Fabrics & Technologies Archives

Alpinetrek-Expert

Simon

Everybody’s heard of it, but nobody really seems to know what it is. You mostly likely know it from the world of sports. Athletes of all kinds wear garments with Lycra. And even if the name isn’t explicitly stated, the material is still used, just under the guise of a different name: elastane. The fibre, […]

Buyer's Guide

Alpinetrek-Expert

Florian K.

Nylon vs. Dyneema slings

Who doesn’t know this situation: you once again want to compare apples and pears. You will quickly realize that they are both fruits, but have some significant differences. This situation is similar to that of the chemical materials polyamide (PA) and polyethylene (PE). They are both part of mountain sports and sewn slings (sewn runners) […]

Fabrics & Technologies

Alpinetrek-Expert

Simon

Primaloft: a real alternative to down?

High-quality down is the very best when it comes to providing reliable protection in cold and dry conditions. But, what if it’s bucketing down and your clothes are getting all wet? Or what if your insulating layer gets all sweaty from a really tough uphill climb? Well, this is where down reaches its limits. If […]

Fabrics & Technologies

Alpinetrek-Expert

Florian K.

Everything you ever wanted to know about carabiner noses

Carabiners have noses? Indeed they do! And just like the ones on people and animals, carabiner noses come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. The only difference: carabiner noses don’t have a sense of smell! But what they do have are some great names: “HoodWire”,“Wirelock”,“MonoFil”, “Keylock” or even “Clean Wire”. Not bad, eh? Yeah, […]

Fabrics & Technologies

Alpinetrek-Expert

Guest author

How GORE-TEX membranes work

Today, GORE-TEX is the epitome of waterproof and breathable garments. Regardless of whether you’re skiing, cycling, mountaineering at work or just going about your everyday life, you can always rely on the high-quality products engineered with GORE-TEX membranes – at least that’s what the American brand claims. In the following, we’re going to have a […]

Fabrics & Technologies

Alpinetrek-Expert

Simon

Dermizax – a different kind of membrane

Picture this: you’ve been lugging around a heavy pack for hours in the pouring rain, trying to make the most of the bad weather. And to your surprise, you notice that underneath your waterproof jacket it doesn’t feel like a sauna, even though you’ve been sweating like mad. How’s that even possible? Well, the jacket […]

Fabrics & Technologies

Alpinetrek-Expert

Guest author

Aramid/Kevlar: A super material for the outdoors?

A lightweight, cut and puncture-resistant fabric that is used for bulletproof vests, heat-resistant uniforms or even aircraft construction. Yeah, at first glance, aramid, otherwise known by the brand name Kevlar, seems much more suitable for superhero costumes than for outdoor sports. But the properties of this very special fabric come in extremely useful in a […]

Fabrics & Technologies

Alpinetrek-Expert

Guest author

GORE-TEX PACLITE: Product technology for every day

GORE-TEX PACLITE product technology is engineered to be extremely lightweight and packable. Plus, it has the full functionality of the microporous ePTFE membrane and provides excellent protection against the wind and rain. Amazingly, the same pores that prevent water and wind from getting in are just large enough for moisture vapour to pass through, so […]

Fabrics & Technologies

Alpinetrek-Expert

Lisa

Everything you ever wanted to know about Pertex fabrics

The 1970s were a decade in which a wide variety of new fabrics became available on the market, leading manufacturers in the outdoor industry to jettison those more traditional fabrics, such as cotton and wool, in favour of these new, more advanced materials. These functional fabrics had a clear advantage over traditional fabrics: they have a […]

Fabrics & Technologies

Alpinetrek-Expert

Lisa

Flyweights for the back – the world of ultra-light backpacks

Can you still remember your first trekking tour or multi-day hike? This is how my first time went: I borrowed a backpack that was actually way too big for the tour I wanted to do. But since you famously can’t set off with your backpack only half full, I ended up managing to pack in […]

Fabrics & Technologies

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