Just In - Gore's New Legwear Fabric

Gore has been working hard specifically to improve the Windstopper Soft Shell fabric used for legwear and we now have a pair of the new Mountain Equipment G2 Mountain Pants - ME winter '09 preview - made from one of the new fabrics for evaluation.



We'll tell you more in due course, but as we told you a few months back, Gore has been working with the likes of Mountain Equipment and the instructor team at Plas y Brenin to develop and test new, lighter and more comfortable legwear fabrics using Windstopper.

Lighter fabrics, a softer, more comfortable inside face and some stretch were all on the cards and all get an airing with the new G2 Pant. The membrane itself remains effectively the same, totally windproof and highly water resistant, but not waterproof as the seams aren't taped or sealed. Breathability is slightly better than Gore-Tex waterproof fabrics because the membrane is a little different in construction with no internal PU smear.

You only have to compare and contrast the new G2 with the original version to see the progress that Gore has made. The originals have a sturdy, thick industrial feel and we suspect that most users - us included - saved them for industrial-strength full-on winter conditions.

The new ones are much lighter, feel more comfortable, flexible, more comfortable against the skins and less intrusive in use yet should still offer the same levels of protection albeit with a little less durability though they do feature fearsomely tough kick patches at the inside of the ankles.

The end result should be a trouser that's more of an all-round winter option rather than just a foul-weather friend.

More feedback including some detailed information on the trousers themselves in the next few months. More Gore-Tex information at www.gore-tex.co.uk