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WATERPROOF: A garment / fabric specially treated by coating or laminate to keep water from passing through the fabric. A waterproof garment is almost always coated or laminated on the backside of the fabric so the waterproofing will last for many years of hard use. How this is tested: the fabric must pass an industry minimum of 1,000mm of water pressure measured in a tube against the fabric for a specified period of time (24 hours) without leaking. 1,000mm is the minimum measurement needed to pass the test for waterproofness. As more water pressure is added, and passes the test, the more waterproof a garment is over a period of time. (GoreTex, for example, is around 15-20,000mm. waterproof) Remember that "waterproof" is a term for treated fabric before it is cut and sewn. Where there are seams, water can still get through the holes now punched in the fabric- so look for a “seam-sealed” garment if you want the best waterproof ability. The industry waterproof minimum of 1,000mm is not very much- look for at least 2,000-3,000mm (All our jackets are at least 2,000!) and great protection starting at 5,000mm + if you plan to be out in the elements for an extended period of time. WATER-RESISTANT: (less than 1,000mm) By comparison, this type of garment will only keep water out for a very limited amount of time. (Several minutes in a rainstorm) In most cases, a water-resistant piece is treated only on the top of the fabric (see DWR coatings) instead of underneath, like a waterproof piece is treated. This top coating will eventually wear off after a few washings, which can leave you with a totally non water-shedding garment! WIND PROOF: Simply means that the garment will keep out wind. This is the #1 factor for people getting cold in a winter garment if the garment is not windproof! Even the most insulated jacket will lose its warmth if the wind can blow it away! Always check that a winter garment is windproof!!! (HINT: If you can blow through the fabric, its not windproof!) WIND-RESISTANT: Does not block big gusts of wind. Simple, isn’t it? A wind-resistant garment’s main usefulness is in spring/summer clothing; where you wish to keep cool, yet have a bit of protection. |
BREATHABLE: Look for this on all garments! Without a doubt, the most waterproof, windproof thing you can wear is a plastic bag. How comfy is that? That is why breathability is so important! Do not buy a garment that does not say it is breathable! Breathability is especially important in snowsports – short bursts of activity followed by inactivity of the chilly chairlift! If your garment does not breathe, the moisture you generate on the way down will over-chill you on the way up! Remember, as the waterproofness of a garment goes up, the breathability generally goes down. (Gore-Tex is very waterproof, but has a lower breathability) So buy for the type of weather you are facing! Also, the reason for high expense of waterproof and highly breathable garments is the high technology coating or laminate, which us usually worth the price in the long run when you finish a day on the slopes dry and comfortable! SEAM-SEALED: To make a garment totally waterproof, the seams must be sealed with special waterproof tape or a rolling process that takes more time and attention to detail. In most cases, seam taping is done by hand, so this makes for a more expensive garment. (again, well worth it!) Full seam-sealing means every inch of stitching is covered by tape. For a more cost conservative option, see critical seam-seal. CRITICAL SEAM-SEAL: Like it sounds, this garment has only the main areas that are susceptible to water sealed with tape. Mainly meaning shoulders and front seams, this is a less expensive way to get a great jacket that will shed most of the elements! DWR COATINGS: These are water-resistant coatings or sprays applied to the top of the fabric to simply shed water, since waterproof coatings cannot be applied to the top of fabrics due to a non-clear and usually rubber-like texture. A DWR will eventually break down over a period of time, but you can rejuvenate this coating with wash-in DWR such as a Nikwax TX-Direct product. |
TEMPERATURE RATINGS: Please take printed hangtag temperature ratings with a grain of salt! Since every person is different (especially the ability to withstand cold!) I can put two people in the same jacket, and one may be cold, the other too hot! The ability to retain heat starts with the components of a jacket, but also is influenced by what you layer underneath, and personal chemistry! (See How to Layer) So the best way to look at temperature ratings is to see it as a level of insulation. (The higher the temp rating, the lower the amount of insulation.) The best jackets will not have a “Temperature rating” as the companies know there are too many factors involved to be accurate in a generalized rating. Asking your knowledgeable sales staff (Us, of course!) is the best way to find the perfect jacket for you! INSULATIONS: There are so many insulations out on the market, it is impossible to talk about them all at once! While many people know some of the big marketed brands such as “Thinsulate,” there are many others worth buying! In fact, some of the generic, in-house insulations companies use can be quite good when paired with technological elements such as waterproofing and breathability. Some more interesting insulations on the market are “Thermore” for larger loft and heat-retaining ability, “Primaloft,” a synthetic down insulation that is as silky soft as it is warm, and “Hollofil” for the hollow fibers that help in trapping heat. The list could go on and on! See your clothing specialist to learn more! SHELL: This term is applied to a garment that does not contain insulation. This is a great garment for spring/summer/fall, and also a great performance piece for technical riders looking for versatility in any weather condition. |