more bad news for gore

The following comment appears in the May 3, 2017 of OUTDISE MAGAZINE.

I do not subscribe to the publication but one of my readers either does or happened upon an article titled “GEAR THAT DOESN’T WORK” and sent me a link to it because of the author’s (Wes Siler) comment about Gore-Tex lined running shoes made by Adidas.

I am surprised that the editor of the magazine allowed it to be published.

Waterproof Membranes in Shoes

See where it says Gore-Tex? That means you're going to get athlete's foot. Photo: Adidas

Don’t buy waterproof shoes. They lock as much water in as they keep out. Trying to make a shoe waterproof when it doesn’t even come above your ankle is just stupid.

To start with, your feet are sweaty, especially when you’re doing active stuff outdoors. Companies claim their waterproof membranes are breathable (and they have gotten a bit better), but they don’t work as advertised when sandwiched between layers of faux suede. And footwear that can’t breathe quickly turns into a swamp of sweat, stink, bacteria, and fungus.

Now imagine you’re wearing your fancy new low-cut waterproof trail runners out on the trail, and it rains. Where does all the water go when it falls out of the sky and runs down your legs? Right into your shoe. And because of that waterproof layer, they’ll stay wet for days.

Believe it or not, the most heavily ventilated trail runner possible will actually keep your feet drier in the long run. Pair them with thin merino socks and the action of your pumping feet will literally pump the water right out of the shoe. I wear mesh-upper trail runners for virtually every outdoor activity, in most weather conditions, for this reason.

I am very surean article dealing with this subject would never appear in Backpacker Magazine ever! More and more people who do write for such publications should expose products as this fellow has done that simply do not perform as advertised. In this case do you think the Adidas Company will take his comments to heart and stop using such films in the footwear they have made for them in Asia; my opinion NO!

Why should they when they are given advertising bucks, just like all of the boot marketing companies who have their boots made in Asia.

I personally believe two things are in the process of happening; one the advent of all of the different bogus waterproof/breathable entities are on their way out of the market place since more and more people are becoming educated from reading those who expose the reality of the fact that these materials do not, never have or will ever work as advertised. And two the advent of DUCKSBACK material now available from Wiggy’s in garments and bivi bags.

I must reiterate that DUCKSBACK is the most water resistant material I know of. I have received several thousand yards and have more on order since the response has been very strong for me to make other garments which I have done. It goes along with my logo statement “SIMPLY THE BEST”! Production of these garments has been maximized and I do not expect this situation to change ever. You see, the DUCKSBACK material actually does what Gore has claimed incorrectly for years.

One question from a recipient of the material was how long will it last? I expect that it will last as long as the garment is useable and that can be a decade or two.But that is only my opinion. People asked how long my bags would last and that is now three decades. Since there are no water repellent chemicals to wash out or coating to peel off the longevity of the material to shed water is quite a while, my raincoat is six years old and still looks and performs as new.

MILITARY GARMENTS

Shortly I will have an area on the web site showing some of my existing garments that have been purchase by military personnel who have praised them to me. Seems like what is currently being issued has to be changed because it obviously doen’t necessarily perform so my garments like my sleeping bags are being ordered.