Graphene Jacket?

[Mark Verber]

For years I have been hearing how graphene was going to revolutionize all sorts of products… but these products have been slow in coming,  The first I heard of was Inov-8 is using graphene in the soles of some newer shoes, which doesn’t seem that revolutionary.  Today saw a note about a graphene jacket made by vollebak. Looked around for any real life reviews with no luck.  Would love if someone else took it for a spin and reported if there is anything remarkable, or if this is another case of a super material like Aerogel which is great in the lab / specialized uses, but just doesn’t seem to cut it when facing the rigors of the back country.

[Roger Caffin]

For years I have been hearing how graphene was going to revolutionize all sorts of products…
Usual marketing spin doctor BS.
Meaningless.

Cheers

[Franco Darioli]

So you pay $695 to be part of an experiment.

If you have the money and are really bored , why not ?

 

 

[Roger Caffin]

I am not that bored.

Cheers

[Tom K]

You denizens of Oz are real party poopers.

[Roger Caffin]

But we have big knives.

[Geoff Caplan]

Roger

I really wouldn’t underestimate the potential of graphene for new fabrics and materials – it’s being widely accepted as a disruptive technology:

https://www.graphene.manchester.ac.uk/learn/applications/

I’ve had a chat with someone at Inov8 who was involved in developing their new outsole with the Nobel-winning team in Manchester, and they are claiming that it offers a combination of grip and longevity that simply isn’t possible with conventional materials. Reviewers seem to agree.

Kudos to Inov8 for being such early movers. But it will be some considerable time before we see many graphene based products on the consumer market. It is exotically difficult to manufacture and work with, so we will have to wait while new techniques are developed. There was 100 years  between the discovery of silicone and the invention of the silicone chip. We’ve barely scratched the potential for graphene.

The folks at Vollebak seem honest enough in their marketing, but at the moment their jacket does seem like a toy for rich boys. Still, it’s an interesting glimpse into the future.

[Roger Caffin]

@Geoff

I am all for the technology and the R&D. That’s my life.
But I do tend to be a bit harsh on the spin doctors. They deserve it.

Cheers

[Pedestrian]

“There was 100 years between the discovery of silicone and the invention of the silicone chip”

FYI silicone is NOT silicon!

Silicone is a polymer while silicon is a chemical element (element 14).

One of silicon’s many uses is in semiconductors.

[Geoff Caplan]

@Pedestrian

Oops – typo…

[Eric Blumensaadt]

This stuff may be the “Unobtanium” we’ve all been waiting for.

To heck with carbon fiber hiking poles. I want Graphene fiber hiking poles!

[Author]

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