(see www.FabricLink.com/characteristics.html)
MICROFIBERS
Man-made: available in acrylic, nylon, polyester and rayon.
Characteristics:
* Washable, dry cleanable Shrink-resistant
* High strength (except Rayon) Insulates well against wind, rain, cold
Major End Uses: sportswear, activewear,swimwear, outerwear, rainwear.
Micro-fibers is not a fiber unto itself. It is a technology developed to
produce an ultra-fine fiber, and then weave it or knit it into a very high
quality fabric constructions. DuPont introduced the first microfiber in
1989, a polyester microfiber. Today in addition to polyester microfibers,
there are also nylon microfibers that have become important in the
pantyhose market, rayon microfibers, and acrylic microfibers.
An important characteristic of microfiber fabrics: they can be woven so
tightly so the fabric can't be penetrated by wind, rain, or cold. For this
reason, raincoat manufacturers have become big users of polyester
microfibers. Microfibers also have a wicking ability, which allows
perspiration to pass through. So they're comfortable to wear.
Nov. '96 RW (pp.48-52) evaluted 12 underlayer shirts for keeping you
comfortable wicking away sweat to the exterior surface of the fabric.
Polyester has been treated (hydrophillic chemical) and altered
(electrostatic evaporation process, differing inner/outer surfaces) to
enhance its wicking ability.
Some names: Capilene, BiPolar 100 polyester, BiPolar 200 polyester, Dri-F.I.T.
Dacron is the trademark name for Dupont polyester. Woven fabric made from
dacron is similar to nylon ripstop or taffeta, but not as stretchy. Many of
the better clothing insulations are made from dacron. They are usually
referred to by more specific trademark names, like quallofil, hollofil,
polarguard, and dacron-88.
POLYOLEFIN (OLEFIN)
Characteristics:
* Lightweight, lightest fiber, it floats
* Strong
* Abrasion resistant, resilient
* Stain-, static-, sunlight-, and odor-resistant
* High insulation characteristics
* Resists deterioration from chemicals, mildew, sweat, rot and weather
* Fast drying
* High wickability
* Static and pilling can be a problem
* Ironing, washing/drying need to be done at low temperature
* Non-allergenic
Major End Uses: Apparel - activewear, sportswear, jeans, socks,
underwear, lining fabrics.
Of all fibers, this is probably least familiarto you. Developed in 1961,
polyolefin has been used exclusively in the home furnishings and high
performance activewear market: backpacking, canoeing, mountain climbing
apparel. In 1996 producers of olefin began to make in-roads into the
mainstream apparel market. It is being blended with cotton in the denim
market. It's being tested in the swimwear market. Asics Japan has developed
a swimsuit made of polyolefin and Lycra for the Japanese Olympic Swim Team.
Polyolefin is the least absorbent of all the man-made fibers, and the only
fiber that floats. (Swimmers will do anything to cut a milli-second off
their times!)
NYLON
Characteristics:
* Lightweight * Exceptional strength
* Good drapeability * Abrasion resistant
* Easy to wash * Resists shrinkage and wrinkling
* Fast drying, low moisture absorbency
* Resistant to damage from oil and many chemicals
* Static and pilling can be a problem
* Poor resistance to continuous sunlight
Major End Uses:
* Apparel - swimwear, activewear, foundation garments, hosiery,
blouses, dresses, sportswear, raincoats, ski and snow apparel,
windbreakers, childrenswear.
* Other-Luggage/back packets/life vests/umbrellas/sleeping bags,tents.
Nylon is one of the strongest of all fibers, and for this reason it's used
in garments that take a great deal of hard wear, like panty hose, swimwear,
tents.
Although nylon is a very strong fiber, one of it's unfavorable
characteristics is that it has poor resistance to prolonged exposure to the
sun. In addition, the Lycra (or spandex) breaks down from exposure to
chlorine in pool water. Lycra is used for its stretch.
Supplex has a feel of cotton,comfortable, breathable and water repellent/
NOT water proof). Absorbs a small amount of water if it is getting drenched.
WOOL Natural, Animal fiber
Characteristics:
* Comfortable * Luxurious, soft hand
* Versatile * Lightweight
* Good insulator * Washable
* Wrinkle-resistant * Absorbent
Major End Uses:
* Apparel - sweaters, dresses, coats, suits, jackets, pants, skirts,
childrenswear, loungewear, blouses, shirts, hosiery, scarves.
GORETEX
A teflon based membrane with microscopic holes. Gortex's claim to fame is
that it will let water vapor (from perspiration) through, but not liquid
water (rain). It blocks wind fairly well too. The membrane is delicate, so
it always comes laminated between 2 layers of other material. It does not
breathe enough. There are less expensive alternatives.
POLYPROPYLENE/THERMAX
Does not wick very well. Can be uncomfortable. Troublesome to care for
(e.g. can pill badly) Will keep you fairly warm if soaked. Not very wind
resistant. Shrinks under heat from dryers. Thermax is an improvement on
Polypropylene. The big advantage is that Thermax isheat resistance so you
can put it in the dryer. Balance that against the extra cost.
60/40 CLOTH
This is a cloth with nylon threads running one direction, cotton in the
other. It was the standard wind parka material before Goretex came along,
and is considerably less expensive. Good wind resistance, fairly
breathable. Somewhat water resistant, especially if you spray it with
Scotchguard, but won't hold up to a heavy rain.
Breathability of Materials
summarized from Clive Tully UK Outdoor/Travel Writer
100260.2053@compuserve.com
Breathability in waterproof clothing is one of the most misunderstood and
misrepresented technical aspects of outdoors clothing and equipment. It's
all very well listing the technical merits of a particular fabric, coating
or membrane. Too often, the design of the finished garment either makes or
breaks the fabric manufacturer's claim. E.g., a walking jacket with a
permanently vented shoulder flap might as well be made of non-breathable
PU. It can't maintain the partial pressure which makes the fabric work. The
exception is Gore-Tex fabric. Garment manufacturers using their fabrics
have to submit sample products for Gore to check they meet their laid down
standards of manufacture. Not many fabric manufacturers do that, but then,
not many have such a tight grip on their markets.
The Breathable options
Breathable waterproof fabrics operate by one of two ways.They're
microporous, with microscopic pores which permit the passage of water
vapour but not water liquid, or they're hydrophilic, a solid barrier but
capable of absorbing moisture vapour and passing it through its structure.
Either may come as coatings applied directly to a fabric, or membranes
which are glued to the fabric which carries it. Then there are microfibre
fabrics and cotton fabrics.
The top end of the market is dominated by Gore-Tex, and like some of the
other laminates on offer, it comes in a variety of forms. The original, and
still the best for durability, is 3-layer, where the breathable waterproof
membrane is sandwiched between a facing and lining fabric. Garments made of
this tend to be good value, too, because the manufacturing processes aren't
so complex. 2-layer is softer, with the membrane glued to the underside of
the facing fabric, and a loose lining. Not so durable, but usually more
breathable, and more expensive. Other varieties, laminate the membrane to a
lining fabric with loose outer - nice for fashion garments, and sometimes
the waterproof lining has loose outer and lining on either side - again,
more complex constructions generally adding up to more expensive garments.
And the outside pockets will let in water...
A coating is a coating, or is it? Breathable PU nylon doesn't really mean
an awful lot. Individual coatings can have their chemistry tinkered with to
make them more breathable or more waterproof. Cheaper coatings may be
applied in one pass over the fabric, more expensive performance coatings
may be made up of several thinner applications.
You'd expect breathable waterproof fabric to work reasonably well in dry
conditions, provided you're not working so hard as to overload its
capability to transport moisture. The real crunch is when it's raining. How
much does it breathe after 5 hours in pouring rain? Tests showed that all
fabrics lose an element of breathability in wet conditions. The various
configurations of Gore-Tex lost between 34 and 43% of their breathability,
Sympatex 31% on a Z-liner construction, 70% in a double layer. Helly-Tech's
decline was just short of 75%, but perhaps the biggest surprise was Lowe
Alpine's Triple Point Ceramic 1200, losing just 15%.
Whatever the coating or laminate, the facing fabric and its water-repellent
surface treatment is absolutely critical. It's fair to say that the coarse
texturised facing fabrics will fare less well than smooth ones because of a
larger surface area to grab water when the water repellent treatment wears
off.
Linings
It is a misconception that a lining is an aid to breathability. It isn't.
It won't make any improvement. As an extra layer of insulation, it will
make condensation inside the jacket MORE likely. What it does is improve
the comfort factor by putting a layer between you and any condensation
which may form on the shiny underside of your coating or membrane. 2-layer
Gore-Tex would be just too fragile without a loose lining to protect it. In
other instances, it's used to mask what's going on (or rather, not) at the
point of greatest resistance!
A mesh lining can achieve the same effect with less resistance to the
passage of water vapour - looks nice too, even if it is a bit of a pain
with Velcro - but the best functional designs will still employ a smooth
lining fabric down the arms to avoid drag over your fleece. But if the mesh
is to do the same job for a poor breathable coating or membrane as a close
weave lining fabric, it has to be made from an absorbent or wicking fibre,
otherwise, there's not much point in having the lining at all.
Maintenance
Whether you have an expensive membrane or an inexpensive coating lurking
behind the face fabric of your jacket, the moment the fabric "wets out",
you're in danger of anything from drastically reducing performance to
turning your jacket into something with the breathability of a bin liner.
It's easy to see when this happens. The water no longer beads up and rolls
off the surface of the fabric, and you'll see it soaking into the material
in patches. The fabric is still waterproof (apart from pressure points -
see above), but its breathability will be greatly impaired. The answer is
to keep your jacket clean, following any washing instructions to the
letter, and maintain the water repellent finish on the outside.
General Information
Running Mailing Lists
T & F Mailing List
For details send email to: (Derrick Peterman)dwp@mps.ohio-state.edu
The Track and Field Mailing List is a world wide network of athletes,
coaches, sports scientists, officials, and track and field enthusiasts.
Many national class athletes from several nations subscribe. The list
provides rapid dissemination of results, discussion of track and field
topics, and a source for inquiry about track and field events.
Terminology: Pronation/Supination (Tom Page page@ficus.cs.ucla.edu)
"Over" pronation describes a minor misalignment of the leg's forward swing
that causes the footstrike to be skewed to the inside of the heel.
(J.Horalek)
"Over" supination is the reverse - impact is shifted toward the outside of
the heel. (Jim Horalek)
Pronation and supination describe natural and normal motions of the foot
during the walking or running stride. In a normal stride, the outside
portion of the heal strikes the ground first. The foot pronates to absorbe
shock. That is, it rolls inward. At the end of the stride, the foot
re-supinates -- rolls outward-- on push-off.
What the previous writer (Jim Horalek horalek@alliant.com) is defining is
`over pronation', and `over supination'. These are excesses of the normal
motions. Note that over pronation is fairly common and many shoes are
designed to counteract this. Over supination is very rare. Most people who
think they over supinate probably just under pronate. Some people who think
they over pronate may in fact pronate a normal amount, but fail to
re-supinate sufficiently at the end of the stride.
Calorie/Energy Count
(Kenrick J. Mock mock@iris.ucdavis.edu)
Here is a little table adapted from "Beyond Diet...Exercise Your Way to
Fitness and Heart Health" by Lenore R. Zohman, M.D.
Energy Range = Approx. Calories Per Hour
Energy Range Activity Conditioning Benefits
72-84 Sitting, Conversing None
120-150 Strolling, 1 mph Not strenuous enough to produce endurance
unless
Walking, 2 mph your exercise capacity is very low
150-240 Golf, power cart. Not sufficiently taxing or continuous to
promote endurance.
240-300 Cleaning windows Adequate for conditioning if carried out
Mopping floor continuously for vacuuming 20-30 minutes
Bowling Too intermittent for endurance
Walking, 3mph Adequate dynamic exercise if
Cycling, 6mph your capacity is low
Golf, pulling cart Useful if you walk briskly,if cart is heavy
isometrics may be involved.
300-360 Scrubbing floors Adequate if done in at least 2 minute stints
Walking, 3.5 mph Usually good dynamic aerobic exercise
Cycling, 8 mph
Ping Pong Vigorous continuous play can
Badminton have endurance benefits. May aid skill.
Volleyball
Tennis, doubles Not beneficial unless there is continuous play
for at least 2 minutes at a time. Aids skill.
360-420 Walking, 4mph Dynamic, aerobic, beneficial.
Cycling, 10mph
Skating Should be continuous
420-480 Walking, 5mph Dynamic, aerobic, beneficial.
Cycling, 11mph
Tennis, singles Benefit if played 30 minutes or more with an
attempt to keep moving
Water Skiing Total isometrics
480-600 Jogging, 5 mph Dynamic, aerobic, endurance
Cycling, 12mph building exercise.
Downhill skiing Usually too short to help endurance
significantly.
Paddleball Not sufficiently continuous for aerobic
benefits.
600-660 Running, 5.5 mph Excellent conditioner.
Cycling, 13 mph
Over 660 Running, 6+ mph Excellent conditioner
Handball, Squash Conditioning benefit if played 30 min or more.
Swimming (wide Good conditioning exercise caloric
range)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Calories burned by running
(Rob Lingelbach rob@xyzoom.info.com)
Here is a table I clipped from Runner's World; the source listed
is "Exercise & Physiology" (Lea & Febiger, 1986). At 70% of max.
Pace (minutes per mile)
| | 12:00 | 10:43 | 9:41 | 8:46 | 8:02 | 7:26 | 6:54 | 6:26 | 6:02 |
| Wt(lbs) |
| 100 | 400 | 450 | 500 | 550 | 600 | 650 | 700 | 750 | 800 |
| 119 | 432 | 486 | 540 | 594 | 648 | 702 | 756 | 810 | 864 |
| 128 | 464 | 522 | 580 | 638 | 696 | 754 | 812 | 870 | 928 |
| 137 | 496 | 558 | 620 | 682 | 744 | 806 | 868 | 930 | 992 |
| 146 | 528 | 594 | 660 | 726 | 792 | 858 | 924 | 990 | 1056 |
| 154 | 560 | 630 | 700 | 770 | 840 | 910 | 980 | 1050 | 1120 |
| 163 | 592 | 666 | 740 | 814 | 888 | 962 | 1036 | 1110 | 1184 |
| 172 | 624 | 702 | 780 | 858 | 936 | 1014 | 1092 | 1170 | 1248 |
| 181 | 656 | 738 | 820 | 902 | 984 | 1066 | 1148 | 1230 | 1312 |
| 190 | 688 | 774 | 860 | 946 | 1032 | 1118 | 1204 | 1290 | 1376 |
| 199 | 720 | 810 | 900 | 990 | 1080 | 1170 | 1260 | 1350 | 1440 |
| 207 | 752 | 846 | 940 | 1034 | 1128 | 1222 | 1316 | 1410 | 1504 |
| 216 | 784 | 882 | 980 | 1078 | 1176 | 1274 | 1372 | 1470 | 1568 |
| 225 | 816 | 918 | 1020 | 1122 | 1224 | 1326 | 1428 | 1530 | 1632 |
| 234 | 848 | 954 | 1060 | 1166 | 1272 | 1378 | 1484 | 1590 | 1696 |
Muscle Fuels Used During Exercise
Stuart Phillips(phillips@healthy.uwaterloo.ca)
There are 3 main fuels used during exercise by the contracting muscle: 1)
Protein; 2) Carbohydrate; 3) Fat.
PROTEIN: A majority of text books written will not acknowledge
protein as a major fuel, and it likely is not. It should be pointed out
that protein requirements of someone who is running/exercising on a
regular basis are GREATER than those of a sedentary population. Is this
something to worry about? Most "North American" diets contain more protein
than is needed. So the bottom
line is you get more than you need so don't worry. Vegetarians? Again the
answer is likely yes, they also get enough protein. Even when consuming a
pure protein diet there is enough protein to more than cover the needs of
a person who regularly runs/exercises. Moreover, most vegetarians are
aware of what they eat and plan their diets very well.
FUELS: Fats and carbohydrates (CHOs are then the major fuel sources
for the exercising person. The balance of the use of these fuels is
dependant upon exercise intensity and duration (the two are inversly
related). The general rule is that the lower the intensity the greater the
energy cost of exercise can be covered by fat. Hence, the greater the
exercise duration the more fat will be burned, usually because the
intensity of one's workout will decrease - FATIGUE! The flip side then, is
that during higher intensity exercise (>70% of max), one relies heavily on
CHOs.
