Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/1073724
On the future-forward front, The North Face recently unveiled its plans for Futurelight, its new breathable waterproof material that will be implemented across The North Face's pinnacle product beginning in Fall 2019, including Summit Series, Steep Series and Flight Series collections. Developed using Nanospinning technology and sustainable practices, Futurelight is what TNF is calling "the most advanced breathable-waterproof outerwear material available." TNF's global general manager of mountain sports, Scott Mellin, states, "Right now, the expectation from a waterproof product is something loud, crunchy, muggy and unpackable. With Futurelight we can theoretically use the technology to make anything breathable, waterproof and for the first time, comfortable. Imagine a waterproof T-shirt, sweater or even denim that you actually want to wear. Today we start with jackets, tents and gloves, but the possibilities could be endless." There is also a sustainability story in the fabric creation process as the brand is able to "responsibly" create three-layer garments via recycled fabrics and production that cuts chemical consumption and is produced in a clean, solar-powered factory. Another tech story comes from Dynafit, whose FT Insulation Jacket, MSRP $299.95, combines PrimaLoft Gold Insulation synthetic fibers with aerogel fibers to achieve both enhanced warmth and decreased weight. Originally developed by NASA for use in aeronautical applications, silica aerogel is a highly porous, low-density structure that forms a temperature barrier locking out cold and heat. The jacket is low bulk, light and packable. Swiss apparel brand Kjus has already launched its futuristic tech to the market in the form of a ski jacket with "Hydro_Bot" technology that the brand says eliminates sweat at the touch of a button. It does so thanks to an electronic, user-controlled membrane that works to prevent post-activity chill by pumping out sweat when an electrical pulse is applied. The jacket has a Bluetooth enabled control which works with an app. The Kjus 7Sphere Hydro_Bot jacket, MSRP $1699, incorporates the tech into the jacket via two panels located on the high-sweat zone of the back. The technology consists of a membrane made up of trillions of pores per square meter, surrounded by conductive fabric. When an electrical pulse is applied, the pores turn into micro- pumps, pumping sweat away from the body and out of the jacket. "For two decades Kjus has been researching and developing new fabrics and technologies to tackle the challenge of breathability in skiwear," comments Kjus's head of innovation, Ken Kurtzweg, noting that the new jacket "represents a giant leap forward on our mission to ensure skiers are kept dry, warm and comfortable from the first run of the day to the last." l 22 • Outdoor Insight • January 2019 outdoorinsightmag.com JACKETS Adidas Outdoor Windweave Insulation Jacket, MSRP $219. Merrell RidgeVent Thermo Jacket, MSRP $175. Jack Wolfskin Big White Jacket, MSRP $399.95. Mammut State of the Art Jacket (SOTA), MSRP $1299. Picture Organic Harvest Jacket, MSRP $499. Mountain Equipment Odin Jacket, MSRP $200 Dakine Gearhart Gore-Tex 3L Jacket, MSRP $520. Dynafit FT Insulation Jacket, MSRP $299.95. IT'S A TECHY SUBJECT