 Looking to buy a waterproof breathable jacket? Confused by all the fancy advertising and geeky terminology? Then it's time to check out the Adventure Travel layman's guide to which is best; Goretex or eVENT.
There's blood-letting a plenty when a Goretex clad mob bumps into a pack of eVENT ultras after a day on the hills. Conversations may start off friendly enough, but stand well back, it's sure to descend into all out mob war when the inevitable chant of 'my jackets better than yours' strikes up.
The ferocity of these encounters may seem odd to the ordinary man in the street but then 'civilians' have never quite grasped how critical the 'breathability' of a fabric is to survival on a Sunday afternoon ramble in the Cotswolds. Buying the right jacket, cut from the right material is a life or death choice and with that in mind you'd be well advised to read on and live a little longer.
The Goretex V eVENT battle has been raging for a couple of years with Gore winning hands down in the sales volume department and eVENT nicking the odd technical victory, especially in the 'more breathable' stakes. But, when it comes to splashing the cash on a jacket does it really matter if the swing tag says Goretex or eVENT?
Same Same.
Yes, but not quite. The basic Goretex and eVent products are essentially PTFE membranes which the technically minded will immediately identify as thermo-mechanically expanded polytetrafluoroethylene. The non-technical reader needs to think - a very thin sheet of plastic punctured by very, very small holes. So far, same, same. The difference between the respective products is in how the two companies add a protective coating to this ultra fine membrane and the effect that layer has on performance.
The Goretex membrane is covered on both sides with a layer of polyurethane, aka PU. The result is a more robust product with decreased breathablity. The eVENT fabric is treated differently, with membrane pores coated individually as opposed to the catchy all layer employed by Goretex. The result is a more breathable membrane.
These coated membranes are then bonded onto stronger face fabrics such as nylon or polyester and after some nipping and tucking the end result is a nice new waterproof and breathable jacket.
In use
So, if we're going to buy a jacket based on lab theory then the more breathable eVENT fabric looks like being the way to go. But hold on there; unless you'll be wearing your jacket exclusively in a lab, you need to consider a few other factors. Despite what all the technical gurus will tell you the difference measured in lab breathability tests is of little relevance to what happens when you wear the product in an outdoor active environment.
In use, there are far more mundane features which affect the breathability of a product and how dry and comfortable you stay whilst wearing it. For example, if you wear cotton clothing under a jacket then no level of breathability will keep you dry. Cotton absorbs perspiration, and you get cold and wet, period.
Atmospheric pressure also plays its part in the performance of these fabrics. Ideally you need warm moist conditions under the jacket and a cold dry climate out in the real world – as you would, say, on the summit of Mt Blanc. In such conditions breathable fabrics work well. In the typical wet muggy British weather forget it, your jacket just ain't going to breath nowhere near enough to be effective if you're playing hard.
The cut, fit and venting features of the jacket play a bigger role in keeping you dry on the inside than the fabric itself. A well designed top will come with venting options which serve the duel purpose of preventing you overheating and allowing internal humidity to escape. Mesh pockets, pit zips, adjustable cuffs etc. all play their part. Plus, you'll also need to keep your jacket clean for it to perform as stated on the swing tags; dust, dirt and perspiration will all inhibit the breathability of a product.
Conclusion
Unless you buy all your clothes on how well they perform in lab conditions, as opposed to in outdoor active environments, then in our opinion there's not enough difference between Goretex and eVENT to worry about. What's really going to make a difference is the clothes you wear underneath, the venting features of the jacket and keeping it clean.
 |
