goretex, is it a specific brand?

inaperfectworld
inaperfectworld Posts: 219
edited October 2007 in Road beginners
generally, from views expressed here goretex paclite jacket is reckoned to be the best waterproof for cooler days when it is chucking it down for hours on end. is a goretex paclite jacket a specific jacket or is it referring to the material which makers are using, meaning that any jacket maker can have a goretex paclite in its range?

Comments

  • bryanm
    bryanm Posts: 218
    Gor-tex is a fabric - there's several different types of gor-tex.. It's used by many manufacturers such as Berghaus, Lowe Alpine etc...
  • Cunobelin
    Cunobelin Posts: 11,792
    WL Gore is a company who pioneered and then manufactured the Goretex brand.

    At one point (and I believe it is still the case) they only allow their materials to be used by specific manufacturers and fro approved designs. You can't for instance buy the material and make your own.

    Have a look at http://www.gore-tex.com
    <b><i>He that buys land buys many stones.
    He that buys flesh buys many bones.
    He that buys eggs buys many shells,
    But he that buys good beer buys nothing else.</b></i>
    (Unattributed Trad.)
  • redvee
    redvee Posts: 11,922
    Cunobelin wrote:
    You can't for instance buy the material and make your own.

    You saying I can't run up a pair of Goretex incontinence pants myself :?: :oops:
    I've added a signature to prove it is still possible.
  • simmo3801
    simmo3801 Posts: 486
    Perhaps what they meant was the Gore Cross Paclite jacket. It weighs only 225g and packs down to the size of a coke can so easily fits in a rucksack or back pocket. It does cost £115 but I've never been wet in mine and would buy one again. it comes in black or hi viz yellow.
    Giant Anthem X3 2013
  • irb10
    irb10 Posts: 32
    As previous posters have said, WL Gore is the company which manufactures/licenses the GORE-TEX fabric. GORE-TEX Paclite refers to ultra lightweight garments using the GORE-TEX fabric. Various different brands (Berghaus etc.) make garments which use the GORE-TEX paclite fabric. However just for confusion, WL Gore also have their own bike clothing division called Gore Bike Wear which make end-user garments, many using
    GORE-TEX fabric including Paclite. I've got a few Gore Bike Wear bits and pieces and it's good quality stuff - not cheap though unless you hunt out clearance bargains like I do!

    http://www.gore-tex.co.uk
    http://www.gorebikewear.com
  • Eat My Dust
    Eat My Dust Posts: 3,965
    I've actually been in W.L.Gore HQ, very impressive!! Gore-tex isn't technicaly a material in the traditional sense, it's actually a membrane that in some cases (golfing clothes) is stuck/sewn onto a 'normal' material. It starts life in a liquid form. There are a number of other manufacturers who now produce an almost identical material, I believe that Gore's license/copyright (whatever it's called) ran out several years ago, although I think that they are still miles ahead of the competition due to how much they spend on R&D.

    Clothing companies buy their Gore-Tex from Gore and integrated it into their designs. I spent many a day humping big rolls of Gore-Tex off of the back of lorries in my youth!!!!
    SNAPS
  • thatlondon
    thatlondon Posts: 50
    The folks who invented goretex are genius, its a fabulous fabric and worth every penny.

    I have a packlite for walking and general winter wear, packlight is a form of light weight goretex and is quite expensive. It depends what you are intending to do i commuted quite happily in a £40 quid bike jacket which was adequately comfortable and warm. For winter training I have a club jacket that is gore wind stopper (cheaper fabric than gore tex but made by gore) again about £40.

    The benefits of gore tex are not how waterproof it is but how breathable it is. When it rains if you are working hard you will get wetter from sweat than rain. This is where goretex comes into its own as it lets the fine vapour generated by the body escape whilst not letting the larger rain drops in.

    A good bike jacket will serve many years and if it keeps you on the road when the weather is bad then its a good investment. Goretex wont keep you directly warm thou it is windproof. Cycling jerseys and a good base layer will do that, but if you get wet you will get cold and there is no better material than gore tex.
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    As said, WL Gore both make the fabric, have a seperate company called Gore Bike Wear who turn it into clothing as well as licensing the manufacture of the material to other companies - but it has to conform to strict quality and design standards. There are numourous types of GoreTex fabrics too - essentially the same PTFE membrane laminated to different types/weights of nylon fabric. The most common for cycling is PacLite which is light and therefore flexible - some use XCR too. I've not come across anything that breathes as well or is as durable. I only generally use a waterproof shell in heavy rain. otherwise you still get sweat/damp on the inside when working hard which can chill you on colder days. IME a good insulated windproof is more effective for most fast riding with the exception of heavy rain.
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..

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