The present and future of the new GORE-TEX with ePE membrane unveiled ~Report from the talk event "Patagonia and the Future of GORE-TEX Technical Shells"~

Friday, November 24, 2023

Written by Yasushi Hisatomi

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A special talk event titled "The Future of Patagonia x GORE-TEX Technical Shells" featuring the newly developed GORE-TEX product, featuring a newly developed expanded polyethylene (ePE) membrane, was held on Friday, November 17th at Patagonia's Kanda store in Tokyo

Starting this fall, the so-called "GORE-TEX PERFORMANCE products" that can be used for mountain climbing and other activities will be released one after another, and this season the veil will finally be revealed. Outdoor Gearzine has been keeping a close eye on this development, and of course, as previously announced, we attended this event

The event began with the unveiling of Patagonia's new 2023-24 season products featuring the new GORE-TEX ePE membrane

table of contents

PFC-free GORE-TEX: 10 years in the making
What makes GORE-TEX with ePE membrane different from conventional membranes?
The new GORE-TEX requires more frequent maintenance
The future of technical shells as "gear" that we should take seriously
Naoyuki Kato's talk event "Driven by the Impulse" will be held
- Overview of the talk event with Naoyuki Kato

PFC-free GORE-TEX: 10 years in the making

The first half begins with a story about the birth of the new "ePE membrane."

According to Hideaki Onuki, sales manager for GORE-TEX Fabrics at Gore Japan LLC, it was none other than Patagonia that gave Gore the final push to start developing a GORE-TEX membrane that is completely free of PFCs (so-called fluorinated organic compounds)

In fact, Gore quickly switched to non-toxic PFCs around 20 years ago when the harmful effects of PFCs first came into question. However, about 10 years ago, when the word PFC hadn't even been used in the world, it was Patagonia that urged Gore to create a PFC-free membrane, providing the impetus. It took a long 10 years for the product to be commercialized, and coincidentally, the times have become one of "complete elimination of PFCs." Considering this, it's moving to think that no one could have predicted that the decision to proceed with development would come at such a miraculous time

What makes GORE-TEX with ePE membrane different from conventional membranes?

Next, he spoke about what makes the new ePE membrane different from the traditional PTFE membrane of GORE-TEX? This was a topic that many people would be interested in

According to the report, the structure is almost the same, so the waterproof and breathable performance remains almost the same. Furthermore, not only the membrane itself, but also the fabric and clothing (product) have passed GORE-TEX's rigorous durability tests over a period of 10 years (after a long period of trial and error). Even though the membrane has been updated, it can be used with the same ease of use and durability as conventional GORE-TEX products

Furthermore, the new ePE membrane is said to be "lighter" and "thinner" than the conventional PTFE membrane, which is likely to make the new GORE-TEX jacket softer and more comfortable to wear

Going forward, even higher-end products such as GORE-TEX Active and GORE-TEX Pro will gradually adopt ePE membranes, and ultimately all consumer products will be switched to ePE membranes by 2025 (looking forward to it)

Naoyuki Kato, Patagonia's snowboard ambassador and international mountain guide, also highly endorses the comfort of the jacket. Kato, who has been wearing the Patagonia Untracked Jacket for a year, says the new garment is lighter, more flexible, and easier to move in, and that bending and straightening his knees when lifting his thighs, especially in ski pants, is much smoother

The new GORE-TEX requires more frequent maintenance

While the ePE membrane offers comparable or even superior product performance, there's one thing to keep in mind: its oil-repellent properties are lower than those of previous models. "Oil-repellent" refers to the ability to repel oil, and if this is weak, the fabric will be more susceptible to oil and dirt buildup and will be more likely to attract water (making it appear less water-repellent). For this reason, it's important to wash new GORE-TEX products more frequently than before to remove any oil or dirt from your clothing

Not only this, but both speakers repeatedly emphasized during the talk that it has always been and will continue to be extremely important to keep the fabric of GORE-TEX products clean (i.e., to take good care of it)

The future of technical shells as "gear" that we should take seriously

Regarding how to deal with the new GORE-TEX, Kato, who has faced a variety of harsh natural environments, said that he has also approached clothing as a ``tool (gear),'' and gave the participants the following advice:

In the coming era, where we are moving away from repeated disposal and consumption to a style of "using for a long time," Technical Shell believes that rather than "just buying it and being done with it," it will become more important than ever to use it in the right place, to be creative in how you use it, and of course to take good care of it and nurture it carefully so that it can always perform at its best

There were also many other in-depth stories about GORE-TEX, which is not usually well known. During the Q&A session at the end, hands kept going up, and there was never enough time. From simple questions to more esoteric ones, the attendees were flustered by the wide variety of questions, but they were answered carefully, and everyone spent a happy evening with a satisfied smile on their face

Naoyuki Kato's talk event "Driven by the Impulse" will be held

Soon this winter, a slide and talk event featuring Patagonia Snowboard Ambassador Naoyuki Kato, who appeared as a guest speaker this time, will be held at Patagonia Tokyo Kanda, as well as at Patagonia stores in Sendai, Sapporo Kita, and Hakuba

Kato, a leading expert in splitboard mountain descents, works as an international mountain guide and also spends much of his time in the mountains throughout the year, embarking on solo mountaineering expeditions that emphasize the "process" over the "result." Looking back on his mountaineering adventures, Kato unravels the style and ethics he values, as well as the "impulse" that drives him to the mountains

Photo by Hiroya Nakata

Overview of the talk event with Naoyuki Kato

Event title: The driving impulse that drives Naoyuki Kato to the mountains - The passion and essence behind it

Speaker: Naoyuki Kato

International mountain guide. Born and raised in the heart of the city, Naoyuki Kato was a Boy Scout as a child, becoming familiar with nature. While attending the University of Alaska Fairbanks, he became obsessed with splitboarding and began traveling the globe, climbing and skiing around the world on overseas expeditions about twice a year. He also travels around the world as a guide, traveling both domestically and internationally in all seasons. He is also the director and head guide of TENGU CAT-SKIGUIDES

Date, time and venue:

Patagonia Tokyo Kanda 12/8 (Fri) Start time: 19:30 End time: 21:00

Go to the event details page

Patagonia Sendai 12/9 (Sat) 18:30 Start 20:00 End

Go to the event details page

Patagonia Sapporo Kita 12/10 (Sun) 18:30 Start 20:00 End

Go to the event details page

Patagonia Hakuba 12/13 (Wed) 19:00 Start 20:30 End

Go to the event details page

inquiry:

Patagonia Japan Branch
0800-8887-447 *Toll-free call
10:00-16:00 (Closed on weekends, holidays, and the New Year holidays)

Photo by Hiroya Nakata