Perhaps putting in my 2 cents about this since I have trying to find info about this for almost a year now.
I have been able to find a few things about this new Gore product:
* first, Gore is completely rearranging its gore-tex range. Exspect to see 4 major groups:
1) Gore-tex Pro Shell
2) Gore-tex Performance Shell
3) Gore-tex Paclite
4) Gore-tex Soft Shell.
So, no XCR anymore.
* the big introduction is the new Pro Shell range. As already described in the blog, Gore has found a way to replace the inner knitted tricot (on average made off 40 denier yarns) with a woven nylon scrim (made off 15 denier yarns). Gore calls this "Micro Grid Woven backer technology". According to Gore this has several advantages:
- more durable: a Martinsdale abrasion test and a velcro abrasion test show little wear compared with a knitted liner.
- lighter weight of 3-layer jackets(weight savings could exceed more than 60 grams for a garment bacause of a combination of the woven backer with very narrow 8 mm seam tape). If not mistaken the new Arc'teryx Alpha LT has lost nearly 100 grams and should weight about 365 grams (size M). Not bad for a 3-layer jacket. People who know the Japanese brand Montbell perhaps know that they have been producing a 360 gram 3-layer gore-tex jacket, the Torrentflier jacket, for quite a while now. Interestingly this jacket also used a 15 denier scrim so exspect this is nothing more than the new Pro Shell material. The Pro Shell seems to be developed by Gore Japan.
- improved aestetics inside
- improved breatability: Gore states breathability with an RET of less than 6, but a recent press release mentioned an RET of 3. Interestingly, this is even less than the typical RET of 4 for 3-layer eVENT, 4. Ofcourse, what real value have these numbers? I don't think there has been a real change in membrane technology (so still using XCR technology) but these numbers perhaps show how the outer face and scrim can influence breathability of a garment. OTOH, I have had the opportunity to read some inital technical info from Gore in which they discussed a product very similar to eVENT (almost identical is a better description) but I can't imagine they would introduce such a thing without putting much rumour to it. I'm also not sure that what I read was usable in outerwear. I guess we'll have to wait for that.
Although it is not really clear to me at this moment what relationship there is between Pro Shell and XCR, my guess is that XCR is more or less rebranded as pro shell with the addition of the woven backer in the 3-layer jackets. The performance shell range could then be compared to the classic gore-tex products, while paclite and soft shell stay te same. Highly hypothetically ofcourse.
About paclite being more breathable than XCR, perhaps this is right in pure technical terms but my practical experience with it is that it is very sensitive to condensation. On rainy days, when the DWR can't handle the constant attack of raindrops anymore, I often notice a rapid build up of condensation, much more than with XCR. I believe Chris Townsend has mentioned this before.
That's it. Enough gear freakiness for this evening. I hope this didn't interfere with any upcoming gearnews the OM team had in mind.
Posted: 23/01/2007 at 20:15
