GoreTex Active Shell – What’s the story?

Gareth    Clothing     active shell, goretex, jackets, waterproof, winter jacket

The 1980′s saw a fabric introduced that revolutionised outdoor clothing – the introduction of Goretex. As the worlds first waterproof yet breathable fabric, it was a sea change in the way that people enjoyed outdoor activities. Before, your choice was simple. Drown in your own sweat, or drown in the rain. I wasn’t the only one who dreaded being made to wear a “Cagoul”, and the feel of wet clammy rubber against my skin. The world outdoors definitely became more of a comfortable place as a result.

One of the first Goretex pieces, the Berghaus Lightning Jacket

So here we are nearly 30 years later, and Gore have come up with the latest version of their technology, called Active Shell. We are going to be getting in several Active shell pieces this winter, and before they come in, we wanted to explain just why we think these new pieces of clothing are so darn cool. Our job is so easy though. We can sum it up thus

1) It’s more breathable than previous versions of Goretex. High aerobic folks such as runners, cyclists, and climbers are going to be big fanboys and girls of this new fabric

2) It’s lighter than any of their other fabrics. It’s ideal for those who want to move fast and light, yet retain decent levels of weather protection.

3) This is just our own opinion having tried on a couple of different jackets, but we think that they are a step up in terms of comfort as well. Less like a crisp bag, they are a bit more flexible and comfortable next to skin. Please note that this is based on the samples we have tried on, so the real deal could be different. Oh apparently the value of your house can go up as well as down.

So how have they done it I hear you ask? Well you will be pleased to know that there was no magician with a rabbit, or a pentagram on the floor. They have managed to make the membrane itself lighter, and by getting the scrim, or backing fabric to integrate straight on to the membrane itself. Both of these manufacturing processes have made the garments lighter, and reduced resistance for water vapour and sweat to get through.

Now we have two of these new jackets coming in for Winter, first up, the Adidas Men’s Terrex Gore-Tex Active Shell Jacket. Adidas are a relative new player in the outdoor market but they have hit the ground running in our humble opinion. We actually got to have a bit of a sneak peak of their gear earlier in the year. The weight is a paltry 370 grammes, we love the laser cut and bonded detailing, and the built in vents. Check out our Video on the whole range here, the new jacket is first up;

Second up is a British classic, it’s Mountain Equipment’s Firefox Jacket. Now the firefox jacket was released a couple of years ago with a unique fit. The fit’s become much more of a standard ME fit, and they have now changed the fabric to Goretex Active Shell as well. The weight is slightly lower than the Adidas coming in at 320 grammes, it features their Mountain Hood adjustment system, and pit zips in case you are on fire.

So more breathable, lighter and more comfortable is the new order of the day with Goretex’s Active Shell. We’re getting them in this September and already the anticipation is building here. If you have any questions at all on the new fabric, or any comments, please post away below.

From Rain to Shine

Helen Lloyd    Clothing, General Outdoor, Helen Lloyd     cycling, Helen, take on africa, waterproof

Take On Africa: Latest update from Cordoba, Spain

It’s now a month since I left England on that dull grey, wet day. In that month, I’ve seen and done so much, the time has just flown by – I can hardly believe it. The cycling is going great – better than expected – I’ve now pedalled over 1500 miles since leaving home and am now accustomed to cycling day-in, day-out come rain or shine.

1500 miles brought me to a pretty town on a hill in the hot, arid Spanish Extremadura, Trujillo. As I’ve been progressing steadily south through Central Spain, the thermometer reading has steadily risen -I happened to see the weather on television today and it’s topping 38 degrees here.

The heat is stifling in the afternoon and makes cycling almost unbearable, especially when having to tackle a particularly steep uphill section where I can’t even go fast enough to create a small breeze. The simple solution I have found is to just not cycle then. There’s clearly a reason the Spanish have a siesta and I’ve certainly found out why! So from now on, it’s up before dawn to be cycling in the cool mornings, the added benefit is also some gorgeous sunrises. Then as the evening draws in, I can get back on the bike to cover a few more miles until sunset. It also means I get to relax and see some lovely little towns along the way, with old churches, impressive castles and remains of fortified walls. I can also enjoy an ice-cold beer or ice-cream in the plaza mayor (the central square in every Spanish town), which makes a refreshing change from my bottled water which is warm again within ten minutes of re-filling from a fountain in town.

It’s certainly not to say it’s been hot and dry all the way though. There have been a number of wet days; first in France and then again in northern Spain where the weather is known to be variable.

Fortunately I had my Marmot waterproof jacket (and I love the lime green colour – makes me visible in the driving rain too) which I’m really impressed with.

It’s kept me dry from the rain and even when pushing hard to make town or campsite it’s claims for breathability have been put to the test and definitely passed. The other great thing is it packs down so small, I hardly know it’s in my bag – so I don’t mind carrying it with me over the next few months, when chances are I won’t need it (not if the current weather in central Spain is anything to go by!).

I’ve just arrived in Cordoba and shall be taking it a little slower, giving me chance to re-organise, ready for the crossing over into Africa and the ensuing challenges to be met there. I’m can hardly wait!