another person observation about gore-tex

WHY I AM HARD ON GORE-TEX, THE KING OF HYPE by ANDREW SKURKA

Andrew Skurka has a web site where he offers advice on everything backpacking, some right and some wrong but he is very correct about waterproof/ breathable entities and of course concentrates mostly on exposing the fraud of Gore-Tex. What follows are a number of his comments published on his website in this article. I quote;

“Which side one? The hype: You need a $300.00 GORE-TEX jacket when you’re outside.The truth: A $300.00 shell garment won’t keep you dry, especially with long-term use and in extended wet conditions.”

“I called outright its marketing department know-nothings or liars, or both. And in multiple places I have forcefully explained the technological flaws of GORE-TEX and other branded and proprietary waterproof-breathable fabrics.”

“Because GORE-TEX is not satisfactorily waterproof or breathable.”

“The fabric really only meets these technical standards in a lab.”

“These claims (he is referring to all of the claims Gore makes about the various forms of Gore-Tex) are hilariously exaggerated, to the degree that I think GORE-TEX must set aside money to defend false advertising lawsuits.”

“With a multi-million dollar marketing budget and a relentless, long-term, and aggressive marketing campaign, it’s possible to convince consumers of many things, including falsehoods. In this respect, GORE-TEX has been an undisputed success.”(This success is the reason that other companies have jumped on the waterproof-breathable band wagon as well as encouraging other companies to advertise the hell out of their products that do not work as advertises; such as 3-M’s Thinsulate and Primaloft from Primaloft.)

He further states;

“There cause has been helped by at least two other factors. First, there has never been a strong counter argument, like by another fabric manufacturer with an entirely different solution. Second, consumers want to believe there is a panacea for wet conditions, because being wet outside is uncomfortable, and sometimes dangerous. GORE-TEX has capitalized on this fear.”

The reason that no other fabric supplier has offed a different solution is simple, the fabric suppliers are happy to sell their fabrics to companies that apply the bogus coating or lamination to the fabric, so they will not argue against it. With respect to their advertising; they need new customers because as I have seen substantial numbers of the old customers will not buy a second garment as they had found out it doesn’t work.

What Mr. Skurka doesn’t comprehend is that there is no solution to the problem with respect to a fabric or garment construction; he is working with Sierra Designs and apparently believes they have the answer to a great extent. There is not now will never ever be as there never has been a fabric that can do as Gore advertises there fabrics can do.

I think it is terrific that someone has taken the opportunity to expose waterproof-breathable fabrics as a fraud to the general public.