The road to the world's warmest, thinnest outdoor gear has been a long one. In 1931 American chemical engineer Samuel Kistler invented the lightest known solid--an aerogel--by drying a form of silicon dioxide (a raw material for glass) under intense pressure and high temperature. His invention was 96% air and turned out to be an excellent insulator. This fall apparel maker Russell Outdoors will begin selling, for $400, a superthin hunting jacket made of a material containing aerogels.
Aerogels might have found their way into clothing much earlier but for the difficulty in handling these brittle structures and their steep cost. Beginning in the 1940s Kistler helped create some commercial uses for aerogels, including an insecticide and a thickening agent for paint. Further commercialization stumbled, however.
"Nanotechnology didn't exist yet as a field, so people just didn't understand what they had at the time and what aspects of aerogel made it so special," says Stephen Steiner, founder of Aerogel Technologies, which makes aerogel materials.
In 1999 Aspen Systems, a NASA contractor, began developing processes to create cheaper aerogels. Its chemical engineers found a way to integrate aerogels into a fabric mat. The resulting aerogel blanket was flexible rather than brittle, which solved the handling problem.
Aerogels can be made out of many different substances, including silicon dioxide (also called silica), carbon and even egg albumen, though silica aerogels are among the most common. Silica gel is put through a carefully controlled drying process that turns the liquid in the gel into gas. The process doesn't collapse the gel's structure, as would happen in normal evaporation. What's left is a glassy-looking sponge of silica--an aerogel.
Contrary to the "gel" part of its name, aerogels are highly porous solids that look like frozen blue smoke. Its tortuous network of pores makes it a great insulator; air can't easily diffuse through the pores. Aerogels can keep out both heat and cold. Some can withstand temperatures between absolute zero and 3,000 degrees Celsius. NASA has used aerogels to insulate space suits and the Mars Rover.
In 2001 Aspen Aerogels--a Northborough, Mass. spinoff of Aspen Systems--figured out how to use aerogel blankets instead of fiberglass as insulation in undersea oil pipelines. The switch reduced the thickness of the outer pipe by a third to 0.8 inches, cutting shipping and installation costs. Aspen's aerogel blankets are bulky and can't be sewn into apparel easily, but the company saw promise in the clothing market. In 2008 it partnered with Element 21 , a Canadian golf-club maker, to develop processes to slice and encapsulate the aerogels into something apparel makers could use. In January the two companies unveiled an aerogel fabric called Zeroloft, so named because it can trap a person's warmth without being puffed up to produce loft (as a goose down jacket must be).
Canadian adventurer Jamie Clarke is putting the material to the ultimate test by climbing part of Mount Everest in a thin jacket made by Champion that contains Zeroloft. The 0.15-inch-thick windbreaker is as warm as a goose down jacket 1.6 inches thick, says Champion parent Hanesbrands , which is considering a jacket for the retail market. Sportswear companies Columbia, Adidas and Nike are experimenting with Zeroloft for use in gloves and footwear.
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Without knowing what sorts of fabrics are available, there is one way for lightweight materials to be extremely warm: layering.
So long as the outer shell is windproof (to prevent the wind from blowing through the layers of fabric) the multiple layers create insulating layers of trapped air which serve to reduce the amount of heat transfer from the body.
The other caveat is to ensure the person wearing the ensemble does not get wet, either by being exposed to water (i.e. falling in or being splashed by large amounts of water), or by vigorous work leading to sweating. The second hazard can be mitigated by opening or delayering some of the clothing to allow excess body heat to escape.
For a fairly extreme example, when George Mallory attempted to climb Mount Everest in 1924, he was dressed in multiple layers like this, with layers of silk between other layers in order to reduce friction and allow him to climb.
Replica of Mallory's climbing gear
Another view of the replica gear
The layered natural materials used to construct the garments were found to be excellent at trapping air next to the skin.
The outer layer of gabardine was hardwearing and water-resistant yet breathable. But the clothing was also lighter than modern gear - the lightest ever to be used on Everest.
"When exposed to a cutting wind blowing off the main Rongbuk glacier, I found the true value of the Gabardine outer layers. These resisted the wind and allowed the eight layers beneath to trap warmed air between them and my skin.
It has been a three-year project to create the replicas "We both got too hot working on the glacier so we felt that Mallory's clothing would have been more than adequate to climb to the top in, although it would be hard to survive a bivouac near the summit."
//news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/5076634.stm
So multiple layers of fabric, a hard shell to stop the wind and avoiding exposure to moisture at all costs is the key.
We hope to God temperatures don’t reach 300-below this winter. That would suck. It would probably mean the end times. A nuclear holocaust. Apocalypse, etc.
But in the insane event that they do, you’ll...weirdly be covered?
Consider the Kistler Aerogel Jacket. Its designers claim it's the warmest and thinnest jacket on earth, in large part (okay, in practically all part) due to the fact that it incorporates a proprietary aerogel—aerogel being the lightest solid in the world, and the material NASA trusts to insulate its spacesuits. It’s already way fully-funded on Kickstarter, but you still have a few weeks to place a pre-order, in order to receive this sleek-looking, very un-puffy jacket by March.
If you’re in the weeds re: winter apparel tech—which, why wouldn’t you be?—you’re probably aware that aerogel is already used in some capacity in plenty of winter jackets currently on the market. And those jackets are nice. And warm. But they won’t prepare you as well for the wintry hellscape that is, say, Chicago in March, as the Kistler will.
That’s because these guys have developed their own, ultra-thin 3D-mesh single-layer composite of aerogel to insert between their silvery, NASA-inspired inner lining and waterproof outer layer. In plain English, that means it’s even lighter, more flexible and more breathable than those other aerogels. The Series 7—their most advanced jacket—weighs less than 3.5 pounds, making it 50 percent lighter than the leading aerogel jacket. It also incorporates smartly-located ventilation points—and an internal thermometer—so you’re never in danger of overheating. Which isn’t the worst problem to have, anyway, come sleet and snow.
Oh, and assuming you're completely in on this stuff, you can also pre-order some aerogel-insulated, smartphone-ready gloves and beanies, too.
At which point you'll be totally equipped for that apocalypse we mentioned.
[Feature image by Victor Xok]
Trees and rooftops dressed in glistening, feathery crystals are a beautiful scene, but the winter cold can sure be a b*tch.
That’s why we did some research on the best warmth technology fabrics to wear so that you can enjoy the moment without feeling plain miserable.
What did we find? A lot of needlessly complicated wording in the marketing, a lot of ®™, and a generous use of the word “innovative.” However that isn’t to say these fabrics aren’t innovative, or “innovatively engineered.” And they probably will keep you pretty damn warm.
So here are 12 Warmth Technology Fabrics to wear this winter:
Smartwool®
Material: Merino wool that’s undergone a “proprietary treatment”
Smartwool Merino 250 Baselayer 1/4 Zip – Men’s
- Machine Wash
- Temperature regulating
- Odor-resistant
Technology: Merino wool has a natural loft, or airiness, that traps heat between its fibers, making it warmer than synthetic fabrics of the same weight. Smartwool’s treatment then makes the wool resistant to shrinking, odor, and bacteria.
The company also uses thermal body mapping to efficiently construct its clothing for warmth and comfort. Their “smart” distribution uses more wool in areas where the body tends to get cold and less wool where the body tends to get hot.
Qualities: Merino sheep have the finest and softest wool. In addition, Smartwool’s treatment makes the fabric itch-free, moisture wicking, and odor-reducing.
You’ll find that many fabrics on this list have antimicrobial qualities, meaning they are resistant to bacteria and odor. Just note that this chemical finish has caused some controversy, as MIT has found that clothing chemicals, which are basically pesticides, could be harmful to human cells.
Price range: Pricey, though not alarmingly so. The warmth-tech tops are about $90, while the jackets are $200.
Uniqlo® HeatTech
Material: Synthetic fiber
Long John Thermal Underwear for Men Fleece Lined Base Layer
- Pull On closure
- Four-Way Stretch
- Soft and Lightweight
Technology: Hollow synthetic fibers trap warm air the way heavy wool would, but they are lightweight instead of bulky. To make this synthetic insulation fabric soft, Uniqlo treats HeatTech with milk proteins and amino acids.
Uniqlo teamed up with global textile maker Toray to develop this new material, and they apparently created more than 10,000 prototypes. The company claims “HEATTECH cannot be made with ordinary equipment.”
Qualities: This fabric traps warmth while being lightweight. It is moisture wicking, odor-reducing, and antimicrobial.
Price range: Definitely the most affordable line on this list, with shirts at $15-$25, and long underpants at $15
NanoStitch® Heating Fabrics
Material: Polyamide yarn infused with coffee-bean shells
Technology: Natural polyamides are proteins in wool and silk. NanoStitch creates a synthetic polyamide, or “heat yarn,” made from coffee-bean shells, which hold coffee charcoal. The charcoal and oxide particles embedded in this yarn absorb body heat while trapping it in the fabric.
Human bodies radiate heat in cold weather to keep warm. NanoStich’s fabric provides insulation and prevents the heat from escaping us. According to their site, several tests have shown that this heat-retaining yarn increases warmth by 10°C when compared to other standard fabrics.
Qualities: This heat-trapping fabric is antimicrobial, anti-odor, and moisture wicking
Price range: It was impossible to find pricing online, so we reached out to the NanoStitch’s parent company, Liebaert. It turns out the fabrics aren’t in any products that are commercially available at the moment, but you can contact them for bespoke orders.
3M™ Thinsulate™
Material: Synthetic fibers
Technology: Thinsulate fibers are thinner than polyester, at 15 micrometers in diameter. These extremely thin fibers are woven with high density to form a heat-trapping fabric that still allows for moisture to escape. Thinsulate has different lines such as “flame resistant,” “featherless,” “stretch,” etc. Odor-resistant Thinsulate uses something called “precious metal technology” for warmth and anti-odor properties.
Qualities: Lightweight heat insulation, moisture wicking
Price range: Like NanoStich, Thinsulate is a fabric instead of a clothing brand. You can find Thinsulate in Carhartt products, with jackets ranging from $130-190, and hats at $20.
North Face Thermoball™
Eddie Bauer Men’s CirrusLite Down Vest
- A universal fit
- Secure all garment closures before laundering
- Inner pouch-style pockets
Material: Synthetic microfiber as an alternative to down
Technology: PrimaLoft® is a patented synthetic microfiber. It was actually developed as a thermal insulation material for the U.S. military in the 80s. North Face teamed up with PrimaLoft to create Thermoball, a synthetic alternative to down.
Most synthetic insulation comes in a flat roll, like roofing or wall insulation. But PrimaLoft fibers are small and round, and they bunch closely to mimic down clusters. This traps heat in small air pockets to retain warmth. Unlike natural down, synthetic down keeps its loft, or airiness, even when wet, so you’ll be warm regardless of damp snow and rain.
Qualities: This synthetic down provides lightweight and waterproof insulation.
Price range: Also pricey but not exceedingly pricey. The heat-insulating vests are $150, and the jackets are $220.
Arc’teryx Coreloft™ Insulation
Arc’teryx Atom LT Vest Men’s | Lightweight Versatile Synthetically Insulated Vest
- Highly crimped
- Machine wash and tumble dry
- The hydrophobic tech
Material: Polyester fibers
Technology: Coreloft is a non-woven insulation fabric. It’s formed by crimping polyester fibers of mixed sizes so that they trap air pockets of heat. The larger, stronger fibers help resist compaction so that the material retains its loft or airiness.
Qualities: Lightweight heat insulation and poofy-ness in damp conditions
Price range: Coreloft fabric is found in many Arc’teryx products. These have a higher price tag, with sweaters and light jackets ranging from $100-200, pants at $300-400, and heavier jackets at $550-950.
Under Armour ColdGear® Infrared
Under Armour Men’s ColdGear Infrared Shield Jacket
- ColdGear Infrared lining uses a soft
- Retain Body heat
- Secure, zip chest & hand pockets.
Material: Micro-fleece and ceramic
Technology: UA’s ColdGear has a soft, “thermo-conductive coating” that absorbs your body heat and retains it. A brushed micro-fleece lining offers warmth and comfort, and a strip of ceramic embedded between layers helps heat the body.
Under Armour also used infrared imaging to detect and pinpoint heat loss when designing and testing this clothing.
Qualities: This heating fabric is soft, lightweight, moisture wicking, and antimicrobial
Price range: A shirt is around $50, and a jacket is $200
Duofold® by Champion
Material: Stretch polyester blend
Technology: Two layers of fabric plate together, trapping a layer of heat in between. This gives you the warmth of three layers (two layers forming a “heat sandwich”) while feeling like a single layer.
There’s also this thing called “Champion Vapor Technology,” which makes the fabric ultra moisture wicking. So it traps warm vapor, but it keeps you dry.
Qualities: This insulation fabric is lightweight and moisture wicking
Price range: These fall on the affordable end, with a shirt at $15-30, and long underpants at $25-40
ColdPruf Thermachoice®
ColdPruf Men’s Authentic Dual Layer Long Sleeve Wool Plus Crew Neck Base Layer Top
- Two-layer engineering with Merino Wool
- It all starts with your base layer of clothing
- 100% Cotton Inside
Material: Trademarked synthetic fibers, polyester, merino wool
Technology: Similar to Champion’s Duofold, ColdPruf also uses “two-layer engineering.” The heat trapped between layers provides a barrier of warmth.
Coldpruf’s technical fiber polyester has SILVADUR™ for “intelligent freshness,” which basically means that it also uses anti-bacteria and anti-odor chemicals.
Qualities: This heat insulation fabric is anti-odor and anti-bacterial
Price range: ColdPruf’s Thermachoice is quite affordable, with a shirt at $25-35, and long underpants at $18
Eastern Mountain Sports Techwick®
Under Armour Men’s Tech 2.0 Short-Sleeve T-Shirt
- 100% Polyester
- Pull On closure
- Fuller cut for complete comfort
Material: Hydrophobic and hydrophilic synthetic fibers, cotton, polyester
Technology: Techwick uses drirelease® yarns, a patented blend of 90% hydrophobic (water-resistant) fibers and 10% hydrophilic (water-absorbing) fibers. This fiber blend wicks moisture away from the body and dries 4x faster than cotton. Eastern Mountain Sports then adds a cotton polyester blend to the drirelease® material for comfort.
Although this fabric is antimicrobial, it claims to use no harmful chemicals.
Qualities: This heat insulation fabric is moisture wicking, antimicrobial, and has UV protection
Price range: Affordable, with shirts and sweaters at $15-30, and light zip-ups at $60
Icebreaker BodyFit Zone™
Icebreaker Men’s 260 Tech Merino Wool Base Layer Long Sleeve Half Zip
- Zip neck collar for temperature regulation
- Flatlock seams prevent chafing
- Forward side seams for comfort
Material: Merino wool, Lycra® (like Spandex)
Technology: Icebreaker uses Merino wool for warmth and stretchy Lycra to hug the body. Lycra is an elastic polyurethane fiber that expands with movement.
Icebreaker uses body mapping, so this “engineered” clothing will give you optimal warmth by focusing on the spots that get the coldest.
Qualities: This fabric offers thermal regulation, mobility, and comfort. It’s also moisture wicking and antimicrobial
Price range: This thermal athletic clothing is on the pricier end, with a shirt around $90-110 and compression pants at $90-110
Polartec® Thermal Pro®
Material: Synthetic fleece
Technology: This synthetic polyester knit uses “innovative techniques” that ensure moisture wicking and insulation. Polartec’s special weave traps warmth in air pockets while also safeguarding breathability. And a soft inner lining provides a comfortable, smooth fit against the skin at all times.
Patagonia and Moreno are brands that use Polartec’s power grid fabric.
Qualities: This lightweight insulation fabric is moisture wicking.
If you’re looking for safer, chemical-free insulation clothing that is also anti-bacterial, try Patagonia. Their products come with a higher price tag, but they’ve apparently worked with an institution called bluesign® technologies since 2000 to create products that are safe for the environment, safe for factory workers, and safe for end customers.
Price range: Patagonia fleeces are $95-120, while Moreno jackets are $90-120, and vests are $70.
So do you believe in the hype? Let us know in the comments below.