What is GORE-TEX® and how does it work?
GORE-TEX® is a breathable waterproof laminate that is used in outdoor apparel like snowboarding and skiing jackets, and is guaranteed to keep you dry. GORE-TEX membranes are made from expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE), and more recently, expanded polyethylene (ePE), both of which act like a one-way street, allowing sweat vapor to escape from inside your jacket while preventing liquid water (rain, sleet, and snow) to enter from the outside. GORE-TEX is flexible and durable, making it the membrane of choice for high-end technical clothing and outerwear like the Burton [ak]® Collection.
If you’ve ever asked yourself “What is GORE-TEX?” or “How does GORE-TEX actually work?” then you’ve come to the right place. We sat down with Burton’s technical softgoods designers to compile answers to the most common GORE-TEX questions that the Burton Guides have received over the years. It’s time to sit back, relax, and get schooled.
What is GORE-TEX®?
GORE-TEX is an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) or expanded polyethylene (ePE) breathable membrane used in high-quality outerwear. GORE-TEX membranes are semi-permeable which means they can allow sweat vapor to escape via billions of microscopic pores, 9-billion per square-inch to be exact. But because these pores are 20,000-times smaller than a water droplet, liquid water, snow, and sleet physically cannot enter. Bottom line: GORE-TEX will keep you dry and comfortable.
GORE-TEX membranes are primarily designed to keep rain and snow out while allowing your sweat to escape. However, GORE-TEX also has the added benefit of being highly wind-resistant, making jackets constructed with GORE-TEX excellent windbreakers and an invaluable piece of gear for any outdoor activity where inclement weather might otherwise send you home.
GORE-TEX History
GORE-TEX waterproof breathable fabric was created in 1969 by Bob Gore, the son of a Dupont chemical engineer. Not long after patenting his invention in 1970, commercial orders of GORE-TEX began shipping out to innovators who have put the material to use in everything from outerwear to industrial and medical applications.
Today, W.L. Gore & Associates, the company behind Goretex products, makes a variety of different materials including GORE-TEX PRO, GORE-TEX PACLITE®, and GORE-TEX INFINIUM™ WINDSTOPPER®, to name a few. Their range of materials are available with different weights, packability, and performance characteristics, giving outdoor enthusiasts the ability to dial in their kit to match the conditions of the environment perfectly.
Most recently (2023), W.L. Gore has begun introducing a non-fluorinated version of GORE-TEX that is made using expanded polyethylene (ePE). This new membrane composition is part of Gore’s goal of moving to a PFC-free product line. Ultimately, this will help reduce the carbon footprint and long-term impacts that fluorinated substances can have on people and planet.
W.L. Gore’s team of engineers often work directly with apparel manufacturers, like Burton, to co-design Goretex jackets, using material combinations that are guaranteed to keep you dry and comfortable in the outdoors.
Pro tip: Watch Celebrating 50 Years of ePTFE for the inside scoop on Gore’s history and check out the future of waterproof membranes with the new GORE-TEX ePE membranes which are free from fluorinated substances.
How does GORE-TEX work?
GORE-TEX works by blocking rain, snow, and sleet from getting you wet while remaining breathable so that your sweat vapor can escape. But GORE-TEX is just one part of what makes a waterproof breathable jacket function properly. To understand how GORE-TEX works, you also need to know how the other layers of a multi-layer jacket work together to keep you dry and comfortable.
Waterproof breathable GORE-TEX jackets are described as being either 2-layer GORE-TEX (GORE-TEX PACLITE PLUS®), 2.5-layer GORE-TEX (GORE-TEX PACLITE), or 3-layer GORE-TEX (GORE-TEX PRO). For example, 3-layer GORE-TEX jackets are made from a backing fabric, the GORE-TEX membrane, and an outer face fabric, with each of these layers having a specific purpose.
- Backing Fabric: The backing fabric is the inner-most layer of a 3-layer jacket and is designed to help wick sweat away from the skin, make the jacket more comfortable for the user (versus having the membrane directly against your skin), and protect the GORE-TEX membrane from abrasion. The wicking action of the backing fabric pulls sweat towards the GORE-TEX membrane where it can exit through microscopic pores. In 2.5-layer jackets, the backing layer is not fabric but instead it’s a raised grid or pattern (or in the case of PACLITE PLUS, a special coating) that is applied directly on the GORE-TEX membrane to protect it from abrasion. In 2-layer jackets, there is no grid or fabric backing layer, but there is often a floating mesh liner to prevent the GORE-TEX membrane from contacting the skin directly.
- GORE-TEX Membrane: The middle layer, the GORE-TEX membrane, is where the magic happens. GORE-TEX allows sweat vapor to escape through its microscopic holes while preventing rain and snow from entering. In scientific terms, the heat and moisture that your body generates during physical activity creates a partial pressure gradient that helps to transport your sweat through the GORE-TEX membrane. The warm, moist air inside the jacket wants to equalize with the drier, or cooler air outside the jacket. For a more detailed explanation, check out more from GORE-TEX.
- Face Fabric: The garment’s face fabric is the final outer layer and is generally made from a synthetic material like polyester or nylon that acts as a first line of defense against precipitation as well as providing physical protection from sharp and abrasive things like rocks, branches, and ice. The face fabric of GORE-TEX outerwear is treated with a durable water-repellent finish, often referred to as DWR. This chemical application increases the contact angle between water and the fabric of your jacket, which in turn helps water bead up and roll off instead of being absorbed. You can easily test the DWR treatment on a GORE-TEX garment by holding the sleeve under your kitchen faucet. If the water rolls right off the fabric without being absorbed, the DWR layer is intact and doing its job.
Pro tip: With consistent use, it’s normal for the DWR treatment on GORE-TEX outerwear to wear off, leading to “wetting out” where the fabric will appear saturated. This can cause a reduction in breathability, but don’t worry, the GORE-TEX is fine. Your jacket just needs to be washed and re-waterproofed (new DWR applied at home) for the best performance. Check out How to Waterproof a Jacket & Other Outerwear Maintenance to learn how.
Why does Burton use GORE-TEX?
As the company that invented and pioneered the use of waterproof breathable membranes in waterproof breathable clothing, W.L. Gore and Associates has a long and successful track record. Their expertise comes from first-hand knowledge in designing their own apparel, and from working together with other leading outerwear manufacturers to produce fabric laminates for a wide variety of outdoor activities.
Burton uses GORE-TEX widely across our outerwear because it is an industry-leading product that is guaranteed to keep you dry. For snowboarders, skiers, and outdoor enthusiasts, this standard helps us ensure that you’ll be comfortable while using our gear, whether you’re lapping the resort, skinning in the backcountry, backpacking, biking, or surviving the winter months in the Pacific Northwest.
