There have been some amazing developments in recent years regarding outdoor clothing. Whatever your chosen pursuit and your level of activity, you can find clothing specifically designed for your comfort. This is our guide to understanding these fabrics and their uses.

A good layering system is designed to create the ideal microclimate around your body. Imagine one of those days we all love to hate, the wind whipping the heavy rain straight in to you as you make your way up the mountain. Staying dry is your primary objective when it comes to comfort, so the last thing you want is to get wet from the inside out.
A layering system composed of a wicking layer or base layer, an insulating layer, and a weather protection layer, is specifically designed to help reduce perspiration build up.  These layers can be tailored to suit any climate and any activity.

The waterproof layer wicks the perspiration to the outside of the jacket but will not let the wind and rain penetrate.




The insulating layer allows the perspiration to escape and retains warmth .



The wicking layer quickly passes the perspiration away from the body.

The wicking layer is so called because it wicks away moisture from the body transporting it to the outside of the garment where it can be carried off by the air.

 Fleeces/Insulating Layers

Waterproofs

The final layer is the weather protection layer, which on a rainy day has to be able to keep the rain out, but let the body’s moisture pass through. GORE-TEX® revolutionised the outdoor world by creating a membrane to do just that.
Every brand carries their own form of breathable weather protection
Jack Wolfskin: Texapore
Sprayway: Hydra-Dry
The North Face: Hy-Vent
Berghaus: Aquafoil.
However they all produce outerwear with the Gore-Tex membrane.

Man made fabrics are the key here. Natural fibres are very absorbent and they soak up any moisture from your body. This means that during exercise perspiration is trapped against the skin and the garment can rub and become uncomfortable. The wet T-shirt will then catch the wind and make you cold when you take a break. This is why modern base layers are made from a variety of manmade fabrics which actively move moisture away from the body.

GORE-TEX®

GORE-TEX® Laminates come ready to suit a variety of activities. The GORE-TEX® membrane is bound between extremely breathable, high performance fabrics for use in any sport.

GORE-TEX® fabrics have a breathable layer sandwiched in between the outer and inner layers which is impenetrable to wind and rain but allows moisture to escape rapidly.

The secret of GORE-TEX® fabrics lies within its revolutionary bi-component membrane.
The expanded PTFE portion of the membrane contains over 9 billion microscopic pores per square inch. These pores are approximately 20,000 times smaller than a drop of water, but 700 times bigger than a molecule of moisture vapour. So while water in its liquid form cannot penetrate the GORE-TEX® membrane, as moisture vapour (a gas), it can easily escape.