is it the beginning of the end for wp/b

PATAGONIA IS SEEING THE LIGHT

Houdini^®
Jacket

Ultralight windproof and water-resistant shell for all activities.

Houdini^®
Air Jacket

Ultralight wind- and water-resistant shell for high-output days.

Airshed
Pullover

Ultralight, breathable, stretchy shell, with water resistance for high-output days.

The marketing people at Patagonia may be reading my articles particularly those exposing goretex or water proof breathable in general as the greatest lie ever perpetrated in the textile industry.

Each day I receive an email from Patagonia offering products that they are trending towards. Yesterday they had these four garments offered.

Note that the words “waterproof/ breathable do not appear” but “water resistant and super-breathable” do appear.

Way back in the early 1980’s when gore was making their way into the industry Patagonia had in their catalog a statement from no other than Yvon C. stating that waterproof breathable did not exist or work something to that order. He was correct!!! At some point a few years later I guess the marketing department chose to start selling goretex garments.

What has happened to cause them to start promoting garments that are not designated as waterproof and breathable; they like to think of themselves as leaders in the industry so they are now leading the industry away from the “BIG LIE” and it’s about time. Maybe someone will find Yvon’s comment in the catalog from back in the 1980’s and reprint it.

There is only one drawback to these garments; they are not insulated. They are shown as water resistant which says they are rain garments but when in a rain situation the fabric will be pressed against your body and since rain water is colder than the ambient air temperature it will cause you to get a chill. Having an insulated layer of Lamilite as I put in my Ducksback zippered jacket and the all-purpose jacket will insulate you from the cold rain water. However, moving away from the Big Lie of waterproof breathable is a good first step in the right direction for Patagonia.

Is it possible that Patagonia will have significant enough sales of these jackets that they will phase out whatever they have been selling of the BIG LIE jackets. Will this influence the other retailers such as rei and bean to rethink the jackets they are offering but suddenly not selling because the Patagonia jackets are rising in popularity? Will this cause gore and the rest of the liars to bring to market films that are significantly more “super-breathable” as Patagonia states.

Patagonia will become the “pied piper” of the industry leading the flock down the path of honesty; I see the industry comprised of non-thinking followers.

Is it me who is the leader, with Patagonia as my first follower; wouldn’t that be something. So my hat is off to Patagonia for leading the way.