Hydrophobic gear ....I want some | GTAMotorcycle.com

Hydrophobic gear ....I want some

MacDoc

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It's all thanks to a special new fabric called "Avlare". According to the blurb, the "hydrophobic" fabric "actually prevents them from getting wet, thereby significantly reducing their water weight and keeping them shielded them from the elements".

Gear that actually can't get wet. Wow. Sounds amazing. But does it really work?


http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/20...lors-gear_n_9405142.html?utm_hp_ref=australia

neat stuff

https://www.zhik.com/catalogsearch/result/?order=relevance&dir=desc&q=hydrophobic

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MENS HYDROPHOBIC FLEECE QUARTER ZIP TOP
Our hydrophobic top features a water repellent plush spandex fleece that will keep you toasty warm in cool to cold conditions. And has the added benefit of a quarter zip that can be opened for increased airflow / breathability when you are working hard and need to regulate your temperature.
FEATURES
Plush Thermal Fleece Inner
Water Repellent Material
Quarter Zip
Combine with Titanium top for weather shield

put that under an armored shirt... :D

or these under mesh overpants

Zhik_Hydrophobic_Fleece_Banner_650.jpg
 
That's just a fancy marketing term...plastic bags are mostly hydrophobic, Teflon is hydrophobic. What matters is hydrophobic and breathable which is what goretex is a little like. I notice they state "water repellent" too and again there's lots of water repellent clothing.
 
You want everything. ;) Fleece sounds warm. Let us know how it works for you. :D
 
Hydrophic is very different....it cannot get wet.

This treatment has been out for a while but it demonstrates the principle.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvTkefJHfC0

This is the first time I've seen wearable gear and it's a new approach by this Australian company
The Avlare gear was designed for world class sailing ....There are long sleeved shirts and Tees as well and it breathes. - you don't need to get fleece lined..that's just one option.

And already available
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_s...field-keywords=zhik&sprefix=zhik,sporting,689

The trouble with Goretex is the outer jacket, pant, glove absorbs water and gets weighted with water even tho you stay dry in the Gortex "bag".

Other waterproof materials - PVC jackets etc don't breathe, the material is stiff and bulky.

Like the neck design too.

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Strands of nylon can be made hydrophobic but unfortunately the gaps between those strands take up water and wet....lots of materials are hydrophobic as I said but in order to make useful clothing then the materials are woven as strands rather than made as sheets and the gaps between the strands let in water or you use something laminated with hydrophobic/microperforated membranes such as goretex. The material used in the goretex membrane is hydrophobic. The problem with a true all-over hydrophobic covering is that your sweat is aqueous and would be kept in too.....a bit like being slathered in Vaseline (also hydrophobic!!). I took a look at the stuff and I think what they are trying to do is what every other Gore competitor (hydratec, omni-tech, sympatex) is trying to do, which is get people to buy stuff that breathes and is waterproof that doesn't have the Gore label on it. I think it's just marketing, not a game changer.
 
you can just take regular Under Armour and use a product like Nikwax textile waterproofer and get the same effect for a lot less probably, I didn't check to see the prices on the this stuff tbh. You can either get the spray on or wash in versions and they work pretty well.
 
If it works for open ocean sailing ....that's a demanding environment and they are a top end company for that category.
I'm interested for mcycling..for same reason it works for a sailing environment.
 
I own Zhik sailing gear, it was used offshore this winter in 4 days of rain and 30kts of breeze. It was always under salopettes and a jacket but it works well. I used to wear driwear undernieth , in sailwater nothing ever really dries out, the salt just feels gross, this stuff was better.

You can buy it from Fogh marine in Mississauga , its about $140 for pants and $120? for a top. Lots of kids wearing it for dingy racing. It actually has water just run off it.
Go to the Fogh store on oxford, the one in pt credit is clueless.
 
The problem I see is that your gear will still get soaked and water weighted, but you'll now be dry in this hydrophobic bag. What's the difference? Other than the $260 for pants and top. I'm still a fan of goretex, but even my cheap shift textile is pretty water tight after I spray it down with silicone camp spray.

Sent from my Le Pan TC802A using Tapatalk
 
The problem I see is that your gear will still get soaked and water weighted, but you'll now be dry in this hydrophobic bag. What's the difference? Other than the $260 for pants and top. I'm still a fan of goretex, but even my cheap shift textile is pretty water tight after I spray it down with silicone camp spray.

Sent from my Le Pan TC802A using Tapatalk
Yeah, anti wet = Over not under.
 
Mesh armored shirts don't hold water at all.
Instead of my riding shirt underneath the armored jacket, just use one of these...same applies to a degree with my mesh riding jacket but it does hold water....still I'd be dry underneath.

If I could buy one locally at a reasonable price I'd grab it and try it here....certainly have enough rain around these days.

Would not be useful with the Scott jacket but might work under the Joe Rocket to stay warm and dry. I'm most interested in the unlined stuff tho.

Been fun looking at the sailing and kayaking gear. Some cool socks that might work.
 
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The problem with sailing gear, and I own closets full of it, is its just not bike friendly. Its water tight, I can stand out for 14hrs in a deluge and be bone dry underniegh, but its made for mobility. The pants flap in the breeze on a bike and the good jackets all have collars that are hard to fit with a helmet. And the good stuff is expensive, Musto and Henri Lloyd are the industry leaders, Zhik is new (but good) , you'll pay $1200-$1500 for a good suit.
And there is no armor or padding.
 
The trouble with Goretex is the outer jacket, pant, glove absorbs water and gets weighted with water even tho you stay dry in the Gortex "bag".

Would not really say it is "trouble". I don't notice a difference when riding in heavy rain, my jacket (Klim Badlands Pro) keeps me perfectly dry and warm. I never notice the difference in weight when it is wet.

I have a pair of rain gloves as well, not goretex but something similar. Again, works great no matter how much rain I am riding in. Inside always dry and still easy to put on once taken off. Have had a lot of rain gloves that once wet and taken off, you were never getting them on again till they dried out.
 
It does absorb water tho...kid's Scott drips on the kitchen floor as it's drying out.

A truly hydrophobic breathable out is my goal ...especially for the tropics.
I like the idea of matching lowers but then knee armor has to go on the outside.

The gear that simply cannot get wet is coming......it's here in some categories. Truly hydrophobic gear, water/mud does not not want to stay on it at all.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvTkefJHfC0

Butterfly wings can do it...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tjr_0_ucjmA

It's a matter of material science moving forward at the nano-scale
 
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It does absorb water tho...kid's Scott drips on the kitchen floor as it's drying out.

A truly hydrophobic breathable out is my goal ...especially for the tropics.
I like the idea of matching lowers but then knee armor has to go on the outside.

The gear that simply cannot get wet is coming......it's here in some categories. Truly hydrophobic gear, water/mud does not not want to stay on it at all.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvTkefJHfC0

Butterfly wings can do it...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tjr_0_ucjmA

It's a matter of material science moving forward at the nano-scale

I would get a jacket in a heart beat with that if it was breathable as well. Without that I will pass. I have had waterproof jackets and over coats that did not breath and it was terrible. That is the nice thing about goretex, that fact that it keeps you dry and is breathable.

I saw this stuff a few years back in another youtube video, is there not an issue with how long it lasts? At the time it was a spray, is this the actual material or something added to the material that will wear off eventually?
 
If you are talking about Ultra Everdry then yes, it breaks down in light and needs reapplication. It is also toxic I believe. How it supposedly works is interesting.....like a Lotus leaf with small cushions of air preventing wetting and oil sticking (it is oleophobic too). Eventually we should have material that can be made to high specs that works well. To let perspiration escape though there has to be pores in the material and if they are too large water gets in so if it becomes a material property rather than a laminated membrane, then it will have to be made to very very high specs.
 
If you are talking about Ultra Everdry then yes, it breaks down in light and needs reapplication. It is also toxic I believe. How it supposedly works is interesting.....like a Lotus leaf with small cushions of air preventing wetting and oil sticking (it is oleophobic too). Eventually we should have material that can be made to high specs that works well. To let perspiration escape though there has to be pores in the material and if they are too large water gets in so if it becomes a material property rather than a laminated membrane, then it will have to be made to very very high specs.

Would not be interested if it was something that would be wearing down. Unless you were on top of it and constantly reapplying you would eventually get stuck in the rain with it not working as it is intended. For this to be good it would need to be permanent and breathable, without those I will gladly stay with goretex material.
 

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