Tag: Polartec

Military-Spec Material Goes Civvies

As we’ve noted from time to time technology developed for the military has a way to trickle down to the consumer market. Without military research we wouldn’t have things such as radar or GPS. But military research also looks for advances in outdoor equipment and clothing. And soon some technology developed to keep our Special Forces warm will be available in civvies as well.

The Polartec Alpha is insulation that was developed by Polartec LLC for the U.S. Special Operations Forces, and will make its way to the company’s outdoor brand next year. The Polarfleece fabric is a polyester-based material that is spun to specifications at the company’s Lawrence, Mass. factory. Made in America it is. Continue reading Military-Spec Material Goes Civvies

Made in America: Melanzana Outdoor Clothing

For over 150 years, Leadville, Colorado has seen both the boom and bust times that often occurs with mining towns. With the last of the big mines closing in the 1980s, it seemed as if Leadville might just fade away into the history books. A few citizens were not about to let that happen and numerous high altitude sporting events and festivals were born to bring in outside tourist dollars. Along with tourist dollars that started to flow into the economy, other businesses started to appear. One unique business is the outdoor clothing company, Melanzana. Continue reading Made in America: Melanzana Outdoor Clothing

Sustainability Makes The North Face Top a Bonus

The North Face Women's El Cap Temple 1/4 top.
The North Face and Polartec boost recycled materials and function.

Polartec’s Women’s El Cap Temple 1/4 Zip top from The North Face is made from sustainable resources. Part of the fleece manufacturer’s eco-engineering line, it contains a minimum of 50 percent recycled content, and both companies continue to push to raise the bar on post-consumer materials. Why opt for a garment with such a high content of reused materials? Each shirt saves 6.6 lbs in C02 emissions, and 0.17 gallons of gas.

The earth conscious gear has its benefits. The pique knit is soft on the skin. It carries an ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) of 30. The El Cap Temple wicks moisture in a number of ways. It draws sweat and moisture away from skin while setting up a dry zone next to the skin. Moisture wicked to the surface is spread across the outer layer of the garment, and continues to make the top breathable. Wicking is crucial in a long sleeve garment, especially since it’s likely to act as a base layer for outside workouts.

The North Face’s Women’s El Cap Temple 1/4 Zip shirt is appropriate for a base layer in outdoor workouts over the winter. It’s also a great transitional top in those days nice enough to go out for a run, but not quite nice enough for short sleeves. The dual-layer fabric provides a degree of wind blocking, an important factor in transitional weather.