How do the Gore-Tex and other membrane tissue
Sport And Fitness / / December 19, 2019
Runners-beginners often think, What is running in the winterTo keep warm during training. If the weather is dry, then put on quite flisku, windbreaker and cap taytsy. But if the rain or snow, the usual jacket and summer shoes can get wet, get wet and together with them and you. Stay dry in the rain and snow, and at the same time not to mate during the activity to help special membrane fabric.
In order not to get wet in the rain, enough to put the most ordinary of oilcloth raincoat he will cope with the task, if you just stand on the street. But if you try to run in a raincoat, then after a few minutes you will thoroughly wet, but not because of the rain, but because of the condensation of vapor from your body evolved during physical exercise. A soaked in the cold, you can quickly freeze and get sick, so do not experiment.
Story
While running and other physical activities in the rain or snow is necessary to solve two problems at once: Do not allow water to evaporate from the outside and bring inside. Until the second half of the XX century, preference was given to the decision of the first of these: jackets and other clothing for rain made watertight, but at the same time "not breathing." But in 1969, Bill and Robert Gore (Bill and Robert Gore), father and son, have invented a membrane tissue, which could, on the one hand, to retain water, and on the other - permeable to water vapor. They called this fabric Gore-Tex.
In 1976 the first line of clothing with the membrane he was released, and in 1981 the crew of the space shuttle "Columbia" wore suits, manufactured fabric Gore-Tex used.
Technology
Gore-Tex, and other membranes are composed of microscopic pores, whose number is greater than 1 billion for square centimeter. The size of these pores 20 000 times smaller than a drop of water, but 700 times more than the water vapor molecule. It turns out that the rain drops can not penetrate and evaporate freely go outside. The membrane thickness of only 0.01 mm.
In order not to let the water no chance in clothes with membranes commonly used special water-repellent zippers and seams are made in a special way. In addition, the inside of their more and glued with a special tape.
Modern clothes from Gore-Tex usually consists of three layers: an outer coating of the membrane itself and the pad. The upper layer was coated with a special compound, which is called DWR (Durable Water Repellent - durable water repellent) and prevents dropwise to linger on the surface. Over time, this coating wears out and the upper layer begins to become wet. But the membrane is water, it may just not be as effectively remove the evaporation out, and the moisture condenses inside. And that many people mistakenly believe a sign that the jacket or sneakers We began to get wet.
The same effect is possible in the winter, when the snow sticks to shoes or clothing and does not allow them to "breathe". In some cases, the characteristics of the DWR-coating can be restored with a special spray.
Classification
The main characteristics of any garments with membrane are two indicators:
- Water-resistant in millimeters. For its measurement is taken tube diameter of 2.5 cm and placed on the tissue. It is measured by how many millimeters will be able to fill the tube with water before the membrane begins to leak.
- Breathability in grams. How many grams of water vapor can pass through a square meter of fabric per day.
Displaying these indicators in the form of two numbers, eg 10 000 mm / 10 000g The table below will help you understand how to translate these characteristics into understandable language.
impermeability | Conditions |
0-5 000 mm | Light rain or light snow with no wind |
6 000-10 000 mm | Light rain or light snow + light wind |
11 000-15 000 mm | Rain or snow medium strength + light wind |
16 000-20 000 mm | Heavy rain or sleet + average wind |
20 000 mm + | Heavy rain or sleet strong wind + |
ยป
For city runs should be enough for a jacket with indicators of 10,000 mm / 10,000 g But if you are going to run trails in the mountains and stay in the rain or snow for a long time, it is best to choose something more serious, from 20 000 mm and above.
There are three main categories of membrane fabrics:
- Everyday.
- Professional.
- For active sports.
The membranes of the first category, which is obviously intended for everyday wear, they can often be seen in the fall and winter clothes or shoes. The latter are used in the manufacture of professional clothing, such as climbers or skiers. Well, we, as you probably already guessed, you need the product from the third category of tissue. Membranes for active sports lighter and "breathable" than others because they need to have time to take a greater amount of heat from the heated body activity runner or cyclist. In the line of Gore-Tex family of such "active" tissue called the Active Gore-Tex, so the choice of clothing for sports should pay attention to the one that uses a membrane of this type.
Remember that you can not choose the cheaper option because the main difference between the good from the bad clothes - it is durability. In the first few months, you may not notice the difference, but over time the characteristics of cheap jackets - first all heat rejection - may significantly deteriorate and quality is almost like membrane new.
Care
To wear to the membrane to serve you as long as possible, and eventually did not lose their properties, need care for her. Such clothes need wash in the washing machine separately from other things at a temperature of not more than 40 degrees, and using a small quantity of liquid detergent. Powder, stain remover and bleach are contraindicated. Well, it is not worth pressing, because it can lead to the formation of wrinkles.
That's all. Do not let the rain and snow hinder your training. :)