hype

THE KING OF HYPE

Did you know that the phase or word “hype” was originally used in the 1970’s in the advertising industry such as “hyping a product” because it was derived from getting high. People were getting high by injecting themselves with drugs via a hypodermic needle.

I have mentioned Andrew Skurka in the past as an avid dislike of gore-tex. What follows is an article I came across this morning that should be read by one and all who are consumers or who work in the outdoor industry specifically selling rainwear. I would also recommend that the gore company employees in the textile division read it in the event they haven’t.

Why I’m hard on GORE-TEX, the King of Hype ™

By Andrew Skurka on December 16, 2015 in Clothing, Footwear 71

Which side one? The hype: You need a $300 GORE-TEX jacket when you’re outside. The truth: A $300 shell won’t keep you dry, especially with long-term use and in extended wet conditions.

When I discuss waterproof-breathable fabrics, a category that was invented and has been defined by GORE-TEX, I admittedly get worked up. In an early draft of yesterday’s post, for example, 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.

I am not the first one to call the employees at gore liars.

Why do I ride GORE-TEX so hard? Let me explain:

Because GORE-TEX is not satisfactorily waterproof or breathable

When the name of a product category is an oxymoron, we have reason to be suspicious. Seriously, how can a material prevent the transmission of moisture through it (“waterproof”) while also allowing the transmission of water through it (“breathable”)?

The answer to the question is “it can’t”.

According to some questionable technical standards, GORE-TEX may be waterproof and breathable. But it’s completely disingenuous to describe GORE-TEX with the same adjectives that we use to describe glass and rubber, or my cotton pajama pants and running singlets.

Excellent analogy.

Moreover, the fabric really only meets these technical standards in a lab. In the field, which is the only test that I care about, GORE-TEX and other WP/B fabrics fail, especially with long-term use and in prolonged wet conditions. While wearing them, I have gotten wet from the outside and the inside, via precipitation and perspiration, and sometimes both simultaneously. To understand why, read my best technological explanation.

Basically his technological explanation is if water can’t get in then it can’t get out. However, he does note that water does eventually get through the gore-tex laminate anyway.

Because GORE-TEX is the King of Hype ™

Few products are flawless. My 2WD Pontiac Vibe, for example, lacks sufficient power and all-weather performance for Colorado’s mountain roads. But so long as the manufacturer is honest and upfront about the shortcomings and limitations of its products, I’m willing to cut it some slack — at least I knew before I bought. I don’t think Pontiac would ever have claimed that my Vibe was as powerful as its GTO or that the AWD Vibe wouldn’t perform better in snow.

Despite the flaws of its fabrics, for decades GORE-TEX has taken the opposite approach: it is the King of Hype ™. I’ll use the marketing copy of its new Active fabric as an example:

I wonder what they claim is different about this “active fabric” from the “new active fabric” that rei is now using? I can tell you the answer “nothing”.

GORE-TEX describes it as being “the most breathable GORE-TEX® products available.” Since the old Active fabric is described as “extremely breathable,” and since the product page features a GORE-TEX-clad mountain runner with the headline “FAST PACE, HIGH INTENSITY,” I can only conclude that the new Active fabric is even more suitable for such applications.

Every fabric combination that gore has come out with is always the most breathable or most waterproof while being breathable there has EVER been.

These claims are hilariously exaggerated; to the degree that I think GORE-TEX must set aside money to defend false advertising lawsuits. In the only first-hand report I’ve seen about this fabric, Stephen Regenold, the Founder and Editor-In-Chief of Gear Junkie, shares his experience: “By the end of an hour-long trail run I was soaked with sweat. My base-layer top under the jacket could be wrung out” (italics added).

This article was published December 16, 2015 so the experience the gear junkie guy had predates this article. I am willing to bet there has not been one negative word said since.

Okay, so this is just one review, and the conditions were challenging (39 degrees and raining). But I’m sure that other users will have an identical experience. You can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig.

I ca assure Andrew that I have had conversation with or received e mails from dozens of people who had his experience. I am also sure the numbers are in the millions since the garments have been sold for 40 years.

Because other media fail to tell the truth

Too often, a product “review” is simply a regurgitation of a press release, and offers no critical analysis or insights from long-term use. This Gear Patrol post is typical — a review about a waterproof-breathable shell with no indication that it was tested during a rain event. And in this Q&A on Backpacker.com, its long-time gear editor reinforces the fallacy on exactly how GORE-TEX works — the story is less simple and convincing than the fabric having “holes too small to let water in, but large enough to let sweat vapor out.”

At the time this article was written the term “fake news “was not used. The truth about backpacker magazine as far as I am concerned is simple; they are having always been and always will be political. I assume that gore advertises in the publication so the writers regardless if the actually know that gore stuff doesn’t work which I am sure they do know will not write critically about them.

If you told me these articles were in Outside or another leading outdoor publication, I’d have no reason to not believe you. I get it, kind of: a pile of gear to test, publishing deadlines, uncooperative conditions, complex technologies, etc. But, still, do your f’ing job.

Personally, I’d rather only publish content in which I’m deeply confident. Thankfully, some other bloggers have a similar approach. For examples, read “When is a hiking rain jacket like a wet suit?” by Philip Werner of SectionHiker, and Dave Chenault’s “Shit that works” series.

Never heard of these guys but I have to believe Andrew since he is clearly an honest writer.

In prolonged wet conditions, there’s no surefire solution to staying dry. Get over it, and find a way to stay comfortable when wet.

Fishnets are the answer to this dilemma.

Because consumers believe GORE-TEX is a panacea

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.

Con artists, scammers, swindlers, charlatans, silver tongue devils and snake oil salesman all rolled into one!!!

Their 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 when outside is uncomfortable, and sometimes dangerous. GORE-TEX has capitalized on this fear.

Unfortunately there have been or are companies that are working diligently to get their share of this false market place. What this has done is supported the gore position. There is nothing that can knock gore off of the pedestal their competition have put them on, why because they too want in on the scam. However educating people to know and understand what will actually work to keep them comfortable and mostly dry in wet conditions and that is lightly insulated; L-3 Lamilite lined DUCKSBACK rain gear from Wiggy’s.

Once again the use of a fishnet underwear top even on a warm day will do wonders for you when it starts to rain. When it starts to rain the temperature drops and at that point a small amount of insulation is needed. Because the vapor gets away through the fishnet your skin stays dry and the moisture as a vapor will go through the Lamilite and will probably condense against the inside of the DUCKSBACK fabric because the fabric will be cold enough for condensation to take place.

I am quite sure every person who buys this “new” rei rain jacket will get a chill and them cold when wearing this garment on a rainy day. See Feb. 23, 2018 article “the beat goes on”.

The lack of thinking or shooting from the hip that takes place in the outdoor industry is incredible. Does this happen in other industries? It seems to me that the clothing suppliers in the industry contradict themselves constantly. They claim perpetually that all of what they offer is to make life in the outdoors more enjoyable but provide garments that simply do not accomplish the mission. The reason is because the worker bees in the industry do not have much education in their field, so what can you expect, con artists, scammers, swindlers, silver tongue devils, snake oil salesman all rolled into one!!!

Andrew thank you for your article!!!