The Truth About GORE-TEX

Gore-Tex is the latest and greatest when it comes to textile waterproofing technology, but it wasn't always this way. Join us as we unravel the story of Gore-Tex and how it came to dominate the outdoor clothing industry today.

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Script: Holly Conklin
Editor: Reid Valaitis
Animator: Zachary Kastrukoff
Project Manager: Lurana McClure Rodríguez
Host: Levi Hildebrand

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[jameslatief]

The new heirloom for Millenials and Gen Z. Imagine wearing a vintage arcteryx goretex jacket in 2100 you inherited from your great grandfather.

[Edwardi]

I have a gore-tex pach in my body, it was used to patch a hole in diaphragm that I was born with, Bob Gore literally saved my life, and I wouldn't be here at 32 years of age if it wasn't for his invention.

[gradypicinich]

As a chemist it always makes me chuckle when people assume that a difficult-to-pronounce chemical name is more dangerous than a simpler, common name. To be fair, I don't really want too many halocarbons in my body, but even the most natural and benign compounds have really complicated names (especially when you stick to IUPAC conventions)

[boss]

Every member of the US military is given a Gore-Tex jacket. Since we switched uniform patterns, I have a couple Gore-Tex jackets that I use all the time. They also use Gore-Tex in the boots to keep your feet dry. It's honestly super awesome and works super well.
I havent thought about the environmental impact of all this stuff. I will definitely use my Gore-Tex stuff for as long as I possibly can and look into recycling it when I am finished with it many many years down the line.
Great video as always. This one hit closer to home because I actually use Gore-Tex on a daily basis.

[AtelierWong]

My mother gave me a North Face Gore-Tex jacket in 1986 for my college study abroad program in Italy. The jacket has lasted for 35 years and is still in excellent condition. The material really is durable as you report.

[xWood]

I am a scout and ski so I actually have uses for good outdoor clothes, and I have realized that my former jackets have gone bad because of bad build quality, not because of the material. That's unsustainable. One jacket with normal waterproofing that was really well made would fit the durability argument. I don't need 30K waterproofing, the weather isn't that extreme, but I need zippers that don't rip because that actually does make more waterproofing chemicals. My conclusion is that well built and repairable clothing should be top priority for me personally, but I don't need the highest end materials, but you get that automatically if you pay a lot.

[felicianobutler]

Being someone in the military, gortex has made some miserable times not that bad, it boosts morale in rainy weather when you feel like there’s no escape so I’ll forever love everything gortex

[mromagnoli]

One of the things Bob Gore told people when they asked what he did was that he cleaned cesspools. It was his way of ending that line of questioning. Unless he knew you - in which case he talked, and talked, and talked about what he did and photography - his two favorite subjects. My father was personal friends with him (he lived in Newark, Delaware, where my parents also still live), and my father has owned Newark Camera Shop for decades (still around). I met Bob a few times in high school and college, as I worked in the lab developing film and printing photos for the family business. He and his wife were enthusiastic photographers, and were loyal customers. Because of the family's position and friendship with my father, we paid special attention to them anytime a member of the Gore family came by. Bob and his wife were very nice people. He passed away in September, 2020.

Fun fact additional: suits for the space program were made in Delaware until recently.

[wisenber]

Most hikers and thru-hikers in particular discovered Gore-Tex isn't what it's cracked up to be. It *might* let vapor through, but it won't allow water to get through. That basically means when you sweat enough, it will remain inside your shoe or jacket and you'll still get wet. I also tends to make your footwear stay wet once it gets wet taking days to dry out. In those applications, drying faster has more value than "breathing". Ironically, gear that has the ability to dry faster tends to be less expensive than gear with WPB materials.
The other dirty little secret is that Gore-Tex doesn't work when it gets dirty. It clogs and wets out. A basic waterproof jacket that doesn't require a spray on product to work, just keeps working.

[philipkitamura]

I love the worn wear program through Patagonia. I’ve always been a fan of them but it was too expensive for me to buy new. Most of the things I’ve bought from there were barely used if at all. Thank you for recognizing Patagonia and their efforts to be an ecologically & socially friendly business.

[pedtrog]

A word here from rainy New Zealand. I've had many years in the great outdoors here and have lived through the evolution of rainwear from oilskins to PVC to coated nylons to Goretex and the rest. Each of these have upsides and downsides and Goretex is no exception. Aside from the crippling price, in really wet conditions, for me., it would be a toss up between goretex and a well designed PVC jacket - that's if I could ever find one. Goretex's selling point is obviously it's breathability. However, this breathability ceases to exist as soon as the fabric becomes wet. Lovely promo images of the water beading off the outer layer belie the realities of extended treks in the rain. After a bit of use, the silicon coating on the outer layer gives up the struggle and the fabric becomes heavy and uncomfortable. The notion of breathability ceases to exist outside of a clever marketing campaign and your sweat just adds to the misery. And the downsides don't stop there. If you're lucky enough for the rain to stop, you're still wearing a sodden garment and now the wind is chilling you as it evaporates that big store of moisture. I sometimes feel as if I could be getting more protection from a good sized rubbish sack. Don't get me wrong, there are some upsides. Where Goretex especially shines is in sub zero temperatures or any cold conditions where the air is dry. It then becomes a pleasure to finish a tough hike with dry clothes. It's just that when you're soggily slogging away through the cold rain, the knowledge of how much that bloody jacket cost you just adds to the pain.

[redoni]

As a firefighter I was given an all gore Tex outfit. From boots to hands. I always watch out it doesn’t get unnecessarily damaged when practicing in it just because I know it’s going to get replaced if it gets damaged. Now that I know how precious this technology actually is and how careful we should use it I’m going to watch out even more. Of course in the event of a real emergency I will focus on doing the job right but I’m talking about training and practicing. But I gotta say that Gore Tex really works well and it’s just remarkable how just the fire jacket is stuffed with this kind of tech. It’s water resistent, impenetrable and fire resistant while also letting out sweat and heat.

[alumniduck]

If you are a city person looking for bling, Gortex really isnt needed. I spent 30 years mountaineering, snow camping, backpacking, hunting, etc, and I have been out on SAR saving people in the worst weather known to man. Gortex saved my butt more times I can count, and allowed me to save the lives of other people. My current Jacket is 25 years ago. It looks as if it has been through hell and back because it has. I know. I was there when it happened. The Jacket works just as good as the day I bought it. Thank you Marmot you made one hell of a jacket back in the day.

[JoaniMaster]

Being someone who struggles with sweaty feet and stinky hiking boots, I invested in some high end la sportiva trail runners with gore tex, and I gotta say theyre worth every cent. Not only do my feet not sweat in them, after I'm done hiking the socks do not even smell at all! It's a huge difference

[TheRIZKYRAMA]

in my experience of using the materials, the truth about gore tex is, it relies on the water repellent feature on the most outer layer of the fabric. while the gore-tex fabric can last a long time, durable water repellent (DWR) wear really quick, if those water-repellent layer of fabric goes away, water will be absorbed into the most outer layer, and blocked gore tex's breathable pores.

[nachot]

Ok, let us address something here. The fact that something can be or not easily pronounced creates a completely false sense of security when talking about chemicals.

[Dreyno]

I have GoreTex jackets but I also have PVC, PU and waxed cotton. If you’re not being active and it’s not warm weather, something like PVC is 100% waterproof, hard wearing and reliable. It’s reassuring that you could stand outside in pissing rain all day and it will not leak. Save your GoreTex for when you actually need it to be breathable.

[joelwhitney]

I'm constantly shocked by how many people have drunk the gore-tex coolaid. Sure, it is waterproof and in a lab it is supposed to be breathable. But in real life it is anything but. I get soaked from my own sweat in warm weather, and in cold weather, my body heat condenses inside the jacket or boots even when I'm not engaging in high intensity activity. I have had three gore tex jackets, and many pairs of backcountry winter boots. In every instance, the gore tex will keep the water out, but also keeps my own sweat inside. Now this video shows how its bad for the environment. I stopped buying any waterproof-breathable gear 10 years ago and I've been completely satisfied. I use 100% waterproof ponchos in rainy warmer weather, and for my winter camping trips, water resistance is more than adequate.

[eloux]

Videos like these are great!! Thank you so much for making these informations "accessible" for people who don't know where to even start. Please do a video on Pantagonia Worn Wear!!

[jackjac]

I'm a materials scientist master and have known PTFE for quite a long time, but never was it mentioned that gore-tex is basically the same material... thanks for educating me on this!