Breathable Fabrics

Is the Gore-Tex empire chipping?  Three big name competitors are gearing up for Winter 2011-12

By Chris Weiss

Okay, despite the dramatic headline, I doubt W.L. Gore is all that worried. Yet. The Delaware-based leader in waterproof/breathable fabric has absolutely monopolized the market for decades and isn’t going anywhere. But, it is about to get some intriguing competition.

This fall, three major outdoor apparel and textile manufacturers will start offering garments that integrate brand-new fabric technologies designed to be every bit as breathable as they are waterproof. Unlike more traditional waterproof-breathable fabrics like Gore-Tex, which lock air in and rely on slow, heat-based diffusion to push water vapor out, these new fabrics allow for a small amount of air movement to speed up the process. Result: You keep drier inside, while still enjoying the same protection from the carnage outside.

The buzzwords this year are breathability and air permeability.

Polartec NeoShell

Long a brand name that could be found on the layers tucked below, Polartec is making a big move into full-blown outerwear with its NeoShell fabric. Polartec claims that its fabric is 100 percent waterproof while capable of delivering superior breathing thanks to its air permeability. It essentially describes the fabric as top-notch hardshell waterproofing with softshell-level breathability.

The fabric’s membrane blocks 100 percent of external moisture but allows for just enough two-way air movement to pull perspiration out while still blocking 99.9 percent of wind. Polartec claims that NeoShell’s polyurethane membrane offers double the breathability of more traditional waterproof-breathable fabrics. NeoShell also has a little bit of stretch to help with active movement.

NeoShell will hit the market this fall by way of manufacturers like Mammut, Marmot, The North Face and Westcomb. A preview of this winter’s NeoShell offerings is available here.

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Columbia Omni-Dry

Long relegated to the second tier and discount racks of the outerwear segment, Columbia is on a mission to turn its reputation around. It plans to become a leading innovator in outdoor apparel, and its Omni-Dry fabric is one of the first steps toward that ambitious goal.

Omni-Dry contains an air-permeable polyethylene membrane that allows just enough air circulation to keep your moisture moving away from your body and out of your jacket. The fabric is still totally waterproof and windproof, though. Columbia claims the Omni-Dry membrane is more than 5 x lighter than Gore-Tex (though it doesn’t specify which Gore-Tex it’s talking about), providing for a more comfortable, breathable jacket.

Columbia is already selling Omni-Dry garments, including the company’s Outside Gear of the Year-winning Peak 2 Peak jacket ($350).

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Mountain Hardwear Dry.Q

Mountain Hardwear, a company that’s owned by Columbia, has its own waterproof-breathable solution called Dry.Q. Dry.Q will come in several different lines, with the heaviest Dry.Q Elite being positioned at outerwear. Like Polartec’s and Columbia’s fabrics, Dry.Q is air permeable and allows for just enough air circulation to sweep away tedious moisture before it bogs you down. Mountain Hardwear promises 100 percent waterproofing.

Dry.Q-based garments will infiltrate Mountain Hardwear’s Alpine, Mountain and Snowear Collections this fall. Dry.Q Elite will be used in 3-layer, 2-layer and softshell jackets.

We should also note that eVent fabric, which has been around for years, is based on the same extra breathability through air permeability concept as these newer fabrics. And it’s probably been the strongest competitor to Gore-Tex yet. 

If you’re a resort skier, you may not have much of an issue with Gore-Tex or other traditional waterproof-breathable fabrics. In about 15 years of wearing Gore-Tex garments, I’ve never experienced overheating or sweat saturation and am quite happy with Gore-based jackets. But for more active ski tourers and cross country skiers, advanced breathability could prove a huge advantage.

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After working the 9 to 5 grind for about five years, Chris Weiss escaped to the Rockies where he could snowboard, mountain bike and hike without so much interference from life. A couple of years of working in the tourist industry was enough to inform Weiss that it was time for something more rewarding. He combined his love of the outdoors with his love of the written word and now freelances wherever he can. Weiss has written for Bomb Snow, Trails.com and a variety of other print and Web magazines dedicate to all forms of outdoor foolishness.