Since the editorial iMac threw a wobbly and died on Wednesday,
we've been deprived of our top stories - the camel that ate Tryfan
photographic essay for one thing, but as a quick taster, here's a bit
of a scoop on next year's Karrimor base layer extravaganza.
It doesn't pong...
It's not actually going to be in the shops till February 2003, but
Dry-X Anatomics is the most technical looking base layer
we've ever seen. The stuff incorporates silver thread in the weave to
give odour-killing properties - apparently in tests not only did the
base layer stay clean smelling, but anything worn over the top also
benefitted from the bacterial killing properties of the silver.
What really marks it out though is that, like Lowe's Dryflo Zone
garments, DRX uses different weaves of material seamlessly integrated
into the garment to give different properties in different areas.
While Dry Zone is aimed at cooling different areas, the idea with DRX
is slightly different.
After two years of research, say Karrimor, they've developed
gaments based on kinesiology (the study of body movements we think)
which place stretch areas which accommodate muscle movement in
pre-determined areas, while support zones provide, erm, support in
more static areas like the trunk.
And it stretches... but only where it needs to.
The result, they say, are very close-fitting garments that support
wobbly bits, while still allowing efficient movement. Like Dry Zone,
they're knitted in one seamless piece and the inner and outer of the
fabric have different physical properties to first pull moisture away
from the skin, the dissipate it across the surface of the fabric for
faster evaporation.
Will it work? At £45 for a long-sleeved top and £40 for
a tee, you have to hope so. It looks amazingly techie, which is part
of the appeal, but we have to be honest and say that it's a long time
since we've been concerned by the restrictiveness of a base-layer.
Still, the proof is in the wearing, so let's wait and see.
More Karrimor new stuff next week folks.
On the pics front, that's the women's version up there and the
bloke one on the right. If you look carefully, squint like an owl
even, you might just be able to make out the different weaves of the
material. Or maybe not. They look good in the flesh, we promise.
