How to choose the right hard shell jacket? 

October is the golden autumn season, with beautiful natural scenery and pleasant weather. Autumn is one of the best seasons for outdoor sports such as mountaineering, hiking, off-roading and exploration. Let’s know about hard shell jacket and how to choose it

Autumn is also a good time to show the strength of outdoor equipment such as jackets, hiking shoes, camping equipment, and hiking poles. Among these outdoor equipment, jackets are one of the must-have equipment. Jackets can be wear as outerwear in autumn, or put in a hiking bag as emergency equipment in rainy and humid weather, which can protect our lives at critical times.

As the battleground for major outdoor brands around the world, it can be say that “whoever wins the jacket wins the world.” Arc’teryx, the most popular top outdoor brand in China, has proved this point.

Core performance

The core performance of a jacket is its waterproof and breathable performance. In addition, its waterproof zipper, surface fabric, and laminating process are also critical. Arc’teryx, known as the king of “hardshell jackets”, is best at its hardshell jackets. Arc’teryx has long cooperated with Gore-Tex, the inventor of waterproof and breathable technology fabrics, to develop technology fabrics for various outdoor environments. These waterproof and breathable technology fabrics with excellent performance developed through cooperation are only use exclusively by Arc’teryx. Arc’teryx’s waterproof zipper, hot pressing process, etc. are also unique in the world. These unique technologies ensure Arc’teryx’s king status in hardshell jackets.

There are many jackets from internationally renowned outdoor brands and domestically renowned outdoor brands. It is difficult for the general public to tell which one is good and which one is bad, and even many professional outdoor enthusiasts often don’t know much about them. So, how to choose a suitable jacket? Darcy thinks there are two main points: 1. Choose according to the waterproof and breathable technology fabric; 2. Choose according to the outdoor scene you need to face.

Based on the above two points, I will introduce to you how to choose a hard shell jacket?

1. Waterproof and breathable technology fabrics

When it comes to waterproof and breathable technology fabrics for jackets, we have to mention Gore-Tex, the inventor of waterproof and breathable technology membranes. The GORE-TEX brand is a registered trademark of WL Gore & Associates, Inc., a waterproof and breathable film invented by Wilbert L. (Bill) Gore and his son Bob Gore in 1969. It can block liquid water while allowing water vapor to pass through, and is made into a technology fabric with long-lasting waterproof, windproof and breathable properties. Because it breaks through the defect of ordinary waterproof fabrics that are not breathable, it is know as the “cloth of the century”. GORE-TEX technology fabrics, jointly developed and produce a variety of outdoor, sports, casual clothing and shoes, and were select as one of the world’s best 100 American products by the American “Fortune” magazine.

GORE-TEX

GORE-TEX membrane is a membrane with 9 billion tiny pores per square inch, which is the key technology of GORE-TEX fabric’s windproof, waterproof and breathable performance. These pores are one twenty thousandth of a liquid water droplet, but seven hundred times larger than a water molecule, so water droplets cannot penetrate them, but water vapor can be discharge. The GORE-TEX membrane is bonded to the inside of nylon or other fabrics, and the resulting clothes, shoes, pants, hats, etc. are windproof, waterproof and breathable, keeping outdoor athletes dry, warm and comfortable. The GORE-TEX original factory also provides complete and strict seam sealing technology to authorized clothing manufacturers to make the clothes waterproof as a whole.

Gore-Tex waterproof and breathable membrane is made of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE), and the world-renowned top waterproof and breathable membrane eVent is also made of ePTFE. In addition, North America’s top outdoor brand Mountain Hardwear has developed the Dry.Q waterproof and breathable membrane under the eVent technology license.

As the inventor of the microporous waterproof and breathable membrane ePTFE, Gore-Tex has become the undisputed leader in the world of waterproof and breathable technology fabrics, occupying a monopoly position in the market. Whether it is a jacket, a pair of trousers, or outdoor hiking shoes, hiking shoes and other outdoor equipment, you can see the embedded Gore-Tex logo.

As a top waterproof and breathable technology fabric on par with Gore-Tex, the biggest feature of eVent is its Direct Venting™ technology.

Waterproof

In addition to the ePTFE waterproof and breathable membrane, there is also a more common PU membrane. PU hydrophilic waterproof and breathable film is an environmentally friendly non-porous film with high molecular elastomer PU (polyurethane) as the main material. PU basic resin is a group of copolymers, composed of hard segments and soft segments, of which the hard segment part is a hydrophobic chemical bond, which can prevent water droplets from passing through and play a waterproof role.

The soft segment part is a hydrophilic chemical bond. Through the action of hydrophilic groups and water molecules, with the help of hydrogen bonds and other intermolecular forces, water vapor is transfer from the side with high humidity to the side with low humidity in an adsorption-diffusion-desorption manner, thereby achieving the purpose of moisture permeability. PU membrane is a smart film. When intense activity causes the body temperature to rise, the moisture permeability will use Brownian motion to discharge water vapor and body heat. During low-level activities, the air permeability is reduce to maintain body temperature.

The main disadvantages of PU film include poor air permeability, poor high temperature resistance, easy yellowing, no resistance to corrosion by alkaline substances, and poor ability to absorb seepage.

Currently, most of the world’s professional-grade high-end jackets use ePTFE waterproof and breathable membranes, while most mid-range jackets use PU membranes.