What is a Softshell fabric?
The softshell fabric is a high-tech fabric combining 3 materials: a breathable and windproof membrane sandwiched between the water repellent outer layer and the warm and comfortable fleece inner layer. The properties of this high-tech material gives you thermal comfort, breathability, lightness and ease of movement.
What are the fabric's water repellent properties?
Your 500 men's softshell is made water repellent by applying a treatment to its outer surface. This treatment causes water to slide over the surface of the fabric without soaking in. This prevents the fabric from swelling with water and keeps it lightweight. This treatment must be renewed several times throughout the product's lifetime. Water-repellent treatment products are available in our stores.
What is breathability and the RET index?
The breathability of your 500 men's softshell corresponds to its ability to let perspiration generated by the body escape. It is measured by its Resistance to Evaporative Transfer (ISO 11092 standard) and has a RET value of 6. The RET is a resistance index; the lower the value, the greater the breathability of the fabric. RET between 6 and 9: extremely breathable, between 10 and 13: very breathable, between 14 and 17: breathable, between 18 and 20: not very breathable, over 20: not breathable.
What is the Clo index?
The clo is the scale that measures the thermal resistance of your 500 men's softshell. During the test, your technical garment's fabric is exposed to a temperature close to body temperature and a controlled outside temperature. The clo index reflects the ability of your 500 men's softshell to retain your body heat inside the garment. The greater the clo index, the better the technical fabric will retain your body heat.
How important is windproofing?
Protection from the wind is critical, as wind can chill the body significantly whether you are active or at rest. According to the windchill model, which measures how the air temperature feels when factoring in the wind and cold: at a temperature of 41°F combined with winds of 19 mph, the temperature felt will be 32°F. If the air temperature is 32°F and wind speed is 19 mph, the temperature felt will be 21°F. The materials used in our products help to counter the windchill effect.
