We've just got a sample seeding
jacket
in the new
waterproof
Cocona Xcellerator fabric,
which the company says is the most breathable out there.
We have two versions of the fabric, a three-layer with Cocona scrim
internal layer and a 2.5-layer which should be the more breathable of
the two. Cocona uses activated carbon from coconut shells in various
yarns including baselayer and soft shell fabrics, but the waterproof
version is completely new and due out in autumn 2010.
What Cocona has done is combine a PU-coating with a Cocona fabric print
designed to absorb and move moisture rapidly and statistics from the
company's lap tests have it outperforming anything else currently
available.
The inner of the fabric itself has a soft, not unpleasant feel and the
print uses the Cocona label for a distinctive look. The jacket itself
is cut short and fast mover-ish, making it decent for biking and
running.
Two things we've noticed already, one is that if you rub moisture into
the inside of the jacket, it's absorbed really quickly suggesting both
that the Cocona print is effective and that the PU layer itself is very
hydrophilic or water attracting. That ties in to recent trends, with
PU-based waterproof laminates becoming more sophisticated and much more
effective when it comes to breathability.
We've also used the 2.5-layer jacket on the bike for a quick roll up
Holme Moss and back again and first impressions are that it works as
well or better for breathability than anything else we've tried
including the main branded fabrics out there., so initial signs are
good.
Cocona is also claimed to be great for odour management, so we'll be
keeping a nose on the armpit area during testing. We'll try the
three-layer jacket too, but for now all we're going to say is that it's
beige...
Don't take our word for it though, Cocona is recruiting guinea pigs to
try the new fabric for themselves and report back, more details at
www.coconafabrics.com.
