You’ve finally made it to the mountain, but does your gear hold up? The last thing you want on the slopes is to feel cold and wet halfway through your day.
Enter GORE-TEX ski outerwear. At the heart of every GORE-TEX garment is its signature fabric technology, designed to keep you warm, dry and comfortable wherever your skis may lead.
GORE-TEX PRODUCT BENEFITS
GORE-TEX fabrics have five key benefits that make them ideal for outdoor activities like skiing and snowboarding. GORE-TEX Products are:
● Waterproof - to keep you from getting soaked every time you fall in the snow
● Breathable - so your sweat doesn’t get trapped, making you feel cold
● Windproof - so the icy winds don’t chill you to the bone
● Durable - so your ski jacket and pants hold up for years on the slopes
● Responsible - letting you leave snow prints while minimizing your carbon footprint
These benefits complement and are integral to one another, capturing the spirit of GORE-TEX ski wear and the great outdoors.
WATERPROOF SO YOU CAN SKI DRY ALL DAY
When you’re learning to ski and ride, you spend a lot of time on your tush. Additionally, the variability of winter weather means you may see snow, rain, and sun all in the same morning, which is a great reason to wear waterproof clothing that will keep you dry and protected. When you become an advanced skier, of course, you don't let the weather slow you down! Getting wet on the outside is a given. Staying dry on the inside is what you’ll get when you go with GORE-TEX gear.
IS GORE-TEX GEAR WATERPROOF?
Yes. All GORE-TEX ski and snowwear products are waterproof. This means ski jackets and pants are guaranteed to keep you dry thanks to a variety of product innovations, including:
● Seam-sealed zippers
● Durable water repellent (DWR) surface treatments
● GORE-TEX membrane
The GORE-TEX membrane contains billions of pores per square inch. Each pore is 20,000 times smaller than a water droplet, making it impossible for water to pass through. Pretty cool, huh?
DO GORE-TEX PRODUCTS STAY WATERPROOF?
Yup. Any GORE-TEX Product with a black diamond hang tag that reads: “Guaranteed to keep you dry” is guaranteed to stay waterproof, not just water-resistant.
Keep in mind there are some GORE-TEX fabrics that are water-resistant, meaning they perform best in light rain, for example, but are not ideal for snowy conditions or wetter weather. All original GORE-TEX Products, however, will stay waterproof and keep you dry when skiing or snowboarding. It’s the GORE-TEX Products guarantee.
BREATHABLE FOR A ‘NO SWEAT’ SKI DAY
When you’re skiing hard all day, whether launching off cliffs or learning to ski for the first time, you’re bound to work up a sweat. If that heat vapor builds up inside your jacket with no way to escape, you’ll get cold, fast. But with GORE-TEX outerwear, the sweat has somewhere to go. Fabric breathability means you can ride hard and still be comfortable all day long.
DOES THE GORE-TEX MATERIAL BREATHE?
Yes, because of its porous nature. (Remember those billions of pores per square inch?) Those very pores happen to be 700 times larger than water vapor (think sweat molecules), easily allowing moisture from the body to escape. This breathability factor is another performance benefit for skiers and snowboarders looking to stay warm while also staying dry and comfortable on the slopes.
HOW ARE GORE-TEX PRODUCTS WATERPROOF AND BREATHABLE?
While it may seem counterintuitive that wetness cannot get in but dampness can get out - the science is straightforward.
Consider this: A water droplet is larger than a sweat molecule. The billions of pores of the GORE-TEX membrane are tiny enough and spaced closely enough together to prevent water from entering externally, but they’re just large enough to allow tiny molecules of sweat to pass through from your body to the outside so moisture doesn’t get trapped against your skin and make you cold.
DO GORE-TEX PRODUCTS KEEP YOU WARM?
Absolutely. GORE-TEX ski and snowboard clothing keeps you warm. Staying warm begins with waterproof and windproof fabric technology to prevent wetness from getting in and allow moisture to escape, so you get premium protection against wind, rain and the elements. Insulated GORE-TEX garments offer an additional layer of protection for added warmth.
WINDPROOF SO THE ONLY AIR YOU GET IS UNDER YOUR SKIS
So you’re up there on the mountain and the wind is whipping around you. Let it whip! Because when you’re wearing a GORE-TEX jacket, it won’t be cutting through your clothing and letting the chill air in.
ARE GORE-TEX PRODUCTS GOOD FOR SNOW?
Yes, GORE-TEX Products are good for snow and all weather conditions. Many professional skiers and snowboarders as well as those that work outdoors in the winter rely on the comfort and protection that GORE-TEX Products provide. GORE-TEX garments keep the wind out completely, protecting against extreme weather, changes in temperature, and other mountain conditions. GORE-TEX Products are 100% windproof so the only wind chill factor is outside the garment.
DURABLE FOR YEARS OF WINTER WEAR
Durability is a hallmark of GORE-TEX Products with the notion of rugged, long-wearing ski and snowboard clothing that stands the test of time and wear being good for consumers and good for the planet. The longer you can use an article of clothing, the less you consume. With that in mind, GORE-TEX garments are put to the test, not just in a lab or factory setting, but by people who wear GORE-TEX clothing the most, like pro skiers and snowboarders, to ensure the best fit, quality and performance, use after use.
“RESPONSIBLE” MEANS PEACE OF MIND FOR THE PLANET
As a consumer, your choices impact the preservation of the planet. When you rent or purchase GORE-TEX ski outerwear, you’re casting a vote for responsible performance.
In its ongoing pursuit of sustainable operations and products, the GORE-TEX brand has been transparent about its Responsible Performance Journey, highlighting successes in several areas, such as:
● Transitioning all Gore manufacturing facilities to 100% renewable electricity by 2025 through Power Purchase Agreements and retail contracts with electricity suppliers
● Expanding its complementary materials platform to include new ePE membrane technology (expanded Polyethylene), a high-performing solution for reduced carbon footprint
● Reducing emissions from direct operations as well as product manufacturing
The Responsible Performance strategic framework further includes initiatives around human rights protections; transparent management of the GORE-TEX Products’ chemical footprint; reduction of their water footprint; and enabling of a circular economy, such as through the Outerwear on Demand program. The Outerwear on Demand Program puts forth the idea of “usership” vs. “ownership,” especially for those new to snowsports or who ski/ride infrequently, in which case it may not make sense to purchase GORE-TEX garments for multiple reasons, yet riders still want to have the best possible outdoor experience.
The GORE-TEX brand strives to continue minimizing resource consumption with an emphasis on increasing the durability of GORE-TEX Products.
Or browse our full range of GORE-TEX ski and snowboarding products.
