Ask me and I will tell you no lies

• Posted on February 25, 2009 at 6:07 PM
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One of the things I love best about my job as a gear editor is that I'm always learning new things. Another is that I can offer advice that, I hope anyway, is helpful.

For instance, today I was chatting with a friend about what kind of jacket he should get. We were talking about the merits of different waterproof and breathable fabrics, Gore Tex, eVent and some proprietary ones like The North Face's HyVent. I had a hang tag from eVent and so I grabbed it to show him what made it different from the others. Basically that it has no oil fighting coating on the inside of the jacket, making it more breathable. Oil from our skin ruins the waterproofing of most jackets, so manufacturers layer the inside of the jacket or pants with an oil hating substance (poly urethane) or a physical barrier (mesh). They either add weight or reduce breathability. eVent, a fabric developed by GE, is naturally oil hating and so it doesn't need a barrier of any kind.

But that doesn't mean oil doesn't affect eVent performance over time. Eventually it does and so on their hang tags eVent encourages frequent washing. I've always resisted washing my jackets and pants too often because it tends to remove the durable waterproof coating from the outside of the jacket. But today I learned that clean gear works better. It's good info to know if you want your gear to work as well as it should.

This lesson also inspired me to offer up my knowledge and research skills to you. If you've got questions about anything outdoor gear related – from how to break in your climbing shoes to what ski pants I recommend to what your Uncle Harry would want for his birthday – shoot me a message with your question and I'll get you the best answer I can.