Primaloft Black technology. Which insulation is better: Primaloft or Climashield? primaloft technology

Primaloft is a new synthetic material with excellent thermal insulation properties. Light and warm, it is durable, resistant to compression, well breathable and does not absorb moisture.

Primaloft One It is used as a heater for urban clothing and clothing for outdoor activities.

Primaloft Sport is used in the production of clothing designed for extreme conditions.

PrimaLoft Yarn® threads are an optimal blend of PrimaLoft® fibers and soft lambswool. This combination makes this thread ideal for outdoor garments where maximum functionality and comfort are important. PrimaLoft Yarn® fibers are half the diameter of regular cashmere fibers. This gives the threads a special softness. PrimaLoft Yarn® absorbs moisture 2x faster than sheep's wool(NCSU vertical soak test method)! PrimaLoft Yarn® dries up to 30% faster than sheep's wool (drying rate measured using ASTM D1776)! The hydrophobic properties of PrimaLoft® fiber combined with the hydrophilic properties of wool form a "force field" that pulls moisture away from the surface of the skin and pushes it to the surface of the fabric. The result is a perfect moisture wicking system to keep you dry and comfortable.

Synthetic insulation "Primaloft®" was developed by order of the US Army, which was looking for a replacement for down for sleeping bags and military clothing. As a result research work lasting three years, Albany International registered the "Primaloft®" brand. Studies have shown that the new material has hygienic properties that are superior to traditional down.

When creating "Primaloft®", the structure of goose down microfibers was carefully studied and copied, which determined the thermal properties of the new fiber. Factor thermal resistance for down is 2.18, and for "Primaloft®" - 2.15. Most other synthetic fibers are twenty times thicker and retain heat less than Primaloft® fiber. Other notable synthetic materials don't even come close to that.

Primaloft filler allows moisture to evaporate. Its microscopic air layers are too small for moisture to penetrate, but large enough to release evaporation from the inside.

The filler returns its volume better than other materials, even after repeated washing and drying. It can be strongly compressed, after which this material completely returns to its original volume.

A small amount of "Primaloft®" is enough to accumulate human heat.

According to www.prestigeokna.ru/

Over the past few years, the outdoor clothing market has experienced a real boom in the emergence of new insulation technologies. In autumn 2013, the first products from Polartec Alpha, in the winter of 2013-2014 - items from the company appeared in stores The North Face with insulation Primaloft Thermoball, and companies 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.

Polartec® Alpha

Unlike other manufacturers of insulation and technological fabrics, Polartec approached the price crisis for down raw materials fully armed. Latest Material Polartec Alpha was developed for military special forces in accordance with the requirements of the Main Directorate of Troops special purpose The U.S. Department of Defense (U.S. Special Operations Forces - SOF) long before its announcement on the civilian market in 2012. The first products with its use appeared in September 2013 from companies 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, the leader was Polartec Alpha.

While 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 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 most moisture-wicking lining material. Like Power Shield® High Loft, insulation Alpha is a wear-resistant long-fiber fleece, with the only difference that it is not laminated on 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.

Added to this is a very flexible approach. Polartec in relation to manufacturers - they will be able to choose the facial fabric on their own, from ultra-light materials such as Pertex, before softshell. All this determined the main scope of the material. Polartec Alpha- jackets used as an intermediate or top layer of clothing. The compromise in this decision was the ratio of heat / weight. According to most testers and outdoor publications, this Alpha still inferior to down and the latest development from Primaloft - Thermoball.

Polartec Alpha - Marmot Isotherm Hoody jacket, Rab Strata jacket and vest.

Primaloft® Thermoball™

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

As in the case with Primaloft One, the developers have placed special emphasis on maintaining heat-insulating properties Thermoball when wet, which was confirmed by numerous tests in the field. Particularly distinguished tester Sean McCoy- the editor of the resource gearjunkie.com, thoroughly wetting his jacket ThermoBall Full Zip Jacket and went for a walk in it at an air temperature just below zero. new material passed the test with brilliance, surprising even such a sophisticated user. The editors of the Outside magazine also came to a high assessment, naming Thermoball"The most thermally insulating synthetic insulation they've ever tested."

Examples of products using Primaloft Thermoball– jackets and vests The North Face Thermoball Full Zip, bivouac and urban TNF shoes, which previously used 600 F.P. down.

Primaloft Down Blend

Despite the obvious successes in the field of improving synthetic insulation, they do not want to refuse the use of fluff even in Primaloft Inc.. 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. Creation Primaloft Down Blend 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 holding maximum amount air between fibers. In addition to this, the down is treated with a water-repellent composition. These measures made it possible to reduce the cost of hybrid insulation without loss of quality, to provide acceptable thermal insulation properties wet mixture, as well as increase the speed of its drying in comparison with ordinary fluff by 4 times!

PrimaLoft ® Performance Down is available in two versions:

– PrimaLoft Gold Insulations Down Blend- Goose down 70% (feather down 90/10) - synthetic fibers 30%. 1.23 ClO dry versus 1.18 CLO wet.
– PrimaLoft Silver Insulation 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.

Examples of products using Primaloft Down Blend- jacket Black Diamond Hot Forge(available spring 2015), jacket Adidas Outdoor Terrex Climaheat Ice Jacket.

"Infrared" insulation

PrimaLoft Kodenshi

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

The experts closest to realizing this idea came from Picture Organic, a French manufacturer of eco-friendly clothing for skiers and snowboarders, with technology BioCeramic– the ceramic particles contained in the membrane material accumulate heat and slowly radiate it to the user 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 a young manufacturer of premium ski clothing mountain force. Their exclusive development Ceramic Membrane It has high thermal insulation properties, which makes it possible 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 have been used, by the way, for several years and in Primaloft. Their insulation Primaloft Ceramic and PrimaLoft Kodenshi made with the addition of ceramic microfibers to help reflect heat back to the body. Such a heater is much more efficient. Its main consumer is the company Goldwin. However, now you can also find products from other brands using PrimaLoft Kodenshi. Among them Black Diamond and Reusch using insulation in ski gloves and mittens.

Elasticity. With regard to heaters, this is the ability to restore the original structure, in fact, the volume. The structure of synthetic fibers most often recovers faster than down. This is partly why in down jackets it is not uncommon to make inserts with synthetic insulation in the shoulder area and on the sides of the jacket, where there is the most pressure.

But despite technological advances, the best insulation there is still fluff left. 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. goose down high degree cleaning has high Fill Power and is optimal in terms of price-quality ratio.

The review was prepared by store specialists

Filler for clothes and Primaloft equipment meets the high requirements of the consumer, because it is guaranteed to protect from the cold and does not allow you to experience discomfort due to the peculiarities of the structure. The material is used for warming jackets, suits, overalls for autumn and winter, and is also used in the production of blankets.

Description

When developing fibers for Primaloft insulation, we used Hi-tech, which made it possible to bring the characteristics of the filler closer to the properties of natural fluff. The fibers of the material undergo a waterproof treatment, so the Primaloft insulation is optimally suited for autumn clothes that do not swell in light rain and sleet.

During processing, the fibers are intertwined, and a light, but reliably protecting material from dampness and cold is formed. Compared to its peers, Primaloft is 14-15% warmer when dry and 24-25% more insulating when wet, while the water absorption of the filler is 300% less compared to competitors in the insulation market.

If you trust the mean testing numbers, then the Primaloft filler has a CTC of 2.15, and the standard among heaters, goose down, is 2.18. This is the minimum possible difference and no other synthetic materials for clothing insulation show such figures.

Advantages

The advantages of this brand of insulation over competitors are obvious, here are the main ones:

1. Quickly restores volume due to the long-fiber structure,
2. Does not deform when worn outerwear,
3. Possesses the increased water-repellent qualities,
4. Differs in high heat-shielding properties,
5. Meets environmental standards
6. Lets air through.

Clothing with Primaloft insulation perfectly “sits down” on the figure and does not change shape during wear, and blankets with filler do not stray and fit the human body well. A winter jacket with Primaloft insulation will reliably protect against the vagaries of winter and will not turn into a shapeless bag after several months of wear, and the blanket will retain body heat and will not create discomfort that can cause insomnia.

Compliance with environmental standards allows the use of filler for warming children's clothing, as well as outerwear and blankets for people with allergies. Primaloft blankets, jackets and suits literally breathe, while maintaining high thermal insulation properties.

The softness of the insulation corresponds to the softness of goose down and is 20-50% superior to other synthetic analogues. If the material is compressed, it will 100% restore its shape in a few minutes. This is achieved due to the elasticity of the fibers and the peculiarities of the structure of their weave. The silicone treatment of the fiber does not allow the material to retain moisture, which means that a beneficial environment for the growth of bacteria is not created in the filler. Compared to filler manufactured under the Thinsulate LiteLoft brand, Primaloft brand PL1 retains 1200-1300% less moisture.

Classification

Primaloft insulation is available in the following types:

1. sport,
2. infinity,
3. Yarn.

The most common brand is One, in which the fibers have a waterproof treatment. This type of filler is used for all types of outerwear, filling blankets, sleeping bags, gloves and even shoe insulation. The Sport brand is used for tracksuits (professional sports, outdoor activities). The fibers have a variable diameter, so the insulation has a long service life and an increased level of thermal protection.

The Eco brand stands for compliance with strict environmental standards, and Yarn is the softest synthetic filling for clothing, the softness of which is achieved through minimum thickness fibers.

Care

The care requirements for sleeping bags, suits and other clothing filled with Primaloft are standard for synthetic insulation. For machine wash choose a delicate mode at temperatures up to 40 degrees. Spinning is possible only at the minimum speed of the drum, steaming and dry cleaning are prohibited.

It is possible to iron products with insulation, but with minimal heating of the iron and without its direct contact with the filler (through the top fabric).

There are a large number of heaters that are used as a filler for winter jackets and other products. best performance endowed with goose down, but its cost is very high, and in terms of care, it is quite picky. Only one can compare with such natural insulation artificial material Primaloft. Only it has a fiber structure very similar to down, has almost identical indicators in heat retention and moisture resistance. And how to wash Primaloft, so as not to spoil the inherent characteristics?

Primaloft is the only man-made fiber that is very similar in basic characteristics to goose down, a special permanent treatment against moisture is not washed off throughout the entire use of the product. This allows you to clean jackets and other goods with such a filler by ordinary washing, both by hand and in an automatic machine.

In order to qualitatively clean products with this type of filler, you should know some rules:

• Like any synthetic fibers, washing is carried out at a temperature not exceeding 40 degrees.
• The use of powdered detergents is not welcome.
• The use of bleach is strictly prohibited.
• Places with strong pollution are pre-washed, it is not necessary to use a stain remover. It is enough to process the sleeves, the collar, the area around the pockets laundry soap.
• It is better to wash with liquid detergents, they are better washed out of the fibers and do not clog the holes between them.
• When washing by hand, you can’t unscrew the products, you can simply drive off the water with your hands and let the excess moisture drain on your own.

Pre-soaking of the product is allowed, it is carried out in warm water with the addition of laundry soap.

Preparatory process

Before washing, it is necessary to carry out some preparatory work. This is necessary so that the product is not damaged or deformed.

To do this, it is advisable to remove or wrap all fittings that do not fit tightly to the product.

The cleaning process is preferably carried out after the label with recommendations from the manufacturer has been studied. It clearly indicates at what temperature to wash, what products to use, how to remove stains.

Before washing, be sure to check the pockets, pull out all the contents from them.

Zippers and buttons are carefully fastened, it is desirable to unfasten the buttons on the contrary.

Handwash

For manual cleaning you need large capacity with water, a bathroom is best suited for these purposes. The purification process is carried out as follows:

• Dissolve in warm water required amount detergent, place the product.
• Strong pollution is additionally treated with laundry soap, for very strong, you can use a soft brush.
• Leave the product in the water for a while.
• Pull out the thing and let the water drain a little.
• They drive off excess water.
• Rinse in several waters.
• Let the water drain, but do not twist

Cleaning in the washing machine

Washing machine complete the task faster and better. Cleaning a product with Primaloft as a filler consists of the following steps:

• The prepared product with the stains removed is loaded into the drum.
• Set the delicate washing mode at a temperature not exceeding 40 degrees.
• Spin rates should be around 600 rpm.
• Liquid detergent is poured into the powder compartment.
• They start the car.

Then for some time you can go about your business, when it comes to rinsing it is better to be present. It is advisable to set an additional rinse and add conditioner to the water at the second. This little trick will help get rid of electrification, save volume, and allow the product to dry faster.

Drying

We figured out how to wash Primaloft, but how to dry it in order to maintain a presentable appearance of the product? Like other synthetic insulations, Primaloft can go astray if it is simply hung on a clothesline, color lining can fade in direct sunlight, white can turn yellow.

In order for the product to retain all its parameters, it is advisable to dry it in a horizontal position, away from direct sunlight and heating appliances, including electric heaters. The prostrate Primaloft will release moisture faster, while there will be no creases and folds on the product.

Washing Primaloft is identical to the cleaning procedures of any artificial fiber. If you follow the instructions exactly, then the product will please you with excellent results for a long time. appearance and retain their warming properties.

PrimaLoft® Sport is a high-quality insulation made with technologies that combine ultra-fine and variable diameter fibers for maximum high efficiency thermal insulation.

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.

When creating Primaloft®, Albany Interional carefully studied the structure of goose down microfibers and copied it. The ultra-fine fibers of this material are similar to the structure of goose down fibers more than any other synthetic fiber. The similarity to goose down gives this fiber the thermal properties of down. The thermal resistance factor for down is 2.18 and for "Primaloft" 2.15. 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-repellent properties of the microfibers help 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 can be seen from the table, than more number fibers, the more the insulation absorbs moisture:

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