The present and future of new GORE-TEX using ePE membranes that have been removed from the veil - Report on the talk event "Patagonia and the future of GORE-TEX Technical Shell" -

Yasushi Hisatomi

2 years ago

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Patagonia is said to have played an important role in the founding of the new GORE-TEX product equipped with a newly developed stretched polyethylene (ePE) membrane. A special talk event by the two major key players, "The Future of Patagonia x GORE-TEX Technical Shell," was held on Friday, November 17th at Patagonia, Kanda, Tokyo.

Starting around this fall, products from the so-called "GORE-TEX PERFORMANCE Products" that can be used for mountain climbing are also being released one after another, and this season, the veil of these products is finally revealed. Outdoor Gearzine has been paying close attention to the movement, but of course, as has been announced before, I have participated in this event.

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

table of contents

GORE-TEX, a "PFC-free" achieved over 10 years
What is the difference between GORE-TEX, an ePE membrane, compared to the previous model?
The new GORE-TEX is important to maintain more frequently.
The future of technical shells as "gear" that should be addressed seriously
Kato Naoyuki's talk event "The Impulse to Be Motivated" will be held
- Kato Naoyuki's talk event event details

GORE-TEX, a "PFC-free" achieved over 10 years

The first half begins with stories relating to the birth of a new "ePE membrane."

According to Hideaki Onuki, sales at GORE-TEX Fabrics, Japan's Goa LLC, Patagonia was the last push for Gore to start developing a GORE-TEX membrane that does not use any PFC (so-called organic fluorine compounds).

In fact, Gore had been switching to a non-harmful PFC for about 20 years before it was suspected of being a suspected danger. However, about 10 years ago, when the PFC was still not in the world, it was Patagonia who pushed Gore to say, "We should make membranes that do not use PFC," and that it was Patagonia who pushed him. After a long period of 10 years since the company began commercialization, the era coincided with the trend of "completely abolishing PFC." Considering this, it is touching to think that no one at the time would have predicted that the decision to take place in development at the time would be such a miraculous time.

What is the difference between GORE-TEX, an ePE membrane, compared to the previous model?

Next, what is the difference between the new ePE membrane compared to the traditional PTFE membrane GORE-TEX? It was discussed about the topic that many people may be interested in.

According to the results, the structure is almost the same, so the waterproof and breathable performance remains almost the same. And it took 10 years to pass GORE-TEX's unique rigorous durability test (after long trial and error) not only for the membrane itself, but also for the fabric and clothing (product). Even if the membrane is newly created, it is said that it can be used without any discomfort with conventional GORE-TEX products in terms of usability and durability.

Not only that, the new ePE membrane is said to be "lighter" and "thiner" than traditional PTFE membranes. For this reason, it is likely that the new GORE-TEX jacket will provide a softer, softer feel.

From now on, even higher-end products such as GORE-TEX Active and GORE-TEX Pro will gradually be using ePE membranes, and by 2025, all of their products for the general consumer will eventually be switched to ePE membranes (looks forward to it).

Kato Naoyuki, Patagonia's snowboard ambassador and international mountain guide, has also agreed to this ease of use. According to Kato, who has been wearing the Patagonia Untracked Jacket for a year, the new clothing is lighter, more flexible and easier to move around, and in particular, with ski pants, the knees were very smooth when lifting thighs.

The new GORE-TEX is important to maintain more frequently.

The ePE membrane has the same or even superior performance in the product itself, but it is important to note that ePE membranes have lower oil repellency than before. "Oil-repellent" is the property of repelling oils, and if this is weak, it is more likely to cause oil and dirt to get caught in the fabric, making it more likely to attract moisture (it appears to have lost water repellency). For this reason, with the new GORE-TEX products, it is important to clean up oil and dirt that has adhered to clothing by washing them frequently than before.

Not only this, but both of them have repeatedly said in their talk that it is extremely important to keep the fabric clean (lean care) in GORE-TEX products clean.

The future of technical shells as "gear" that should be addressed seriously

Regarding how to deal with the new GORE-TEX, Mr. Kato, who has dealt with a variety of harsh nature, said that he has also faced clothing as a "gear," and then the following advice was sent to participants.

In the coming era, when the style of "uses for a long time" is shifting from repeated disposal and consumption to "use for a long time" as technical shells think that it will become more important than ever to use them in the right place, to use them in the right place, to make them easy to use, and to cherish them and cultivate them so that they can always perform at their best.

There are also plenty of other deep stories about GORE-TEX, which is not usually well known. During the final question and answer session, my hands continued to raise my hands endlessly, and no matter how much time I had, I couldn't get enough. From simple questions to maniacal questions, they answered a variety of questions carefully, even as they were eager to answer them, and each of the participants spent a happy evening with a satisfying smile.

Kato Naoyuki's talk event "The Impulse to Be Motivated" will be held

Shortly after this winter, a slide and talk event by Patagonia Snowboard Ambassador Kato Naoyuki, who was a guest speaker, will be held at Patagonia Tokyo and Kanda, at Sendai, Sapporo Kita and Hakuba Patagonia's direct stores.

Kato, a leading expert in mountain descents on splitboards, works as an international mountain guide, and while working on personal mountain hiking that emphasizes the "process" rather than the "results," he spends much of his time in the mountains throughout the year. We will explore the style he cherishes, his ethics about nature, and his "impulse" that drives him to the mountains, looking back on his past mountain hikes.

Photo by Hiroya Nakata

Kato Naoyuki's talk event event details

Event Title: The Impulse: What is the passion that leads Kato Naoyuki to the mountains and its essence?

Speaker: Kato Naoyuki

International Mountain Guide. Born and raised in the middle of the city, Kato Naoyuki was a Boy Scout when he was a young boy and was familiar with nature, and while he was a student at the University of Alaska, he traveled around the globe on his splitboard, where he was absorbed in while studying at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, and practiced climbing and sliding the world on overseas expeditions about twice a year. At the same time, he travels domestically and internationally as a guide regardless of the season. Director Head Guide for TENGU CAT-SKIGUIDES.