
6 April 2018
FREE shipping on orders over R500
The key to keeping comfortable in all sorts of weather conditions is knowing how to layer outdoor clothes.
Technical outdoor clothing can keep you dry from perspiration and warm even when it’s wet. Special chemical coatings that don’t absorb water can also keep you dry in heavy rain. Each layer has its own special function and can be removed or added as needed.
This is always worn right next to your skin. Its main function is to regulate your body heat and wick moisture away from your skin. These are also ideal on their own for aerobic activity or warm days.
Depending on weather conditions, you could use any of the following three types of clothing as your base layer:
Thermals are worn underneath a Moisture Manager in colder weather conditions. These will keep your body dry from perspiration while the Moisture Manager keeps the thermals dry. Both retain body heat even when wet.
The K-Way Explorer range consists of various shirts, trousers, shorts and hats.
These are extremely lightweight and folds away small. The fabric used is hydrophobic, so it dries very fast. Some have a special coating that stops it from getting wet and a UVF factor provides protection against sunburn.
The function of your mid-layer is to trap the warmth your body generates. It should wick moisture away from your base layer, dry very quickly, have some resistance to wind penetration and also trap body heat effectively.
These trap body heat better than the lightweight fleece. They don’t dry quite as fast as lightweight fleeces, but can retain warmth even when wet and will still keep the body dry from perspiration. The fibres are more tightly woven together and allow for improved wind resistance.
These are designed to capture the maximum amount of heat. They will still dry fairly quickly, resist wind and allow vapour to permeate. However, heavyweight fleeces are bulky and take up more space in a backpack.
Softshell garments rely on a DWR (durable water resistant) coating on the outside of the fabric to keep them water resistant. Softshell garments are very versatile and can be worn as a mid or outer layer.
One softshell layer:
One softshell layer with a fleece layer bonded to the inside:
One softshell layer and one fleece layer with a special layer bonded in between them. This makes the jacket stronger, which will make it last longer if properly cared for.
This is also called the shell and is usually a protective layer that is both windproof and waterproof. Hardshells feature fabric that has been laminated to waterproof membranes or microporous coatings. Hardshells are generally more waterproof and windproof than softshells, but sacrifice some breathability.
These shell jackets are designed to be extremely lightweight. They can also be used for high-perspiration activities.
These shells are designed to withstand almost any weather conditions.
Social sharing