Water column in ski clothing
Ski clothing must keep the athlete warm in extreme weather conditions and must therefore be absolutely waterproof. The water column shows how long the functional clothing can withstand the water.
A so-called water column is shown on ski clothing. This oddly technical sounding term refers to how waterproof the fabric used is.
The tightness can be recognized by the water column
- The water column is measured in millimeters and stands for the water pressure that is required to penetrate the fabric with water. A high water column therefore means greater water resistance.
- From a water column of 1300 mm, a fabric is called waterproof, even if that is not a particularly high value. This value is not sufficient for ski clothing, which is subject to enormous strain. A water column of 8,000 mm is essential; for extreme applications, water columns of over 12,000 mm are recommended.
- The water column gives you an impression of the value of your ski equipment. In order for the clothing to be really waterproof, however, the processing also plays a major role. The seams must be sealed accordingly, i.e. glued or welded.
Weatherproof only with the right ski clothing
- If you only go on the slopes when the sun is shining, the ski jacket does not have to have a particularly high water column. The situation is different with ski pants, however, because you don't just want to ride with them, you want to sit too. If you want to sit on a wet surface, for example in a chair lift, the fabric should be particularly dense.
- In addition to waterproofness, breathability also plays a major role. The sweat that forms on the body during exercise must ultimately be able to evaporate, otherwise there will be no water can penetrate from the outside, but moisture collects under the clothing, which freezes the athlete leaves.
- The higher the water column, i.e. the denser a fabric, the lower the breathability. At the same time, however, the fabric will hold tight for a longer period of time.
What does water column 2000 mm mean?
The unit of measurement water column is only used today for special information, it ...
Fabrics with a low water column are also waterproof, but only for a short period of time. They are not suitable for use as ski clothing.
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