ISPO 2015: Part 1, Clothing

"I had a very interesting conversation with the rep from Toray. They had sewn up some nice factory prototypes with their new insulation material ‘3DeFX+’. I reported on this new ‘stretch’ insulation last year, but it was nice to see it turned into something wearable:"

KUIU has a jacket (with and without hood) with Toray 3DeFX+, Kenai hoody and jacket. 15 oz and 13 oz.

Thanks Matthew

Yeah, we are up for field testing!

Cheers

A few remarks:
1) SDP by Keela/Ardmel is not something relatively new, but already exists for a long time and the opportunity for anyone to use it, is not new either.
2) 3DeFX+ = Fullrange by Patagonia.
3) 3M Thinsulate Featherless: according to their pressrelease and a few other sources, it's not continuous but a loose fill insulation, intended to look like down.
4) Montane Fireball Verso: the insulation used is not the common Primaloft Silver but the new Primaloft Silver insulation Active, Primaloft's answer to Polartec Alpha or Toray's 3DeFX+.
5) Montane Hi-Q with Primaloft Gold Luxe: I find it strange to hear it's exclusive to Montane, yet to see it in a few pieces of other brands also. BTW, Luxe looks like a slitghly improved version of Thermoball, also made by Primaloft.

1) I realise SDP is by no means new, in fact, I mentioned it in my own article last year:
https://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/process#.VQGM8FJ0wdA
It is the Saxon Jacket that is new this year, and it is lighter than other SDP jackets from Keela. I raise the subject of SDP again in order to point out that the technology is getting lighter.
2) I do not suggest that only Toray is using 3DeFX+. In my own article last year, I made it clear that stretch insulation itself was by no means new.
3) The 3M rep said it was a continuous fibre.
4) From the Montane workbook:
– 40g PRIMALOFT® SILVER insulation for
super packable warmth and gossamer
weight
5) The Montane Rep said that Primaloft Gold Luxe is exclusive to Montane. I do not venture to say how good any of these new types of synthetic insulation are, I think we will be waiting a few years before we can say with more clarity how they perform.

No problem. Just to help some to have a clearer picture.
1) SDP: just to say that it exists for maybe 10 years (or longer) and the fact that only a few brands have pickt it up, tells maybe something. Is it getting lighter ? Sure, but nearly everything is.
2) oh, I just wanted to say that Pata’s ‘mysterious’ Fullrange insulation is simply 3DeFX+.
3) from their press release: “3M announced today the launch of 3M Thinsulate Featherless Insulation, a new loose fill insulation alternative to natural down…”
4) I have the workbook too and it’s faulty about this. Better info on OM: http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/gear-news/montane-gets-new-more-breathable-primaloft/13936.html
5) the rep was wrong

;-)

> the fact that only a few brands have pickt it up, tells maybe something. Is it getting lighter ? Sure, but nearly everything is.
I also pointed out that Keela's claims for their SDP technology are, as yet, untested by BPL staff. If there is a noticeable improvement in comparison to a single membrane, and the garments are now coming in below 500g, then they may become an option more people are willing to consider.

Matt

One BPL that would surprise me big time as even there's quite some discussion on a rain shell of maybe 250g. "Is 250g not unnecesserally heavy ?" :-)

Can someone smarter than me explain how reversing a jacket can change its wind resistance/breath-ability?

I could see having the more wind-resistant face to the outside would make it warmer, but its the same two fabrics that air has to be pushed through.

My guess is its not so much about total breathability, but rather than by exposing the insulation to a greater amount of wind/airflow its total insulation effectiveness will be reduced (greater rate of air changes). This would make it feel cooler.

There is a (probably slight) chance that by doing this, the airflow over the now inner, less breathable fabric will be ever so slightly increased. Increasing the airflow over a membrane will increase the rate it can breath, ever so slightly. For this to be effective the other fabric and the insulation would have to put up a rather pitiful amount of resistance to wind.

> explain how reversing a jacket can change its wind resistance/breath-ability?
I scratched my head over that one as well.
A bit warmer, sure, possible.

Cheers

Pretty disappointed to hear montane going over to goretex. One of the attractive things about the company was their eVent options. I hope RAB and others are sticking with eVent…

Oh well, aren't we searching constantly for something more comfortable ? Whether event, gore-tex, neoshell or something else, I personally don't care. Event had the name of the most comfortable (for a rainshell). Now there's also GTX Pro. And what will bring the future ?

Sounds like the Berghaus Hypertherm.

And the Inov-8 Thermoshell

Matthew thanks for the very informative report on ISPO 2015. The Rab Flashpoint jacket looks promising. I hope to read a BPL review of it soon!

Hi John,
glad you liked the article. Parts 2 and 3 should be out in the next two weeks. When the articles are finished I will forward company contact details to the relevant parties at BPL, I like to get the articles done first. After that, who knows.
Matt