It’s no secret that for years now Gore has been the leader in waterproof membranes and laminates with its Gore-Tex products. But companies like Columbia have been trying to communicate to the public that there are other options.
They started pushing their own waterproof/breathable fabric last year with the release of Omni-Dry, which was on paper better than Gore-Tex in terms of air flow. Now Columbia is pairing it with a new technology they call Omni-Wick EVAP for an even better evaporation.
The idea is simple, if you spread moisture on a broader surface it will evaporate quicker. And that’s what Omni-Wick EVAP is supposed to do inside your shell to keep you dry, with Omni-Dry on the outside to keep rain out as well.
This and the announced 100cc/min of Omni-Dry should make for great shells that don’t turn into saunas after half an hour of enjoying the elements.
Check out the Omni-Wick EVAP and Omni-Dry page on Columbia’s website.