According to the three-layer outdoor wearing method, after solving the sweat-wicking layer and the thermal insulation layer, as long as the outer protective layer is solved, the entire system project will be completed. The protective layer, as the name suggests, protects the human body. The environment of outdoor activities is changeable, such as strong winds and heavy rains, which requires clothing to be windproof and rainproof. Mountain climbing and some harsh routes cannot avoid encountering sharp thorns and rocks. , which requires clothing to have higher wear resistance. In short, protecting the human body from harsh environments is what the protective layer is all about.
Professional outdoor protective layers can currently be basically divided into two categories: hard shells and soft shells. The so-called hard shell is what we commonly call a jacket. It is named because of its hard fabric. It is highly protective but has low comfort. Soft shells are relatively softer and more comfortable, but less protective. The obvious difference between the two is the waterproofness. The hard case is generally 100% waterproof, with only the difference between heavy rain and heavy rain protection, while the soft case is generally only resistant to splashing water (a small amount of splashing, but cannot protect against moderate rain or long-term light rain). .
For outdoor players, in most cases, the jacket plays the role of a packed, high-performance raincoat. You can take it out and put it on when it rains, and take it off and put it back into the bag when it stops raining. They will only be worn for a long time when climbing extremely high altitude snow-capped mountains or difficult climbing routes.
First, let’s take a look at the fabric of the jacket. Currently, the monopoly is Gore’s GOER-TEX patented fabric, which is a fabric with a built-in ePTFE porous breathable film. The pores made with nanotechnology are larger than water vapor molecules, but smaller than water molecules of liquid water. Group, it can be imagined that it has excellent waterproof and breathable functions. Almost more than 70% of professional jackets on the market are just different versions of GTX. There are four types of GTX fabrics, GTX Performance (low-end for heavy duty), GTX Paclite (low-end for light duty), GTX Pro (high-end for heavy duty), and GTX Active (high-end for light duty).
In addition to GTX, another mainstream fabric on the market is EVENT developed by General Motors subsidiary BHA. It also uses ePTFE porous film, but because it uses a more advanced oil-resistant protective layer (ePTFE film is extremely afraid of oil and dirt and needs to be added with a protective film on the inner layer), its breathability is higher than that of mainstream GTX fabrics. GTX fabric requires a certain level of moisture difference between inside and outside before it can be discharged outward to achieve breathability, while EVENT fabric discharges sweat from the moment it escapes from the body surface. Especially EVENT Eilte fabric, its performance is inferior to that of GTX Pro. . However, due to the late debut of EVENT fabric and the poor promotion of BHA company, its current popularity is far lower than that of GTX.
These two types of perforated film fabrics are mainly used for professional-grade jackets. In terms of structure, they are generally divided into 2L, 3L, and 2.5L. The 2L structure is a structure of ePTFE membrane + outer fabric. The breathable membrane is exposed on the inside of the fabric and is easily Damage and pollution are often lined with mesh, synonymous with low-end. 3L is a three-layered surface fabric, ePTFE film, and protective film pressed together. It has a reasonable structure, is wear-resistant and breathable, and is a mainstream jacket structure. 2.5L is a structure that reduces the inner protective film to an extremely thin layer. It is more breathable and lightweight. It is an excellent lightweight jacket structure.
In addition to these two, there is another major manufacturer of alternative protective fabrics with products in various outdoor fields, namely Pertex from the UK. His company specializes in ultra-light nylon protective fabrics. The fabrics are extremely thin and light, but have excellent performance. Everyone just needs to know that Pertex shield+ is the strongest ultra-light waterproof fabric currently available.
In addition, there are many fabrics developed by outdoor manufacturers themselves, such as TNF’s HYVENT, Bata’s H2NO, Colombia’s Omni-Tech, etc., but most of them still use traditional PU coating waterproof technology, waterproof breathability index and perforated There is a big gap between film fabrics, although in recent years someThe performance of products such as HYVENT DT is getting better and better, but except for ultra-light models, they can still be excluded from consideration for the time being.
Heavy Jacket
Heavy-duty jackets generally have a 3L structure. They are made of solid materials and have a complete structure. The outer fabric has strong wear resistance. The weight is generally more than 600 grams. They are suitable for high-altitude climbing, cross-country skiing, or hiking on extremely harsh routes.
Arcteryx Alpha SV
Arc’teryx’s top position in the outdoor world mainly comes from its jackets. The word “bird’s rush” is synonymous with high quality. The jacket product line is the most complete among major brands. According to SL (super light), FL < (lightweight) Volume), AR (multi-purpose), SV (extreme environment) are divided into grades, and lengths are divided according to Beta (short style), Alpha (medium length), and Theta (long style). Countless styles are derived from permutations and combinations, and Many extra-staff special models. Moreover, the workmanship is first-class, starting from the mid-range models, all top-grade GTX fabrics are used. This dominance is unmatched by other brands.
Alpha SV is the leading heavy-duty jacket in Niao Chong, 3L GTX Pro, and uses the new N80P-X outer fabric specially supplied by Gore. Its wear resistance is unrivaled, whether you hit a branch while skiing or climb a ridge. It is difficult to cause damage to this piece of clothing even if it is rubbed against stones. The workmanship and tailoring are also impeccable, a traditional and classic heavy-duty jacket.
Westcomb Revenant
Niao Chong has taken GTX fabric to the extreme, while WESTCOMB, also a Canadian brand, has made great efforts to overtake EVENT fabric. The main parts are made of high-strength 3L 560NST EVENT fabric, while active parts such as the armpits and back are made of Schoeller’s waterproof soft-shell fabric C-Change. This kind of fabric is very unique. It is not only waterproof and elastic, but the inner waterproof membrane can adjust the breathability as the body temperature changes. When the temperature rises, the pores expand to increase ventilation, and when the temperature drops, the pores shrink to reduce body temperature loss. It is a luxury fabric that is only used in very few top models in the outdoor world. This unique hybrid structure makes the whole piece of clothing both high-end and high-end. It is protective and highly maneuverable, and has improved comfort. If the Alpha SV is compared to the full-body armor of the Templars, the Revenant can be regarded as the half-breastplate of the French cavalry, and can be called a sensitive heavy-duty assault jacket.
Patagonia PowSlayer
Bata’s top jacket, the 3L GTX Pro, features luxurious workmanship as the flagship model. The green and black color scheme is very visually impactful, and the style design is very balanced. All the details such as the hood, visor, snow skirt, hidden breathable zipper, etc. are also perfect. They are all worthy of the title of flagship.
Lightweight Jacket
Lightweight jackets have both 2.5L and 3L structures. The fabrics are relatively thin and have better breathability. The weight is generally in the range of 300g-600g. They are suitable for long-distance hiking, alpine climbing and other outdoor activities. They are currently the mainstream jackets. shape.
La Sportiva Storm Fighter
If the same product wins two authoritative awards, Outside and Backpacker, then this product can be well-deservedly called the king in this field.
La Sportiva’s Blizzard Warrior is such a product. This product uses GTX Active fabric, which is a brand-new product launched by Gore in response to the aggressive EVENT and Polartec Neoshell fabrics. It is a step closer to the traditional 2.5L structure and combines the ePTFE membrane with the inner protective membrane. As one piece (don’t ask me, I don’t know how it fits together), its breathability is much better than the old product, and it is also thinner and lighter.
The details of this Blizzard Warrior are perfect, whether it is the cuffs that are seamlessly connected to the gloves or the small magnets that fix the hem, they all reflect the designer’s unique ingenuity. The asymmetric zipper shape is handsome, and it only weighs 320 grams, almost close to an ultra-light jacket. The critical point, but it has the top performance of lightweight jackets.
MHW Drystein II
Compared with the weakness of the soft-shell product line, MHW has been very successful in the hard-shell product line in the past two years, basically following Niao Chong as the number two in the jacket market. This is all due to MHW’s new flagship fabric DryQ. In fact, it is EVENT. MHW has improved its outer fabric and claims that its various indexes are higher than those of ordinary EVENT. After vigorous promotion by the manufacturer, it is now more famous than EVENT. Coupled with its excellent style and affordable price, it has now become the first choice of many mainstream players in China.
Drystein was originally a lightweight jacket style launched in 2011. It uses DryQ Elite, a high-end fabric in the MHW DryQ series. The waterproof and breathable data are as high as 40K, which is amazing. It won the Outside Award upon launch.
Super light jacket
Ultra-light jackets are made of ultra-thin waterproof fabrics, generally weighing less than 300 grams. They are extremely light and have excellent packing properties. The fabrics are relatively soft and have better comfort, but poor wear resistance. The waterproof and breathable index is generally not as good as that of professional jackets, they generally cannot protect against heavy rain, and the price is even lower. Suitable for short to medium-distance hiking and other outdoor activities without the risk of clothing scratches.
Montane Minimus Smock
Because of the three-layer structure of GTX and EVENT fabrics, it is difficult to make them very light and thin. Therefore, in the field of ultra-light fabrics weighing less than 300 grams, it has become a place where all major manufacturers of fabrics can sing and sing. Among them, the relatively outstanding fabric should be the Shield+ from the third-party manufacturer Pertex, which is upgraded on the basis of the old Shield. Its waterproof and breathability reaches 20K, which is a very high index for ultra-light assault, and it has It is an advantage that other fabrics can hardly match, it is extremely light and thin.
Western European manufacturers such as Montane, Millet, and Rab benefit from being close to the market, and generally have in-depth cooperation with Pertex. This Minimus is a style that fully utilizes the Shield+ performance. It is the Spring/Summer 2013 Backpacker Award-winning model. The entire garment weighs only 160 grams. The packability is excellent, you don’t need to put it in your bag, you can just roll it into small balls and stuff them in your pants pocket. The Smock style large chest pocket makes it easy to access small outdoor items such as energy food, card cameras and so on. The excellent performance of Shield+ ensures that the body remains dry in hot weather, making it the first choice for outdoor activities in summer.
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