Technical dressing room: what's new this winter?

FashionI-Thermic zipped sweater, Odlo.

Hybrid layers, breathable materials, heated and connected textiles, revisited wools... Outdoor brands are constantly pushing the limits of our special cold weather dressing. Warm-up tour of the innovations for the 2019-2020 season.

Nadia Hamam updated on December 5, 2019 at 10:46 a.m. to comment

It is the same with technical clothing as with high-tech equipment: each season, its share of innovations supposed to change the course of the history of sports and outdoor dressing, making the star creations of the past year. When the time comes for the first frosts, you have to choose from the anthology of new strong pieces designed for skiing, climbing, adventure or just chilling. To read winter hits, you have to master an alphabet of materials.

First, the champions of synthetic materials - Primaloft, Gore-tex, Sympatex, Cordura, RIPSTOP, Pertex and other Polartec - are used in the composition of a majority of effective creations. But also the technical fabrics specific to the major brands in the sector, which compete in the field with a great deal of patents. Keeping you warm, dry and comfortable during your adventures on asphalt, in powder or in the rain: all of them fulfill their mission without blinking, always working to bridge the gap between technicality and style: two poles that more nothing separates.

Always more revolutionary

North Face and its Futurelight line The pitch: a new generation of breathable waterproof protection, provided by cutting-edge nanospinning technology. At the same time light, stretchy and resistant, this membrane is intended to be revolutionary, with "breathability never achieved on this type of product". Discover through the jackets, pants and BIBs of the Summit Series (mountaineering), Steep Series (sports gliding) and Flight Series (trail and running). Some of them have been tested in expeditions by the brand's athletes - including mountaineer Jim Morrison. To top it off, the fiber is eco-responsible!

Flight Series - Flight jacket, Futurelight membrane and warm brushed knit inner layer, The North Face, 250 euros.

Green, or nothing?

Sustainable development : area of ​​massive investment by techwear brands, following revelations about the level of pollution induced by Gore-tex type equipment. We've been taking it easy on ultra waterproof feats ever since – after all, who really spends their day on an Indian-style monsoon rain? - to aim for effective treatments on the scale of our activities but more ecological. Illustration : Black Diamond launches its Boundary Mapped Insulated jacket, made from a new breathable BD dry TM membrane. The promise ? Waterproofing similar to Gore-Tex (10,000 index) but with more breathability and less impact on the environment: its high-performance GPT treatment excludes the famous toxic PFC and palm oil. For the first time, we are promised a “green” membrane with superior water repellency performance to that obtained with all fluorocarbon DWRs! As a bonus, the ultralight and compressible jacket includes a washable Lavalan wool insulating membrane.

Boundary Line Mapped Insulated men's jacket, Black Diamond, 380 euros.

Seamless down

In the very construction of textiles, too, things are moving. On the exercise seen and reviewed of the down jacket, Mountain Hardwear strikes hard with its Super/DS Climb, developed in one piece to avoid the seams responsible for heat loss. The stretch construction crosses two textile layers to trap the down without seams, avoiding the use of glue or delicate seams and thus, any heat loss caused by thermal bridges. Added to this safe bet is a filling of 90% goose down with high swelling power (700-fill Q-Shield Down) and a water-repellent stretch nylon fabric.

Super/DS™ Climb down jacket, Mountain Hardwear, 461g, 300 euros. (Tim Acock)

Same approach at Columbia, where we continue to hunt for the cold with the new Heat Seal technology, a seamless compartment construction to again prevent the penetration of cold, wind, water or the loss of down, while simply. To be experienced via several models of jackets and down jackets.

Men's Alta Peak Down jacket, €349.99. (Mark Stein)

futuristic techwear

With the unisex The In anorak, Mammut also explores one-piece construction, but in a hair-raising sci-fi style. Brilliant, radical, the centerpiece of the urban Delta X collection is based on Mammut Georganic 3D Technology - a development close to the body to adapt to natural movements _ for maximum freedom of movement. The shiny effect of the outer material makes the jacket a visual object in the gray winter months. The jacket is also equipped with an NFC chip, which allows access to Mammut CONNECT.

Anorak The In, Delta X, Mammut, 699 euros.

All connected?

Between body and equipment, the boundaries are becoming increasingly blurred, as evidenced by I-Thermic, an intelligent heating technology launched by Odlo. It offers a flexible and seamless heat solution thanks to Clim8 technologies - which detect variations in body temperature - and Twinery - copper cables. Translation: we're talking about a mid-layer in a battery-operated (machine-washable) textile that provides up to four hours of continuous heating. Ideal for skiing, hiking, climbing, or a cold snap from Siberia !

I-Thermic zipped sweater, Odlo, 300 euros.

Same connected principle for the Palladium Sportcuff Thermic WP + heated shoe, created in collaboration with THERM-IC, the expert in heating devices (ski boots in mind) at the forefront of innovation. Once the battery is connected to the boot, it provides heat for thirteen hours. Three heat levels are available, controlled by an app.

Palladium Pampa heated shoe, 219.95 euros. THERM-IC power supplies not included.

Work on textiles continues in all directions. At Canada Goose, we are launching the Evolution fabric with a “Channel Weave” construction: a new 360° reflective material, adjustable and easy to take everywhere. Ultra light and ultra stretch for better comfort during movement, it offers a seamless construction and appearance. As always, Canada Goose has used Thermal Mapping technology which allows for improved breathability and mobility and warmth where the body needs it.

Vest Hybridge CW Black Label Reflective, Channel Weave, 895 euros.

Wool in all its forms

Always in vogue, wool is increasingly mixed with synthetics to get the best of both worlds: thermal regulation, neutralization of bad odors for wool; flexibility and easy maintenance for the synthetic. At Dynafit, we explore the blend of Merino and Dryarn fibers in the Tour Dryarn ski sweater and tights.

Tour ski sweater Dryarn Merino, Coloris Methyl Blue, General, Dynafit. 224g, 120 euro.

On the side of Helly Hansen, spotlight on the collection of high performance baselayers H1 Pro, special intense activities. Its intelligent thermal distribution technology perfectly balances heat and humidity management to keep you warm whatever the conditions. The principle: an ergonomic design that emphasizes the hot and cold points of the body, ensuring moisture management and warmth. The collection uses a mix of brand-exclusive Lifa fabrics: Lifa, Lifa Active, and Lifa Merino. Lifa's blend with 100% merino wool are located on the upper back, chest and neck, while Lifa's and Lifa Active's panels are placed near areas of frequent perspiration - armpits, spine.

Helly Hansen H1 PRO LIFA 1-2 ZIP 140 euros.

At Mammut, the Aenergy in Hybrid jacket incorporates alpine wool and polyester insulation under an outer fabric in Pertex Microlight. Soft, breathable... an ideal second layer in extreme cold. Ortovox invests in a mix of bioplastic and virgin wool from the Swiss Alps in the Zebru Jacket (262 g, 290 euros) ideal for hiking and freeriding. So many super effective solutions for wicking moisture away from the skin and keeping you warm and dry, both uphill and downhill!

published on December 4, 2019 at 7:00 p.m. updated on December 5, 2019 at 10:46 a.m.