Sometimes it’s the only option.
The wildlife photographer lying face down in the snow for hours, waiting for that perfect moment. The search-and-rescue team tromping through the forest looking for a missing person in thigh-deep snowdrifts. Or even just the weekend warrior looking to spend a few hours on the slope. All of them need a reliable way to stay warm and dry.
Some coats can do that, but can they breathe, too? Do they give your perspiration an exit hatch? Because if not, you’ve got a moisture problem on both sides of the material.
That was the brilliance of Gore-Tex from the start. Sure, their rain jackets could block out the cold. But the real marvel was how they allowed sweat vapours to easily escape through its porous structure. This eliminated the clammy skin that results from activities like ice climbing or snowboarding, allowing people to not only be warm but also comfortable. Sometimes that meant the difference between life and death.
But at what cost?
The new Nalgene
First it happened to the Nalgene bottle.
The seemingly indestructible and cleverly designed water containers, which were all the rage amongst hikers, outdoor enthusiasts and just about everybody during the ’90s and early 2000s, were knocked off their cultural perch when academic studies were released asserting the bottles were leaching a dangerous chemical.
In 2007, Mountain Equipment Co-op pulled all the bottles from its shelves, replacing them with BPA-free alternatives, and many other stores soon followed suit. Even though the science involved was controversial and inconclusive, the once-ubiquitous bottles were suddenly relegated to the dustheap of history, unable to regain the company’s prominence during the following decades.
Now the same thing is occurring with Gore-Tex, the popular waterproofing material and high-end outdoor brand. Following court decisions in the U.S., chemicals used in the once-beloved product—perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl, or PFAs—are now being banned across North America. The company has pulled its affected products from store shelves, promising to redesign and rebrand, but the damage has largely been done.
Is it possible this is the end of Gore-Tex as we know it?
Raincoats and moon missions
To understand the Gore-Tex story, first you have to understand the name refers to multiple things.
Gore-Tex refers to the products themselves, primarily expensive, high-end jackets, and has become as synonymous with “waterproof coat” as Kleenex is with tissue paper. It’s also the name of the company, of course, but mostly it refers to a patented material created more than 50 years ago.
First invented in 1969 by William and Robert Gore, this fabric membrane is constructed from something called polytetrafluoroethylene (PFTE) that allows vapours to pass through its pores while keeping water out. It went commercial in 1976, and their fabrics were even used during NASA’s first mission to the moon. Their success was similarly meteoric.
If you visit the Gore-Tex website, you will see they also manufacture gloves, hats, socks and footwear, and break their outerwear offerings into categories based on use: snowboarding/skiing, hiking, running and everyday. They team up with brands such as Arc’teryx, Ecco and Mammut, and are constantly introducing innovative new technologies such as their recent Invisible Fit running shoes.
Their early motto: “Guaranteed to keep you dry.”
In Whistler, Gore-Tex has been the first choice for outdoor professionals working in the elements for many years, whether in search-and-rescue, mountain guiding or avalanche management. Though their coats are significantly more expensive than much of their competition, Gore-Tex earned a loyal following in the Sea to Sky corridor and became ubiquitous on the chairlifts.
It’s almost like it was too good to be true.
What are PFAs?
Basically, Gore-Tex jackets were reliably the best raincoats around for a long time, but the waterproofing came with a cost: they were treated with a class of water and stain-resistant “forever chemicals” commonly referred to as PFAs, and that eventually drew the attention and condemnation of environmental advocates worldwide.
Not only do PFAs take a thousand years or longer to break down—the attribute that earned them their nickname—but they also pose serious health concerns for humans. These chemicals are present in a huge range of consumer products, all of them impacted by the coming bans, including nonstick cookware, eye makeup and stain-resistant carpets.
As awareness about these chemicals has grown, lawsuits have followed. The company is currently struggling to do damage control, rolling out alternative materials and fabrics, but their image is now sporting a pretty serious black eye.
“PFTE is a fluoropolymer. Fluoropolymers are extremely valuable materials that have unique properties and enable high-performing products. For example, the use of fluoropolymers will enhance the durability of a product, enabling a longer life and lowering its environmental footprint,” the Gore-Tex website reads.
“This fluoropolymer is inert, insoluble in water, extremely stable and not biodegradable. Therefore, it does not degrade to become a source of … environmental concern.”
The writing on the wall
According to a ruling in California, all products treated with forever chemicals will be completely banned in that state starting in January 2025. This is part of a domino effect across all of North America, with stores clearing whole sections of rain jackets and Gore-Tex itself pulling its existing products.
Pretty soon, it will be significantly harder to find a jacket with this form of waterproofing. According to Whistler outdoor enthusiast and Pique columnist Vince Shuley, that’s actually a good thing.
“I think it’s going to be an interesting time for the outdoor industry sector. The days of unfettered waterproofness at any cost are now behind us,” he says.
“My understanding is the more environmentally friendly something gets, the less waterproof it is. That applies for the membrane, the inside fabric, as well as the chemical spray repellant.”
This means the existing Gore-Tex coats may become prized possessions, particularly for those whose job requires staying warm and dry in extreme conditions. There’s no reason why a good Gore-Tex coat shouldn’t last a lifetime, with a few repairs, but Shuley wonders if people will embrace a more sustainable approach like this.
“Hopefully this gives people the motivation they always should’ve had to take care of their Gore-Tex. I’ve been writing for years that people should spend more money on high-quality products and not to treat it like fashion, or like it’s disposable,” he says.
“Take care of it. It doesn’t matter if it’s the new colour or the latest style.”
A seismic shift
Working in the mountains simply requires waterproof clothing—sometimes it’s the difference between coming home alive or not. That’s why Shuley is concerned some professionals may end up left in the cold, or scrambling to find good Gore-Tex through some other means.
“This will have an absolutely enormous impact on the day-to-day work of mountain professionals if they can’t get Gore-Tex. If there’s a blanket ban and they can’t rely on the jackets they used to, that will affect outdoor guides and avalanche technicians and all those sorts of people who go out in the elements,” he says.
“This is a seismic shift when it comes to being able to do things important to them.”
He’s skeptical of recent attempts to fill Gore-Tex’s shoes.
“Gore-Tex isn’t the only game in town. There are other membranes that do quite well, and it’s become a bit of an arms race to find water-repellent fabrics that are compliant and work well. For the majority of recreationalists touring the Whistler backcountry, these new garments will probably be fine. But professionals are a different story.”
But if that’s true, nobody’s ringing alarm bells yet. According to the president of the Canada West Ski Areas Association, Chris Nicolson, he hasn’t heard anything concerning from patrol, risk management and mountain managers.
“The ski areas said this was not new, manufacturers and their clients have been adjusting for some time already, and many manufacturers already use other technology (i.e.) brands,” Nicolson says.
“Those I spoke to felt there was comparable alternatives, and depending on the fabric may need slight adjustments like washing the fabric more frequently.”
Pique reached out to several local retailers for their take—none responded.
Like Nalgene, Gore-Tex isn’t taking this situation laying down—and has already found a way to pivot into the future. On its website, the next generation of Gore-Tex products is already on proud display.
“We believe we have a responsibility to help find solutions that lead to a better tomorrow. The EPE (expanded polyethylene) membrane in next-generation Gore-Tex products is a key milestone in our responsible performance journey,” it reads.
The new material is “light and thin, yet strong, and it’s PFAS-free.”
Forever is a long time
This all brings us to the next problem—what to do with existing Gore-Tex products that are treated with forever chemicals. Not only have they become a hotter commodity since word of the incoming ban got out, there’s increased incentive to keep them out of landfills.
“Anecdotally, it seems like the more the news goes around the more people are rushing to either buy more Gore-Tex before the regulations come in, or hold on to their existing coats and treat them to renew their water repellency,” says Shuley.
He views this as a positive development.
“This is giving people the motivation they should’ve always had to take care of their Gore-Tex and make it last long-term,” he says.
“If the zipper goes, you can get it fixed. If there’s a tear in the fabric, you can replenish the water repellency many, many times. There’s no reason why you can’t keep a coat like that for decades, as long as you take care of it properly.”
Meanwhile, other companies have been circling the Gore-Tex kill like buzzards, looking for their piece of the market.
“Gore-Tex isn’t the only game in town. There are other membranes that do quite well, so now we have a bit of an arms race to get new water-repellent fabrics that are compliant but still work quite well,” Shuley says. “And for the majority of recreationalists touring Whistler Blackcomb, those new garments should probably be fine.”
