Spot the difference: GORE-TEX, Apex, Terrex, Arc'teryx, Textil and Txikon
Mammut: Rainspeed Ultralight HS Jacket
‘We love this piece’ is what the jury of the OutDoor Award have to say. These guys know what they’re talking about because we can’t help but agree. The completely new laminate from the GORE-TEX Active range from this moment on will be fitted with countless innovations and used by brands with a taste for speed. One of these brands is Dynafit, which truly embodies the concept of ‘fast and light’ solutions. It has found the perfect partner with the new material as, just like all other GORE-TEX materials, it’s 100% waterproof, super light, and extremely breathable. The cherry on the cake? The water simply rolls off thanks to its permanent beading surface which doesn’t need any treatment or magic trick! Find out more
here.
The North Face (TNF): Apex
I stumbled upon the exact opposite clothing solution when browsing the stalls of TNF, but that didn’t make it any less interesting. Its name is Apex. Uhm. I dubbed it: normal; or better said, not too eccentric or garish. The Apex jackets feel great when worn, especially if you know they’re all waterproof, breathable GORE-TEX clothing. A double laminate and the inner padding create a soft and haptic feeling similar to a softshell. However, the Apex is a hardshell through and through developed in cooperation with Gore.
Trango World: Alex Txikon, Tamara Lunger and the Nanga Parbat
Saying the name of this Spanish brand in Germany and speaking double Dutch is practically the same thing, as few people know about it in the country. Let me set things straight. I spoke with Alex Txikon during the fair and, no, that’s no typo: the second ‘x’ belongs there, too. Alex, together with Ali Sadpara and Simone Moro, was part of a team who first attempted – and succeeded – a
winter ascent of the Nanga Parbat in 2016. GORE-TEX athlete Tamara Lunger was also there but had to turn around shortly before the summit. Tamara and Alex reunited at the fair, joined by another legendary figure: Edurne Pasaban, the first woman who climbed all eight-thousanders and who, like Alex, comes from the Basque Country. What else can I say? We had a blast that evening with Tamara and the Basques. Believe you me, they’re exceptional people both when they’ve got their feet firmly planted on the ground and when climbing an eight-thousander. Oh, incidentally, that’s when I also heard about Trango World, as it’s Alex’s main sponsor and brand partner of GORE-TEX.
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Arc'teryx Blazer
Another well-known GORE-TEX material manufacturer hails all the way from Canada and is called Arc'teryx. This brand never disappoints, surprising customers with innovative highlights every season. This time round, my attention was grabbed not by a garish piece of mountain clothing, but by a very urban, stylish blazer. A blazer using a GORE-TEX laminate which even passed the compulsory
‘rain tower test’ , despite its lack of zipper on the front. Indeed, you can still close the blazer all the way up, ensuring you get to that important business meeting without looking like a drowned rat. I would have bought this stunning piece in a flash, weren’t it for the fact they’ve only released one for the women’s collection for now.
For those with their feet on the… mountain
Adidas: Terrex Fast Mid GTX Surround
Shoes are a big thing at the OutDoor Show, and in the industry overall. GORE-TEX succeeded in seizing a generous share with its SURROUND® technology. Who wants to give up on waterproof shoes if you can also ensure maximum comfort and a pleasant environment for your feet? For the first time in its history, Adidas and its Terrex Fast Mid GTX Surround model (what a mouthful!) offer a shoe relying on this extremely breathable solution.
Lowa: Approach Pro GTX
You can do without GORE-TEX SURROUND® thanks to Lowa’s approach shoes. This being said, the Approach Pro GTX still retains a GORE-TEX feature: after all, you don’t want to get soggy feet first thing in the morning when walking upon dew-wet grass or across snowy fields. The OutDoor jury gave an award to this model for its innovative Double Speedlacing system for individual adjustments in two different zones simultaneously.
Adrenaline rush when hooking, cruising, and running
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Red Chili: Cruzer and Voltage
‘Go for that one!’, said Stefan Glowacz as I confidently picked up the exotic-looking Cruzer. These new climbing shoes feature a screw top, replacing the traditional shoelace and Velcro. The shoes’ aim is to offer absolute comfort in the climbing gym and on long routes. Hard-core climbers and boulderers, however, prefer the Voltage. Stefan proudly shows me the high-end part. A new downturn last, rubber toes and, as hinted by its name, plenty of tension, making the Voltage the perfect weapon for steep terrain.
Salomon: S-Lab X Alp Carbon 2 GTX
Spot the difference: the S-Lab X Alp Carbon 2 GTX use the same design of the S Lab XA Alpine. The latter are trail running boots, the former an ideal pair for lovers of everything high mountain. They feature a waterproof GORE-TEX gaiter, a carbon insole and edging chassis which is also very flexible. The boots are also crampon compatible, just pay attention to your ankles! It may resemble a boot and be waterproof, but it’s actually a shoe. Crossing glaciers won’t be a problem as long as you stabilise the ankle joint. The target market of this boot can look forward to this model, that’s for sure. Maybe even someone the likes of Kilian Jornet was the mind behind its design?
GORE-TEX Feel Good Lounge
What’s better than a refreshing drink after a scorching day? Good thing the outdoor ‘GORE-TEX Lounge’ had some great cocktails. And some artificial beach-like areas, to boot! No biggie, you say? Allow me to quote Wilhelm Busch then, who said: ‘Happiness can often be found by paying attention to the small things in life, whereas neglecting them will lead to sadness.’ Talk about getting deep and philosophical at the end of the day – but you shouldn’t feel too guilty about it, and just revel in sipping your ‘Surround’ cocktail (rum, lime, sugar syrup, peppermint, soda, ice).
Let’s get our facts straight: clothing, shoes, and summer cocktails aren’t the be all and end all. When you’re out and about you should always carry a rucksack, a sleeping sack, and a knife for good measure. Let’s not even talk about climbing, where you need even more gear! Fear not, for we’ll give you an overview of all these products in the
second part of our selection from the OutDoor Show!
