Latest news with #Gore-TexPro
Forbes
01-08-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Arc'teryx Partners With Gore-Tex For New Waterproof Membrane
Arc'teryx has partnered with Gore-Tex since 1995. Now, 30 years in, the collaboration has resulted in a new waterproof and breathable membrane that Arc'teryx calls lighter, more durable and more responsive than any before it. The Gore-Tex Pro ePE fabric makes its debut in the Arc'teryx Beta AR jacket, a 25-year-old silhouette that has helped define the Canadian brand. Calling it the toughest and more durable jacket in the Beta family, the redesigned Beta AR features the new Gore-Tex Pro ePE membrane, along with enhanced fabric lamination, new cord locks for increased durability and pack-friendly pockets with easier access. In 2024, Arc'teryx updated its lineup of shells with the Gore-Tex ePE technology, a waterproof membrane free of intentionally added chemicals, and with half the thickness and lighter than previous membranes. In 2025, Arc'teryx shows off its latest collaboration with Gore-Tex, having led the development of the Gore-Tex Pro ePE. The new fabric features a membrane, a backer underneath and a face fabric on the top. Both the ePE and Pro ePE features the same membrane but differ in the backers and face fabrics. 'The next generation Gore-Tex Pro technology is a major leap forward,' Sara Ellis, global Gore-Tex Pro product specialist and materials engineer, tells me. 'It provides the same trusted waterproof, windproof, breathable performance—now lighter, made without intentionally added per- and polyfluorinated substances and utilizing recycled textile content.' Ellis says the new product is a 'milestone in merging pinnacle durability with a lower environmental footprint,' which opens new design possibilities. To make it through the Gore-Tex process, every membrane and laminate was subjected to a bevy of testing. Lab testing included the Gore-Tex Rain Room in the brand's Delaware headquarters. To simulate the harshest conditions, the rain room sends three inches of rain per hour in hurricane-level wind and rain to dump six gallons of rain per minutes for 30 minutes. Only if a design can pass that test is it sent out to the field for real-world testing. Lab testing features plenty of durability tests, including ruggedness testing to check a fabric against rips, tears and abrasions while ensuring it retains its waterproofness. The Martindale machine functions as a key simulator, mimicking abrasions by 'stamping' material repeatedly. The Gore-Tex ePE had to handle 5,000 repetitions, while the new Gore-Tex Pro ePE takes on 20,000 'stamps.' The Beta AR launched in 2000 and has enjoyed eight updates since. In 2004, Arc'teryx reduced the width of the seam tape to 13mm to increase the flexibility and added a drop hem, laminated the internal chest pocket and reinforced the elbow and shoulder areas while dropping the overall weight to 540 grams. In 2007, the brand introduced a Gore-Tex Pro Shell that was lighter with more breathability while streamlining the seams for improved ability to withstand weather. The 2010 update featured more water-tight zipper designs and in 2013 a new lightweight Gore-Tex fabric with a woven nylon backer helped increase durability while reducing weight to 440 grams. The waterproof protection in the zippers and hood improved in 2018, the fabric got an upgrade in 2020 and the brand's StormHood was introduced in 2023. 'Twenty-five years ago, the original Beta AR revolutionized the outdoor industry,' says Tanya Hall, Arc'teryx design expert for advanced concepts. 'Its innovative DropHood, hand pockets and essential pit zippers quickly made it one of the most coveted hardshell—and it was this very DNA that inspired some of the first guide jackets we developed for mountain professionals in the early days.' The 2025 version now features regular, articulated fit to allow for layering, roughly 15 stitches per inch for durability, glove-friendly cuffs to help seal out weather, two zippered hand pockets, a DropHood, a reflector in the hood brim, internal cord locks, pit zippers for temperature regulation and an adjustable hem drawcord. And it all comes with the latest in waterproof breathability from the Arc'teryx Gore-Tex collaboration. The updated Beta AR design saves over 1.5 miles worth of material annually thanks to newly optimized fabric patterns. 'We also,' says Amber Heath, Arc'teryx senior designer for women's hike, 'dedicated significant attention to the precise placement of pit zips and pockets on our women's styles, enhancing both functionality and fit.' MORE: New Arc'teryx 2025 Footwear Lineup Doubles Down On Mountain Running
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Yahoo
Review: The North Face Summit Torre Egger FutureLight Kit
Powder aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission. A few years ago, The North Face took a pretty big bet–and by most measures, lost. They stopped using Gore-Tex membranes in their expedition-grade technical outerwear, instead opting to go all-in on their proprietary waterproof/breathable FutureLight membrane. The material stood out for two reasons: it was remarkably breathable and felt silky soft, but it was lacking in both the durability and long-term water-repellent departments. It worked great for high-output activities like ski mountaineering, but wasn't that well suited for resort skiing during a storm, where the fabric would wet out and absorb water–though the membrane did keep you dry on the inside. The North Face ended up returning to using Gore-Tex membranes (notably the new PFAS-free Gore-Tex ePE and Gore-Tex Pro materials) in their dedicated ski kits like the Summit Verbier collection, but now uses an updated FutureLight fabric in their minimalist alpine kits, like the Summit Torre Egger. While the Summit Series Torre Egger jacket and pants were designed with high-level alpine climbing and ski mountaineering in mind (the kind of stuff TNF athletes like Christina Lustenberger and Sam Smoothy are into), we set out to see how they would fare for more garden-variety backcountry skiing. I don't have any 6000-meter peaks in my backyard, but we've had plenty of stormy weather in the Tetons this season! View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article Sizes: S, M, L, XL Fit: Regular fit Material: FutureLight 3L Shell I tend to size my ski outerwear slightly differently depending on where I plan on using most–though I've definitely been trending toward the looser and baggier end of the spectrum for both resort skiing and backcountry touring. My one exception is for a kit that I'm going to wear on high-output days ski mountaineering, particularly when that day involves any technical components like climbing or rappelling. Then, I'll typically opt for a slightly slimmer fit, as I'll often wear a harness over the pants, and I don't like a baggy jacket and pants getting in the way of that. I tested the kit in size L, and felt it fit exactly as I wanted: slim, but not constrictive. Both the jacket and bibs have a relatively slim silhouette. The jacket isn't as long as other ski shells, but fits nicely with a pack and harness, and still provides plenty of coverage. The pants are more slim-fitting than most ski pants, but definitely don't fall into the skimo/lycra category. They are slightly articulated, and fit in a way that allows for an impressive range of motion. Slimmer cuffs play nice with crampons, and allow you see your feet when climbing, but could be a tight fit over larger ski boots. I didn't have an issue fitting these over ski touring boots like the Tecnica Zero G Tour Pros or La Sportiva Kilo. The kit comes in both a men's and women's version with more or less identical features. I tested the kit ski mountaineering and ice climbing in the Tetons and Norway, during both bitter-cold but sunny high pressure periods and warm, wet storms. Right off the bat, I was surprised to find how burly the jacket and pants felt, particularly compared to the older versions of FutureLight. The North Face clearly updated the face fabric on these garments to be much heavier-duty and more waterproof, which for a kit designed to get rowdy in nasty weather, seems like a pretty good improvement. In practice, the fabric update removes some of the suppleness and smooth feel, but testing the jacket and pants in two-inch-an-hour storms proved that these are notably more water repellent than before while remaining really breathable. Older Futurelight was actually quite waterproof, but the face fabric didn't do a good job having water and snow bead off the surface the way Gore-Tex Pro's DWR treatment did. I love the jacket and it's impressive breathability for high-output days where I'm sweating a lot, but it's storming out and I want a shell to stay protected from wind and snow. I found myself wearing the shell much longer than I expected to on ski tours where I would normally stash the shell in my pack. When it did come time to stash the jacket, I found that it compressed nicely. Unlike the feature-rich Summit Verbier kit, the Torre Egger's super minimalist pocket layout (one chest pocket, two waist pockets, and one small zippered inside pocket) keeps the zipper count low. The pants feel like minimalist winter mountaineering hardshell pants–oh wait, because that's what they are! There are two thigh pockets, both of which have reinforced anchor points and comfortably fit an avalanche beacon and stay out of the way of a harness. The left thigh pocket features an additional small side zipper that I couldn't quite figure out a use case for other than stashing candy bar wrappers. I really like the full-length side zips on the pants that double as vents, and allow you take the pants on and off without removing your boots. That might sound like a superfluous feature, but it's really nice when you're changing in a tent on an overnight mission, plus it helps when going to the bathroom in the mountains. Finally, the removable suspenders are remarkably low-profile, and are very comfortable to wear with a pack (they only attach in the front, so there's no rubbing).On paper, the Torre Egger jacket and pants are a pretty specialized piece of kit, but are much more versatile than they might seem. I've found myself wearing the jacket most days ski touring this winter, and enjoyed the pants for technical days ski mountaineering. I prefer a slightly baggier and looser fit for most days of riding, but when lots of skinning and climbing in crampons are on the menu for the day, these are a great choice. If you're a skier who finds themselves frequenting technical terrain in foul weather, the Torre Egger kit is an excellent choice. Its combo of remarkably breathable, burly and heavy-duty construction, and improved water repellency (and proven waterproofness) will keep you dry and happy on storm days in the high peaks.
