Advanced Primaloft® insulation. Which insulation is better: Primaloft or Climashield? Cleaning in the washing machine

Synthetic insulation PrimaLoft© was developed by Albany International for the US Army as a quality replacement for down for workwear and sleeping bags. To date, PrimaLoft insulation has reliably conquered the market not only for army clothing, but also for the outdoor market.

First of all, PrimaLoft© insulation is lightweight and durable, and also has excellent thermal insulation properties. In addition, PrimaLoft is highly breathable, and its hygienic properties far exceed those of ordinary goose down. Such excellent results have been achieved due to the thermal properties of the new PrimaLoft microfibers, whose structure has been copied from goose down microfibers. Thus, the thermal resistance of goose down is 2.18, and for PrimaLoft insulation - 2.15, which indicates better thermal insulation of synthetic insulation compared to down. So far, not a single widely used synthetic insulation has come close to such indicators.

PrimaLoft insulation is great as a filler for outerwear or a sleeping bag, as it is lightweight and has a volume comparable to that of down. Compared to goose down, PrimaLoft insulation is water-repellent and hypoallergenic. Researchers at Albany International have also achieved excellent breathability properties of the insulation due to microscopic air gaps. On the surface of PrimaLoft microfibers, due to their very small size, air molecules accumulate, which provide high thermal insulation properties of the insulation with a relatively thin insulating layer. Thanks to these hollow fibers of large diameter, the so-called "Loft" is maintained during prolonged use, washing, compressing and drying.

Several types of PrimaLoft insulation are used in the outdoor industry:

- PrimaLoft© One

- PrimaLoft® Sport

- PrimaLoft Eco

- PrimaLoft Eco Footwear

- PrimaLoft Infinity

- PrimaLoft Yarn

- PrimaLoft SYNERGY

The following diagram shows R-value - the value of the thermal resistance of the insulating layer. Specified in CLO. The higher the R-value, the better the thermal insulation properties of the material.

PrimaLoft One

insulation PrimaLoft© One most often used as a heater, both for urban clothing and outdoor clothing for outdoor activities. In the production of PrimaLoft© One insulation, ultra-thin microfibers are used, which allow maintaining the thermal insulation properties of the insulation with low weight and volume. The thermal insulation properties of PrimaLoft© One dry are 0.92 clo/oz/yd2 and wet are 0.9 clo/oz/yd2 (the thermal insulation value is higher, the higher the thermal insulation characteristic of the material is). It is PrimaLoft© One that retains the greatest thermal insulation and practically does not lose it when wet. It protects against wind and dries faster than goose down.

Application of PrimaLoft© One:

Outerwear
Hats (Hat Men's Outdoor Research Inversion Beanie)
Gloves (Black Diamond Enforcer Gloves)
Accessories
Sleeping bags
Overalls
Shoes

PrimaLoft Sport

insulation PrimaLoft® Sport used for the production of clothing and products for extreme conditions, as this type of insulation is thinner and lighter. The thermal insulation properties of PrimaLoft© Sport are 0.79 clo/oz/yd2 dry and 0.72 clo/oz/yd2 wet.

Application of PrimaLoft® Sport:

Outerwear (Pants Splav "Quantum", Trousers Splav "Highlander")
Hats
Overalls (Jumpsuit Marmot 8000M Suit)
Sleeping bags (Double sleeping bag Splav "Double 300", Sleeping bag Splav Fantasy 233)
Military clothing

PrimaLoft Eco

PrimaLoft Eco- a heater created for lovers of environmental materials. It is made from 50% recycled ultra-fine fibers and standard PrimaLoft fibers. In combination, the fibers create an effective heat-insulating and moisture-resistant structure. Clothing made with PrimaLoft Eco will keep its wearers dry, warm and comfortable.

Application of PrimaLoft® Eco:

Outerwear

PrimaLoft Eco Footwear

The eco-friendly PrimaLoft® thermal insulation option contains at least 50% recycled ultra-fine fiber material and combines with standard PrimaLoft® fibers to create a thermally efficient and water-resistant insulation structure. Due to the increased softness and ease of insulation, shoes that use PrimaLoft® Eco Footwear keep you dry and comfortable

Application of PrimaLoft® Eco:

Shoes (Boots "Dixon" , Boots "Cobra" , Leather boots Splav "England" , Boots "Wolverine")

PrimaLoft Infinity

PrimaLoft Infinity are heat-insulating blocks that can compress 20% more than similar insulating materials. This type of insulation has a fairly light and soft structure due to the use of ultra-thin fibers in the production. PrimaLoft Infinity has high thermal insulation and moisture resistance. The fibers, united among themselves by a single thread, prevent the appearance of cold spots in the insulating material and ensure the uniformity of the insulation structure over its entire surface. PrimaLoft Infinity provides excellent protection from the cold even when completely wet. This material retains its shape and quality even after numerous washes and dryers.

Application of PrimaLoft® Infinity:

Outerwear

PrimaLoft Yarn

PrimaLoft Yarn- These are threads that are a mixture of PrimaLoft fibers and sheep's wool. This combination is most suitable for the manufacture of outerwear. PrimaLoft Yarn fibers are half the size of cashmere fibers for a softer feel. This material has the property of quickly absorbing moisture from the surface of the skin and bringing it to the surface of the fabric, and this provides additional dryness and comfort.

Application of PrimaLoft® Yarn:

Outerwear
Socks (Lorpen SPFL Ski Primaloft Lightweight Thermal Socks (851))

PrimaLoft SYNERGY

PrimaLoft SYNERGY is an advanced thermal insulation material, which is created on the basis of weaving thin and ultra-thin fibers and combining them into a single thread. The insulation has excellent thermal insulation characteristics. PrimaLoft SYNERGY is a moisture resistant material used in the manufacture of sleeping bags and outerwear.

Application of PrimaLoft® SYNERGY:

Outerwear
Sleeping bags

Care instructions for products with PrimaLoft© insulation:

Follow these care instructions for garments made with PrimaLoft insulation. Machine wash and rinse in cold water on a delicate cycle. Tumble dry at medium temperature on a gentle spin cycle. Dry cleaning, bleaching, ironing or steaming is prohibited.

Over the past few years, the outdoor clothing market has experienced a real boom in the emergence of new insulation technologies. In the fall of 2013, the first products from Polartec Alpha went on sale, in the winter of 2013-2014, items from The North Face with Primaloft Thermoball insulation appeared in stores, and Columbia and Arcteryx released jackets that combine down and synthetic insulation. At the same time, attempts to create clothes and accessories with electric heating and the use of materials that accumulate the heat of the human body do not end.

The reason for this lies not only in the attempts of manufacturers to increase the functionality of their products. The emergence of new insulation technologies based on microfiber synthetic insulation is associated with a noticeable rise in the price of raw goose down over the past five years. According to the American magazine Outside, a pound of raw white goose down cost $10 in 2009 and about $50 in 2014.

Hence the demand for the latest insulation technologies that could compete on equal terms with down products from developers and manufacturers of clothing and equipment for outdoor activities. Moreover, this demand will only grow in the near future, which implies the expansion of collections based primarily on synthetic insulation from most manufacturers. We will get acquainted with the properties of the newest of them.

Unlike other manufacturers of insulation and technological fabrics, Polartec approached the price crisis for down raw materials fully armed. The latest Polartec Alpha material was developed for military special forces in accordance with the requirements of the General Directorate of Special Operations Forces of the US Department of Defense (U. S. Special Operations Forces - SOF) long before its announcement on the civilian market in 2012. The first products using it appeared in September 2013 from Rab, The North Face, Mountain Equipment, Montane and 66 North.

SOF's requirements were to create a lightweight, quick-drying, highly breathable garment material with high thermal insulation and acceptable wind protection. According to the results of field and laboratory tests, Polartec Alpha became the leader.

When creating Alpha, the developers started from the main, in their opinion, the lack of existing heaters. So, for example, down and a significant part of microfiber synthetic insulation that imitates its structure are able to penetrate outward through the seams and fibers of the fabric. And this circumstance requires the manufacturer to use materials with a very dense weave of fibers in order to avoid the migration of insulation inside the product and its penetration to the outside. Such dense fabrics, unfortunately, are heavy and do not contribute to the rapid removal of sweat and excess heat from the body. All this can lead to overheating during active loads and, as a result, the risk of wetting the insulation from sweat.

Therefore, the emphasis was placed on the development of a comprehensive solution - a kind of "sandwich" of a durable outer layer, a modified insulation based on Polartec® Power Shield® High Loft and the lining material that removes moisture as well as possible. Like Power Shield® High Loft, Alpha insulation is a wear-resistant long-fiber fleece, with the only difference that it is not laminated to the outer surface of the product, but is the filling of a fabric “sandwich”. Such measures by the developers have led to the fact that the product dries much faster, about twice as fast as the closest competitors, and has a low weight.

Adding to this is Polartec's very flexible approach to manufacturers, allowing them to choose their own facial fabric, from ultra-lightweight materials such as Pertex to Softshell. All this determined the main scope of the Polartec Alpha material - jackets used as an intermediate or top layer of clothing. The compromise in this decision was the ratio of heat / weight. In the opinion of most testers and outdoor publications, this Alpha is still inferior to down and the latest development from Primaloft - Thermoball.

The latest synthetic insulation from Primaloft, which very closely copies the structure of the fluff. Outwardly, the novelty resembles a rolled up cotton ball, which gave rise to the name - Thermoball. Until this development, all synthetic insulation was a mixture of hollow fibers that looked little like fluff in appearance and only partly repeated its properties.
In the release of the new technology, The North Face, announced that the new insulation will generally repeat the properties of Primaloft One, but will be 15% warmer per unit weight, corresponding to down with a Fill Power of 600. This means that the ability to restore its strength is equivalent to down. volume after compression and hold an equivalent amount of air between the fibers, which serves as a heat insulator. The North Face currently owns the exclusive right to use Thermoball in its products until 2015, as the company actively contributed to its development.

As with Primaloft One, the developers have placed particular emphasis on keeping the Thermoball's insulating properties when wet, which has been confirmed by numerous tests in the field. Tester Sean McCoy, the editor of gearjunkie.com, made a particularly good showing when he soaked his ThermoBall Full Zip Jacket thoroughly and went out for a walk in sub-zero temperatures. The new material passed the test with brilliance, surprising even such a sophisticated user. The editors of Outside magazine also praised it, calling ThermoBall "the most thermally insulating synthetic insulation they have ever tested."

Despite the clear progress in the field of improving synthetic insulation, even Primaloft Inc. does not want to refuse the use of fluff. However, all experts are well aware of its main disadvantages - low thermal insulation when wet and slow drying, to which the disadvantage mentioned above is added - a high price for the manufacturer, and, as a result, for the end user. The creation of Primaloft Down Blend was designed to overcome these shortcomings.

The essence of the technology comes down to mixing natural fluff and artificial fibers Primaloft Ultra-Fine, close to it in the property of restoring its volume after compression and retaining the maximum amount of air between the fibers. In addition to this, the down is treated with a water-repellent composition. These measures made it possible to reduce the cost of the hybrid insulation without losing quality, to ensure acceptable thermal insulation properties of the wet mixture, and also to increase its drying rate by 4 times compared to ordinary fluff!

PrimaLoft ® Performance Down is available in two versions:

- PrimaLoft Gold Insulations Down Blend - Goose Down 70% (Down Feather 90/10) - Synthetic Fibers 30%. 1.23 ClO dry versus 1.18 CLO wet.
- PrimaLoft Silver Insulations Down Blend - Duck Down 60% (Down Feather 85/15) - Synthetic Fibers 40%. 1.14 ClO dry versus 1.07 CLO wet.

Thus, the new combined insulation corresponds in terms of its thermal insulation properties to high-quality down with an index of FP 750 and FP 600, respectively. At the same time, thanks to the inclusion of synthetics and moisture-repellent impregnation of down, it continues to work even when wet with virtually no loss.

"Infrared" insulation PrimaLoft Kodenshi

Perhaps the most exotic way of warming clothes from all presented. Attempts to select or create from scratch the right material that could accumulate the heat of the human body, and then slowly return it back like a stone heated in the sun, have been made by manufacturers repeatedly. So far, no company has achieved unequivocal success, although developments are being carried out both by industry giants - The North Face, and not so well-known brands, such as the American manufacturer of clothing and accessories for skiing Powderhorn.

The closest specialists from Picture Organic, a French manufacturer of eco-friendly clothing for skiers and snowboarders, came closest to implementing this idea with BioCeramic technology - ceramic particles contained in the membrane material accumulate heat and slowly radiate it to the wearer of the equipment. However, the manufacturer himself positions this development not as an element of insulation, but as a technology that improves muscle tone.

Lamination of the membrane with ceramic particles is actively used by the young manufacturer of premium ski clothing Mountain Force. Their exclusive development of Ceramic Membrane has high thermal insulation properties, which allows you to provide additional comfort on a frosty slope without the need for an additional layer of insulation, which increases not only the weight of the product, but also its volume.

Ceramics has been used, by the way, for several years in Primaloft. Their Primaloft Ceramic and PrimaLoft Kodenshi insulation is made with ceramic microfibers to help reflect heat back to the body. Such a heater is much more efficient. Its main consumer is Goldwin. However, now you can also find products from other brands using PrimaLoft Kodenshi. Among them are Black Diamond and Reusch, which use insulation in ski gloves and mittens.

At the ISPO 2014 exhibition, 3M insulation was presented, imitating natural fluff. 3M Thinsulate Featherless synthetic insulation should be a hypoallergenic alternative to natural down. It mimics the look and insulating properties of natural down. 3M Thinsulate Featherless insulation is as light as natural down, breathes freely and provides good protection from the cold.

In addition, it retains heat even when wet; corresponds to Fill Power 600, has more elasticity at the same weight as natural down.

At the moment, it is not yet known which of the leading outdoor manufacturers have decided to use the new insulation for their products, but for sure it will be in great demand among manufacturers of sleeping bags and insulated clothing.

Clothing with heating elements

The use of electric heating elements in equipment cannot be called a 100% novelty. Heated insoles from Sidas or Therm-ic companies have long and firmly entered the everyday life of many skiers and snowboarders. However, in clothing, such technologies have been successfully applied relatively recently.

The first major company to launch such a product was Columbia with its Thermal Electric line of apparel and footwear launched in 2011. The essence of the technology was reduced to the use of batteries and carbon fiber heated from them, woven into the fabric of the product.

Alas, this collection did not have much success in the sports industry - the company's shortcomings, as well as the rather high price, affected Columbia Thermal Electric jackets and parkas were sold at prices ranging from $ 750 to $ 1200 and, alas, were not very suitable for sports use. Sales in Russia were hampered by a completely embarrassing situation - the entire line of clothing in 2012 was withdrawn by the supplier as a result of a defective heating element.

In 2012, Cayenne gloves, with heating elements and Therm-ic batteries, were introduced by Black Diamond. Unfortunately, this development suffered the same fate as the Columbia products - the unreliable operation of the electronics led to a temporary disappearance from the company's catalogs.

Outdoor Research is known primarily as a manufacturer of very high quality accessories (gloves, hats, etc.) and clothing for outdoor activities in the mountains. And it's no surprise that their winter 2014 collection also featured a line of their two Lucent Heated Glove and Stormtracker Glove models and one model of Lucent Heated Mitts equipped with heating elements. The batteries are located in the cuffs, they also have a button for switching heating modes. In the maximum mode, the battery charge lasts for 2.5 hours, in the minimum mode - up to 8 hours of operation. As in the case of Columbia products, thermocouples are woven into the material of the gloves and heat the entire palm, not just the fingers. With this technology, it is still possible to wash gloves with the batteries disconnected. Charging from a socket.

It is still premature to talk about the success of this undertaking, but unlike its predecessors, OR started with such exotic products much more confidently. This is also evidenced by the fact that a lifetime warranty is provided for the entire line of gloves.

So far, the prospects for such technologies in clothing are rather vague, but with the development of electronics, we will surely see much more successful examples of their application.

Behind the acronym PCM lies the innovation of the Swiss textile specialists Schoeller. The schoeller®-PCM™ technology material contains countless tiny microcapsules filled with so-called Phase Change Materials, i.e. a substance with a variable state of aggregation, such as water. This is a thermal adaptation technology, its essence is that the contents of microcapsules change their state of aggregation at certain temperatures, accumulating heat in the liquid state and dissipating it, passing into the solid phase. If the body or ambient temperature rises, the capsules accumulate excess heat. If the temperature drops again, they transfer the stored heat to the body again.

A bit of theory

The amount of thermal energy produced by a person depends on the individual characteristics of a person, how he feels, and even on how well he ate and slept. The role of clothing with insulation is to preserve this very energy.

Thermal insulation is the process of reducing heat transfer between the body and the environment. It is not for nothing that insulators in English are always defined by the word Insulation - insulation.

A vacuum environment has a minimum thermal conductivity, and the most affordable heat insulator with low thermal conductivity is dry air. It is dry, since moisture is a good conductor. The more air molecules the insulation holds in one cubic centimeter, the better its thermal insulation properties.

Air is always in motion - warm tends to rise, cold falls down, this factor must also be taken into account when developing insulated clothing.
Thus, the main task of the clothing insulation is to keep the air warmed by our body inside, and not let the cold outside.

Important quantities that allow you to describe the quality of the insulation:

But despite technological advances, Down is still the best insulator.. Most often, goose down is used in the manufacture of down jackets - it is more durable than duck down, and also cheaper than eider down. Highly purified goose down has high Fill Power and is optimal in terms of price-quality ratio.

Primaloft® Fill - Designed to be warm when wet or dry, it also absorbs less water than analog fills. If you compare Primaloft® with down, then in terms of softness and comfort it is in no way inferior to it. At the same time, Primaloft® has fewer technical limitations when used in wet conditions.

PrimaLoft® One

Primaloft One is one of the best insulating (insulating) materials.

The ultra-thin fibers are specially processed using patented technologies and then woven to form an incredibly soft, lightweight and water-resistant insulation.

PrimaLoft absorbs 3 times less water, is 14% warmer dry and 24% warmer wet than other materials.

The human body has a normal temperature of 36.6 degrees Celsius, however, often cold weather conditions cause normal body temperature to drop! PrimaLoft insulates your body to keep you warm and comfortable even in extreme cold.

PrimaLoft® Sport

PrimaLoft® Sport is a high quality insulation.

The technology behind PrimaLoft® Sport combines ultra-fine and variable diameter fibers to achieve specific performance. Specially processed ultra-fine fibers provide a water-repellent structure, while variable diameter fibers help shape the material.

If you're spending the weekend outdoors, PrimaLoft Sport will keep you comfortable like you're at home, even when it gets wet.

PrimaLoft® Silver Insulation

A high performance synthetic insulation with all the qualities to withstand the elements.

Material characteristics

HEAT WITHOUT EXCESSIVE VOLUME	High ratio of heat-shielding properties to weight: in order to keep warm, no need for a thick layer of clothing.
WATER RESISTANT	Absorbs less moisture initially, keeping you dry and warm.
VAPOR PERMEABLE	Passes water vapor, protecting from cold and dampness.
EASY TO FOLD	Easily folds for storage in tight spaces and for layering.
LIGHT	Keeps warm without extra weight.
INCREDIBLY SOFT	Unsurpassed softness will give a pleasant feeling and will allow you to look attractive.

PRIMALOFT® GOLD INSULATION DOWN BLEND

PRIMALOFT® GOLD is an extremely warm synthetic insulation whose main advantage is its ability to retain heat even when wet.

FILL POWER 750 - high-quality, light, goose down. Provides excellent heat retention. But, as you know, in humid conditions, down loses its ability to retain heat. Just this significant drawback, which scares so many people, is eliminated by synthetic fibers. PRIMALOFT fibers are distributed as evenly as possible in the new insulation. They are not located separately. They are part of the fluff. Due to this, the down receives maximum protection from moisture and retains its traditional qualities - lightness and softness.

PRIMALOFT® GOLD INSULATION DOWN BLEND dries 4x faster and absorbs moisture 10x slower than pure down.

We have collected for you comprehensive information on a popular topic for discussion:
"Which synthetic insulation is better - Primaloft or Climashield?"

ADVANTAGES OF CLIMASHIELD COMPARED WITH PRIMALOFT:

1. Better resistance to compression and less expansion time;

2. Gain in real thermal insulation per unit weight of insulation in warm models;

3. Good preservation of the volume of insulation when heavily wet;

4. No need for frequent stitching;

5. No need to use Fiber Proof fabric (usually calendered), which is important for a running insulating layer.

GENERAL PROVISIONS AND DISADVANTAGES:

1. Climashield Apex is harder to compress than Primaloft Sport;

2. The advantage in thermal insulation begins to appear approximately from the density of the insulation 170 g/m2. Lower densities are practically on par (judging by experiments with sleeping bags and EN 13537);

3. There is no doubt that Primaloft One will greatly outperform Сlimashield Apex in a number of moisture resistance tests, just like vice versa;

4. The stitch is not needed, but it is necessary to additionally fasten the insulation along the edges of the fabric - from the point of view of operation there are more pluses, from the point of view of manufacturing - on the contrary;

5. Calendered fabric is not needed, but due to the stabilized and uneven top layer, the insulation is not as soft to the touch.

FROM A MARKETING POINT OF VIEW:

1. Climashield Apex is now a favorite synthetic insulation for small American companies specializing in light equipment, as well as for local "homemade" ones.
As you understand, they also have Primaloft Sport and they choose quite consciously;

2. One or another insulation from Climashield for a number of products was chosen by such companies as: The North Face, Arc "teryx, Marmot, etc.
Of the active Europeans, it seems quite recently - Direct Alpine in their Belay Jacket's.
In general, judging by the activity of Primaloft in the direction of developing continuous fiber insulation, including for clothing (first Infinity, then Synergy) - this is a new trend;

3. Devaluation of the "brand".
There will always be those who want to use both the formed reputation of the insulation and the reputation of companies that have actually promoted it on the market, the quality and functionality of their products.
This is done extremely simply - looking for inexpensive Chinese production and ordering the simplest product with the coveted label: Gore-Tex, Primaloft, Polartec, eVent, Windstopper, etc.
Climashield Apex is still, as far as we know, purely American in production, which limits the possibility of using this insulation in frankly cheap Southeast Asian products.

IN TERMS OF REAL PRODUCTS, CLIMASHIELD HAS THE FOLLOWING ADVANTAGES:

The properties of insulated products last longer - this is very important, because it is unrealistic to demolish many high-quality things during normal operation, but the insulation still loses its properties, albeit slowly. May he live as long as possible;

It became possible to make jackets from fabrics with high breathability - that is, to produce an insulating layer for sufficiently active movement, without resorting to the technology of combining with Polartec Powerstretch and the like (that is, without gaining weight and losing thermal insulation).
By the way, Polartec also thinks in the same direction, with its new Polartec Alpha technology, only there so far both insulation and fabrics are much simpler;

Winter things and warm sleeping bags have become somewhat warmer, without gaining weight. It is obvious how useful this is in models such as Inta.

At the same time, it is foolish to idealize this or that technology - something else will appear with a set of real properties better than that of Climashield Apex, then we will consider the issue of transition, even if it is called TEPLIN 2-ZK.

CHANGE OF INSULATION IN OUR TOP SYNTHETIC JACKET:

Inta was made with three versions of insulation in the following chronological order: Primaloft One, Primaloft Sport and Climashiled Apex.

The main reason for the transition was the desire to make the product significantly better, in terms of the totality of properties throughout the entire period of operation.

CLO describes the thermal insulation of the insulation in the test, but does not describe the thermal insulation of a sandwich of membrane fabric, insulation and lining in the real world.
We periodically had to predict the properties of such a sandwich, primarily in sleeping bags. Based on our experience, we can fairly confidently state that the thickness of the insulation is very important.
According to the CLO passport, Primaloft One is the leader, followed by Climashiled Apex and slightly inferior to Primaloft Sport.
According to the nameplate thickness specified by the manufacturer, the thinnest of the three is Primaloft One. Sport and Apex have parity in nameplate thickness.
In the real world, the Apex is noticeably thicker, especially at high total bag density.

For clothing, there are no popular independent methods for assessing the temperature range.
We give data on the totality of available feedback from athletes, testers and ordinary users, averaging and sometimes reinsuring.
For example, the Inta + Inta P kit was used at temperatures down to -68 degrees as a snowmobile kit and the impressions were extremely positive, but it would not occur to me to write a rating of -68C.
The main risk in specifying the temperature range was just when switching from Primaloft One to Primaloft Sport, because I had to rely on first impressions from the prototypes and guesses about the relationship between the thermal insulation of the product and the thickness and clo. Over time, we can confidently say that it has not become colder.

With Climashield Apex and the Inta model, the logic is similar, but there is also objective evidence - En 13537 testing sleeping bags with a similar amount of insulation.
Aer -9 and Inoch -13 have 300 grams per square meter of insulation. One with Primaloft Sport insulation, the other with Climashiled Apex. The available 4 grams of difference in sleeping bags were transferred to jackets and rounded up to 5.

Advanced Primaloft® Insulation

PrimaLoft- it is a synthetic material that has high thermal insulation properties. When it was created Albany International very meticulously studied the structure of goose down and put it into the basis of the material PrimaLoft. The fibers of this insulation are very thin and look like goose down more than the fibers of any other synthetic material. It is this similarity that gives it the thermal properties of down. The thermal resistance coefficient for goose down is 2.18 and for PrimaLoft it is 2.15. This is a very high figure, because other synthetic fibers do not even come close to this value.

PrimaLoft fill has a long-fibre structure, thanks to which it restores its volume better and faster than similar materials. Even after a huge number of washes and dryers, the material does not deform. The fibers are endowed with water-repellent properties that help any liquid drain or evaporate. This ensures that PrimaLoft insulation products are always dry.

Laboratory tests have shown that PrimaLoft has exactly the same softness as goose down, and is much softer than similar thermal insulation materials. Thanks to this characteristic of the material, all products made from it take the necessary shape: clothes sit on the figure, and the blanket exclusively fits the body of a sleeping person.

Another great advantage of this material is that it breathes and allows moisture to evaporate. Its air gaps are very small for moisture to penetrate, but large in order to allow the moisture formed inside to evaporate. To keep a person warm, a small volume of PrimaLoft is enough.

It can be highly compressed, and this will not affect the quality and structure of the material. In a short period of time, the material completely returns to its original volume. According to the above parameters, PrimaLoft surpasses all its synthetic and natural counterparts. Of all the world-famous heaters, only PrimaLoft has the ability to retain moisture due to the silicone treatment of the fibers. Such insulation, in comparison with similar materials, absorbs 3 times less moisture, it is 14% warmer when dry and 24% warmer when wet.

Due to its long-fibre, down-like structure, the filling regains its volume better than other materials even after many washes and dries. The water repellency of the microfibers helps any liquid run off or evaporate, allowing the Primaloft® wearer to stay dry and warm at all times.

Scientific tests have shown that "Primaloft®" has the same softness as down and is significantly softer than other synthetic fibers. Due to the softness of this fiber, clothes made from it fit perfectly, and a blanket or sleeping bag hugs the body of the sleeper. Try the sample to the touch, and you yourself will feel how magnificent it is! This wonderful material not only repels water and retains volume when wet, it is breathable, allowing moisture to escape. Its microscopic air layers are too small for moisture to penetrate, but large enough to release moisture from the inside. A small amount of "Primaloft®" is quite enough to accumulate human heat. It can be strongly compressed, after which this material completely returns to its original volume. In these parameters, it surpasses both synthetic and natural materials.

Of the world brands - heaters, only PrimaLoft® has the property of not retaining moisture due to the silicone treatment of the fibers. As the table shows, the greater the number of fibers, the more the insulation absorbs moisture:

PrimaLoft PL1 - 75%
PrimaLoft Sport - 400%
Polarguard 3D - 500%
Thinsulate LiteLoft - 995%
MicroLoft (DuPont)-1730

Other well-known synthetic materials do not even come close to such indicators. Due to its long-fibre, down-like structure, the filling regains its volume better than other materials, even after many washes and dries. The water repellency of the microfibers helps any liquid run off or evaporate, allowing the Primaloft® wearer to stay dry and warm at all times.

Try the sample to the touch, and you yourself will feel how magnificent it is! This wonderful material not only repels water and retains volume when wet, it is breathable, allowing moisture to escape. Its microscopic air layers are too small for moisture to penetrate, but large enough to release moisture from the inside. A small volume of Primaloft® is enough to store human heat. It can be strongly compressed, after which this material completely returns to its original volume. In these parameters, it surpasses both synthetic and natural materials.

The human body has a normal temperature of 36.6 degrees Celsius but is often found in places that make it noticeably colder! PrimaLoft® retains your body heat to keep you warm and comfortable even in extreme cold.

As such, this lightweight, highly insulating, and quick-drying insulation is one of the leading insulators in the field of equipment and outerwear insulation.

There are several types of PrimaLoft insulation: Primaloft® One- this is one of the best insulating (insulating) materials. It is created using microfiber technology, the closest in performance to natural down in terms of structural, thermal and tactile characteristics. It is the only fill in which each fiber has a permanent, water resistant treatment.

Very thin fibers are specially processed using patented technologies and then woven to form an incredibly soft, lightweight and moisture-proof insulation.
PrimaLoft ®One absorbs 3x less water, is 14% warmer dry and 24% warmer wet than other materials.

PrimaLoft® Sport- high-quality insulation made using technologies that combine ultra-thin fibers and fibers with a variable diameter for maximum high thermal insulation efficiency. PrimaLoft® Sport - The technology behind PrimaLoft® Sport combines ultra-fine and variable diameter fibers to achieve these characteristics. Specially processed ultra-fine fibers provide a water-repellent structure, while variable diameter fibers help shape the material.

If your desire for a great weekend is to spend it in nature, PrimaLoft ® Sport allows you to feel comfortable, like you are at home, even when it gets wet.

PrimaLoft Eco- the heater created for fans of ecological materials. It is made from 50% recycled ultra-fine fibers and standard PrimaLoft fibers. In combination, the fibers create an effective heat-insulating and moisture-resistant structure. Clothing made with PrimaLoft Eco will keep its wearers dry, warm and comfortable.

PrimaLoft SYNERGY is an advanced thermal insulation material, which is created on the basis of weaving fine and ultra-thin fibers and combining them into a single thread. The insulation has excellent thermal insulation characteristics. PrimaLoft SYNERGY is a moisture resistant material used in the manufacture of sleeping bags and outerwear.