forward over recent years. Fabrics like eVent and Polartec Neoshell provide waterproof protection while still allowing sweat vapors to escape through their membrane membrane.

Breathable underwear helps to keep skin dry by preventing the buildup of bacteria which could otherwise lead to chafing and itching, while some even feature anti-odor technology to limit growth of microorganisms that produce unpleasant odors.

Breathable underwear is typically composed of lightweight materials like bamboo or micro modal, while cotton briefs offer classic looks and feels, and mesh and perforated underwear provides both breathability and an updated aesthetic.