Textilia in the outdoor sector is highly technological. The latest developments on the market are adapted by outdoor companies to make clothing even lighter, more durable, more breathable, more waterproof, etc. This blog post gives you a clear overview of jackets in the outdoor sector. We don't just clarify technical terms. You will get a comprehensive overview of the purpose for which you can use each jacket.

• What are 2-layer, 2.5-layer and 3-layer jackets in the outdoor area?
  A.) The 2-layer jacket in the outdoor area
  B.) The 2.5-layer jacket in the outdoor area
  C.) The 3-layer jacket in the outdoor area
  
• What is a membrane?
• What is the membrane made of in the outdoor area?
  A.) Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)
  B.) Polyurethane (PUR / PU)
• What is a hardshell jacket?
• What makes a good hardshell jacket?
• What is Gore-Tex?
• What alternatives are there to Gore-Tex?
• Excursus: What is a softshell jacket?
• Excursus: What is a rain jacket?
• What is the difference between a hardshell jacket and a softshell jacket?
• For which season is the hardshell jacket best suited?
• What is the onion layer / onion skin / onion principle?
• How does the onion layer principle work CORRECTLY?
• Did you know?

1. what are 2-layer, 2.5-layer and 3-layer jackets in the outdoor sector

A. The 2-layer jacket for outdoor use:

In 2-layer jackets, the membrane and outer fabric are connected and the lining is attached to the jacket. This can rub against the membrane, which is why 2-layer jackets are not as stable as 3-layer jackets.

B. The 2.5-layer jacket for outdoor use:

2.5-layer jackets have the advantage that the membrane is protected by an additional layer. However, instead of laminating an entire layer, only a thin protective layer is used. 

C. The 3-layer jacket for outdoor use:

In 3-layer jackets, the outer fabric, membrane and lining are laminated into one layer. The membrane is therefore completely protected from friction from above and below. The jacket is lightweight and yet very stable.

2 What is a membrane?

A membrane is a type of skin or film that fulfills certain criteria. It is the heart of robust, windproof, waterproof and breathable weather protection. The grid of a membrane is so fine that not a single drop of water can pass through. However, vapor can escape. For the more robust version of a hardshell jacket, a special membrane is laminated directly onto the outer fabric. This membrane is breathable, waterproof and significantly more durable than coatings. Coatings wear out more quickly and the jacket becomes less or no longer waterproof after a while.

3. what is the membrane made of in the outdoor area?

A. Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) / (ePTFE):

PTFE is a non-flammable thermoplastic with very good non-stick properties. It has been produced industrially since 1950. The plastic is very cost-intensive both in terms of production and processing.

Production
PTFE consists of fluorine and carbon. It is produced by radical polymerization of tetrafluoroethylene under high pressure. The plastic belongs to the polyfluorocarbons, i.e. the hydrogen atoms are completely or partially replaced by fluorine atoms. In 1969, Bob Gore (Gore-TEX) discovered expanded PTFE > ePTFE.

Important: ePTFE consists of fluorine compounds. PFCs can be released during production, which is why ePTFE is very controversial. 

B. Polyurethane (PUR / PU):

Bio-based polyurethanes (PUR) are synthetic resins or plastics based on renewable raw materials.

Production
Polyurethane is produced by polyaddition. To produce polyurethane, you essentially need two groups of substances that combine with each other. The two groups of substances are called dialcohols and diisocyanates. This means that the reaction takes place between an isocyanate group (NCO) and an alcohol group (OH).

The water column of a PU membrane is usually over 20,000 mm. Unlike PTFE membranes, PU membranes cannot clog.

4 What is a hardshell jacket?

Hardshell is a completely waterproof, windproof and breathable garment made from particularly robust and hard-wearing (outer) materials. No water penetrates the jacket, but the built-in membrane allows water vapor to escape. 3-layer hardshell jackets are more robust and more expensive than 2- or 2.5-layer jackets. 

5 What makes a good hardshell jacket?

A good hardshell jacket should have the following features:

• Helmet-compatible, adjustable hood
• In combination with climbing harness: longer cut 
• Waterproof zippers and two-way front zipper
• Light and flexible
• Water column of at least 20,000mm
• PFC-free impregnation (environmentally friendly)
• Underarm ventilation: ventilation slits under the armpits
• Outer and inner pockets
• Reinforcement on elbows and in the shoulder area
• Pack size: no larger than a small package
• No ePTFE for the sake of the environment (see point 3)
• (possibly snow guard, if intended for winter sports)

Waterproof zippers keep your wallet and cell phone dry.

Gore-Tex is one of the best-known membranes on the market. Underneath the top layer is a wafer-thin, sensitive plastic layer, no thicker than a layer of cling film. It is laminated between the outer fabric and the inner lining using pressure, temperature and adhesive.

The invention comes from Bob Gore, son of Bill Gore. In 1959, Bill Gore found a way to stretch polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) rods jerkily after heating, thereby achieving a 1000 percent increase in the PTFE surface area. From this, his son Bob developed the Gore-Tex membrane. Today's ePTFE - expanded polytetrafluoroethylene.

By 2023, Gore wants to rely entirely on PFC-free membranes. (Fluorine compounds - see point 3.A.)

7. what alternatives are there to Gore-Tex?

There are many alternatives on the market. Large manufacturers often develop their own membranes.

Here is an overview of the membrane and manufacturer:

Dermizax
The Dermizax membrane comes from the Japanese manufacturer Toray. Various outdoor brands use Dermizax, the best known being Bergans and Ortovox. Unlike its competitors, Toray does not use ePTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), but instead uses recyclable PU (polyurethane) as the base material. The membrane is available in five product variants - Dermizax, Dermizax EV, Dermizax NX, Dermizax DT and Dermizax 3D.

DryVent
What used to be known as HyVent is now called DryVent and was developed by The North Face. All products from The North Face that are fully sealed, waterproof and breathable carry the DryVent™ label.

FutureLight
Future Light is also from The North Face. The company uses a technology called Nano Spinning.

Sympatex
Sympatex is a manufacturer that is particularly sustainable. It has the OEKO-TEX® and bluesign® certificate. The outdoor manufacturers Vaude and Salomon use the Sympatex membrane in their textiles. Sympatex is a PFC-free membrane.

H2No
H2No was developed by the company Patagonia. Patagonia's H₂No fabrics use recycled input materials and undergo stringent field tests in addition to laboratory tests. The membrane is particularly hard-wearing.

Neoshell
Neoshell is made by Polartec®. Neoshell enables high breathability due to the optimum pore size in the fabric thanks to its submicron membrane structure inside the core fabric.

eVent
eVent Fabrics is a proprietary manufacturer used by various outdoor and textile companies.

Nikwax Analogy
Nikwax Analogy is manufactured by the English company Nikwax. In German-speaking countries, the company is mainly known for its waterproofing products for shoes, jackets and down jackets. The sister company Páramo uses Nikwax Analogy for its outdoor products such as jackets and pants. 

8. digression: What is a softshell jacket?

Softshell usually consists of two or three layers of different materials that are laminated together. The outer layer consists of a mechanically hard-wearing material onto which the inner layer is directly woven and a softshell jacket can be seen as a bit of an all-rounder. It is usually sufficient as weather protection in good to slightly changeable conditions. Compared to a hard shell jacket, the softshell jacket has much better breathability. In the rain, however, the softshell jacket is unfortunately not sufficiently waterproof and only the hardshell jacket will keep you dry. 

Softshell jackets are more breathable than hard shell jackets. They are therefore more suitable for jogging or trail running. 

9. digression: What is a rain jacket? 

The question here should not be "What is a rain jacket?" but "Which hardshell jacket is suitable as a rain jacket?" Because in principle, every rain jacket is a hardshell jacket. The opposite of a hardshell is a softshell jacket. But we'll come to this comparison later.

Light and medium-weight rain jackets offer quick rain and weather protection in a downpour. These jackets are rather 'thin' and usually have no additional technical features. These models can be made from two, two-and-a-half and sometimes even three-layer laminates. These jackets can contain a membrane just like the 'robust' hardshell jacket. We are talking here about the lightweight multi-layer outdoor jacket. 

A rain jacket should always be in your rucksack when hiking or trekking. A lightweight rain jacket not only protects you from the rain, but also from damp ground. It is therefore just as suitable as seat protection when resting. 

10. what is the difference between a hardshell jacket and a softshell jacket?

Drizzle or snowfall are no problem for modern softshell jackets. However, longer tours with a heavy rucksack or the prospect of really bad weather require a proper rain/hardshell jacket.

11 Which season is the hardshell jacket best suited for?

A hard shell jacket is an all-season jacket. It can be used in both summer and winter for all kinds of outdoor activities.

12. what is the onion layer/ onion skin/ onion principle?

Wearing several textile layers. It has the advantage that layers can be replaced, omitted or added as required. It allows greater flexibility in the outdoors. The positive properties of several items of clothing are combined.

13. how does the onion layer principle work CORRECTLY?

Outerwear and underwear must be coordinated. The underwear should transport sweat and moisture from the surface of the skin through the textile. This requires fibers that transport moisture well but only absorb a small amount of moisture themselves. Examples of synthetic fibers are Polyester (PES), polyamide (PA) or polypropylene (PP). In addition, good thermoregulation properties are desirable. Wool and wool blends have proven to be advantageous here. Cotton or viscose with a high water storage capacity are unsuitable.

The inner outerwear, sweaters made of wool or fleece, insulates the body against the cold. Fleece is a knitted fabric made from polyester fibers. It is lighter than wool. Although it is not windproof, it retains its shape even when wet, is easy to wash and dries quickly.

The outer outerwear protects against wind and weather. The fabrics are robust, soft and close to the body. Increased water vapor permeability should prevail during movement. It is therefore desirable for the outer layer to be breathable so as not to interrupt the cycle of the onion principle. Hard shell jackets also often have ventilation slits that allow moisture to escape from the body more quickly. 

It's getting hot in here. There should be increased water vapor permeability during movement. It is therefore desirable for the outer layer to be breathable. 

14. did you know?

That the spacesuits of the Apollo 11 moon landing mission in 1969 consisted of several complex layers of material? An inner cooling system, polyamide fabric (Nylon®), a gas-tight pressure shell made of Neoprene®-coated polyamide, a separating layer made of polyamide, an insulating layer made of alternating layers of polyimide (Kapton®) and glass fiber fabrics, several layers of polyester film with enclosed air layers, and finally an outer protective layer of PTFE-coated (membrane) glass fiber fabric.

"A small step for one person, but a big step for humanity."

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