Gore

Gore

Though a brand name, it is used as a synonym for everything wind-proof, water-proof or breathable, named after the inventor of Gore-Tex, W.L. Gore. See also: microporous membrane.

The best known Goreproducts are:

Activent: Very breathable microporous membrane manufactured from Polyurethane and stretched Polytetrafluoroethylene by the Gore company. Due to the stretching, the pores are bigger and the material thinner than with Gore-Tex - however, the membrane remains absolutely wind-proof. Activent was espacially developed for sweaty sports like mountain biking.

Dryloft: Gore material with properties comparable to Activent. It was developed for manufacturing sleeping bags and outdoor wear.

Gore-Tex (GTX): Probably the best known and most wide-spread climate membrane - and admittedly the most breathable and water-proof one. It is a thin, water- and wind-proof foil made from Teflon (Polytetrafluorethylene, PTFE) applied to a carrier material. Breathability is achieved through micropores in the Teflon material 700 times the size of a water molecule and 20,000 times smaller than a drop of water. In a best case scenario, Gore-Tex is water-proof to a column of water 80 meters high. It is utilized as Two- or Three-layer laminate or as Z-Liner with other materials. See Three-layer laminate.

Windstopper-GTX: Generic term for wind-proof combinations of a Gore-membrane and a fibre fur. Utilized for gloves, headbands etc.