Patagonia Clothing and Garment Technology – It Rocks!

When it comes to selecting clothing for outdoor activities of all kinds there are many things you should take account of as part of the decision making process. 

Whilst many choices come naturally, the obvious one’s like waterproofing, warmth, style and durability all readily spring to mind, but what about the not so obvious aspects of warmth, weatherproofing and durability? The factors we often do not look into before rushing to handover the credit card.

Patagonia clothing Promotes Warmth

What is warmth? Comfortable, warm as toast, cosy are but a few of the terms that spring to mind. Have you ever considered area’s of warmth? – probably not.

Garments can be cold in some area’s, warm in others and too damn hot in others! What you really want is a garment that has been optimised for the differing heat needs of specific bodily regions.

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Take for example the Patagonia Biomap Design

“Using a technique called body mapping, we’re now able to tell which parts of the body need heat and which parts require cooling during high-output activities in cold weather.”

“With this data, we co-developed BioMap™ design with our longtime friends at Malden Mills. BioMap design puts performance where your body needs it through the strategic placement of variable-knit zones that address: warmth, dryness, cooling, mobility and fit.

Combining different fabric panels on a garment isn’t a new idea. The beautiful thing about BioMap design however, is that it does so seamlessly. And to compliment the seamless design, we use glued construction on the collar, cuffs, pockets and zippers.”

So there IS far more to garments that work cooperatively with your body in ways that relate to the natural dispersal of thermal loss and Patagonia seems to have really done their homework on this aspect. Taking a closer look at Patagonia’s gear may be a smart move if thermal comfort is of particular importance to you.

What IS waterproof?

This is one of those all embracing terms that is wide open to interpretation and often poorly explained at the point of purchase. Of course it doesn’t always take too long before you truly understand the term within the context of your use.

Factors that are important in exploring the meaning of the term for the individual include breathability (without it you realise that waterproof doesn’t just relate to outside conditions!)

Highly breathable/water-resistant fabrics keep you comfortable and protected from the environment without a barrier. Many of these fabrics have mechanical stretch and offer great breathability and durability. They offer exceptional weather protection in all but sustained downpours. Breathability helps keep your layers fresh without creating your own personal sauna.

Patagonia garments approach this and other aspects of waterproofing in some pretty advanced ways, take for example their 3-Layer H2No® Storm

Their 3-layer H2No is a completely waterproof, highly breathable and packable fabric package that has no hanging liner to wet out or bind. Instead, they use a nylon tricot scrim that disperses moisture and protects the barrier from abrasion. Patagonia’s 3-layer H2No Storm for example,  offers increased durability over its lighter weight counterparts.

Some of the Patagonia shells use a highly breathable, or "HB" version of the H2No Storm barrier. H2No Storm HB breathes even better than their standard barrier and is more appropriate for moving fast in very wet conditions.

Again there is plenty here to consider when deciding which particular apparel to purchase. I have been referring here to Patagonia outdoor products because in my opinion they are up there with the very best and are the result of some very intensive and ongoing research.

It is also good to see a company in a traditionally environmentally unfriendly market adopting processes designed to minimise environmental impact, starting with the initial design and on through the processes used including  recovered fibre technology, all of which come together forming  a significant part of the Patagonia manufacturing process. They make significant use of organic cotton, organic wool as well as Recycled and Recyclable Polyester.

It’s also a key consideration for anyone (and their friends!) just how well a garment resists the tendency to … well stink!

Many manufacturing processes use heavy metals such as Silver which is a major pollutant. Instead, Patagonia have developed a process called Gladiodor which kills odour and in an environmentally considerate way.

All in all there is much to consider when making a decision and yes cost is one, but comfort, durability and the lifetime value of a product are also prime factors. So do take a good look around the market before making any near final decisions. The net is the ideal place to do your research and Patagonia Outdoor Garments should find a natural place on your list. So - Are Patagonia paying me for the plug? Nope. So why mention them so much?

Well, being someone who is regularly out in severe conditions, I know only too well what works and what doesn't. THAT is why I have focussed on Patagonia's products - they are in my opinion amongst the very best available, nothing more.... nothing less.