What is Gore-Tex?
Gore Tex is an advanced fabric that is used in some winter coats and other winter gear. It is known for being waterproof and extremely breathable, making it perfect for use in winter coats that are not too heavy. It can also be used in waterproof boots.
But how does it work?Well, you can look at the diagram on the right if you’re a visual person. However, I will try to provide a bit of the science behind the material, and why it makes such a good choice for our favorite winter gear.
Gore tex is based on thermo-mechanically expanded polytetrafluoroethylene material, and other fluoropolymer products. As a fabric, it contains tiny pores which are smaller than a water drop, but bigger than water vapor particles, allowing those particles to move away from the interior of the fabric to the exterior. At the same time, it prevents water from leaking through the material, effectively making it waterproof. The material is also windproof, making it excellent for jackets that are put through extreme winter conditions.
In a jacket, while keeping the wearer warm, it also moves sweat from the inside to the outside using the technology mentioned above. Gore Tex can also be used as a membrane for surgeries, or as an implant material.
If you’d like to read more about Gore-Tex, you can check out its’ Wikipedia article. A couple products made with Gore-Tex are shown below.
Patagonia
Continuing on with the featured merchants on this site, we have Patagonia. Patagonia was founded by Yvon Chouinard. Chouinard got his start as a climber at a local falconry club. He would teach the students how to rappel down cliffs in order to reach the falcon aeries.
As he began to do more climbing, he became frustrated that the only pitons available were soft pitons. He went to a local junkyard and bought himself the materials to teach himself blacksmithing. He wanted to make hard iron, reusable pitons that would help his climbing. Successful in his attempt to forge these, their popularity grew, and Chouinard found that he could forge two in an hour, and sell them for $1.50 each. He set to work, making these for the climbers that wanted them.
He didn’t make much, and survived on very little. However, he eventually worked his way to becoming the largest supplier of climbing gear in the country, revolutionizing climbing equipment. The company history is quite extensive, but in the end, they began to feature more and more products in their catalogs, and worked their way into winter clothing. Similar to the North Face, they have a wide variety of high quality products, which I hope to explore here on the blog with you. You can check out more Patagonia history by check out my link above. In the meantime, feel free to browse around here for more information on your favorite winter gear.
The North Face
Over the next few days, or perhaps all tonight, I’m going to be writing a little bit of background on all of the companies that I know provide the best in Warm Winter Wear. The first company that we’re going to be looking at is The North Face.
I’ve gathered a lot of this information from their website, which you can check out in the link I’ve provided above. The North Face derives their name from what is generally considered to be the iciest, coldest part of a mountain. Their logo is a representation of the half dome located in Yosemite, which is one of the greatest big walls in the world.
Founded in 1966 in the heart of San Fransico’s North Beach, they were originally a retailer of high end climbing and outdoor equipment. However, in 1968, they began to develop their own brand of high performance mountaineering and equipment. They quickly added other lines of products, and became the only supplier to offer a comprehensive collection of outdoor wear, camping gear, and other outdoor supplies. Beginning in 1996, they began to use their own specially developed materials, providing premium solutions for the outdoor enthusiast.
The North Face is a quality brand, providing premium winter wear. All of their products are covered with a lifetime warranty, which just goes to show you how much they stand behind their brands.
If you liked what you’ve read here, you can read a more detailed timeline of the North Face company here. Be sure to check back here for more on your favorite outdoor companies and products!
Welcome
Hi everyone, and welcome to Warm Winter Wear. Let me tell you a little bit about myself. I’m fairly new to the whole internet blogging thing, having only recently started a few months ago. However, I am going to try to make it in the blogosphere, which is a lot more difficult than it may seem. Warm Winter Wear is one of the projects that I have been dreaming of, and I really hope that you like it.
Now a little bit about this site here. I live in the cold confines of the American Northeast, where the winters can be quite bitter. They have been more mild recently, but having good winter gear is something that people here still need. I became really interested in getting some of the best stuff in order to keep myself warm and dry. I’ve also become really interested in outdoor and camping gear also. Skiing and snowboarding also interest me, but I’m not expert on that stuff, nor do I claim to be an expert on anything I write about. Basically, this site will be providing information on a lot of the things that people need during the winter. Jackets, gloves, hats, and various other gear as well. I’ve also got quite the penchant for hockey too, as you can tell over at my hockey blog, Let’s Go Terriers.
I’ll try to cover a lot of stuff here, from the materials with which things are made, to the various styles that are available. Basically, I’ll try to guide you through the different brands and separate things out to make it easier for you to decide what you need and don’t need. And through this all, I hope to have a little bit of fun and perhaps make some money! Now I know that’s not what everyone likes to hear, but I’m going to be honest about it. There will be affiliate links on this site sometimes, but it’s all up to you. Feel free to click on whatever you like, I don’t mind if you don’t. As long as you get the information you need and keep coming back, I’ll keep writing.
Thanks for reading, and I hope that you enjoy your time here at Warm Winter Wear.