What do a 60-year-old birdwatcher and a cool streetwear man on Instagram share in common? It’s likely that not much. It is not until you start to look at their technical outerwear that the answer will be. A Gore-Tex jacket is an answer.
You’ve probably seen it on the gear used by hikers and alpinists. Anyone with even a passing interest in fashion will have seen it popping up under the banners of some of the most prestigious and sought-after label names.
This fabric has seen a lot of success due to fashion’s recent obsession with outdoor clobber and practical detail. Gore-Tex is best at dealing with storms, but the fabric also has a lot of versatility and looks great when incorporated into everyday clothes.
Here’s all you need to know about this revolutionary fabric.
WHAT IS GORE-TEX?
In 1969, father-son duo Wilbert Gore and Bob Gore created Gore-Tex. It is a semi-permeable membrane that allows sweat to escape but keeps it completely dry. This is achieved by microscopic pores that are 700 times larger than the water vapor molecules and 20,000 times smaller than water droplets.
Gore-Tex’s remarkable functionality has made it the most popular fabric for performance, outerwear and waterproof gear. It can be used on shoes for climbing mountains or jackets. It’s like Heinz to beans or Dyson to vacuum cleaners that you can use to get around corners.
You can find many different versions of this fabric. Gore-Tex Pro is a good example. It has higher durability. It could be blasted with a riot van cannon for up to a month without it letting a drop through. Gore-Tex Paclite or Gore-Tex Active are lighter options for outdoor exercise and daily use.
BRANDS OF THE BEST GORE-TEX JACKET BRANDS
HAGLOFS
The weather can be severe for Scandanavians. Maybe that’s why they are so adept at creating raincoats. Case in point: Haglofs.
The Swedish outdoor brand is well-known for its innovative approach to keeping dry. The brand is known for its sleek cuts and high functionality. Fusion designs incorporating more than one Gore-Tex fabric will provide greater performance in the elements.
ARC’TERYX
Arc’teryx, the Tesla of technical outerwear, is Arc’teryx. This gear is so advanced that it could have been leaked from Area 51. The prices are also outrageous.
If you’re brave enough to try it, you’ll be able to see why the top alpinists, mountaineers and athletes prefer Canadian brands’ minimalist jackets. These jackets are made with precision and only the best Gore-Tex materials.
NIKE ACG
Although Nike’s techwear-leaning ACG brand (All Conditions Gear) may no longer be under the leadership of Acronym legend Errolson HUGH, the tech-ninja aesthetic is still available, and some Gore-Tex jackets are still available.
You can expect a mix of colors, including moody greys and dark blacks, as well as bright yellows and punchy prose. You won’t find better Gore-Tex jackets than this one.
VEILANCE
Veilance is for you if you are looking for superior quality and attention to detail but don’t want your clothes to look like you’re going to heli-skiing up Matterhorn.
Veilance, the moody and minimalist arm of Arc’teryx Canada, uses the same precision engineering to create everyday silhouettes. You didn’t know there was a Gore-Tex jacket. You might be wrong.
THE NORTH FACE
Gore-Tex jackets are arguably the most well-known brand in outdoor gear. They have been a major selling point for The North Face.
Since the 1970s, Californian labels have made waterproof outerwear. Over the years, a few high-profile connections have helped to boost their sales. It has a long-standing collaboration with Supreme, the renowned skate brand, and The North Face Purple Label, a Japan-exclusive line made with Gore-Tex enthusiasts Nanamica. TNF is a great place to start if you want to find a brand that has been responsible for the fashion industry’s adoption of dog-walking jackets.
