The standardized test that outfitters use to measure waterproofness is relatively simple: a 1 x 1-inch column of water is filled over a piece of fabric until it penetrates that fabric. At that point, the height of the water column is measured in millimeters, and that becomes the fabric’s waterproof rating. Five thousand millimeters is reasonably waterproof, 20,000 is blizzard-proof. Vollebak just revealed a jacket that hit 43,000.
The brand calls it the 100 Year Jacket and the idea is that it’ll last you for your entire life — Vollebak has a whole 100 Year collection dedicated to this end. It used a fabric made by a Swiss supplier that easily passed another lab test (it’s called the Martindale abrasion test, and it involves a mechanical thumb). And don’t worry about the jacket turning into a sweatbox. Vollebak claims it’s breathable.
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