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.