Waterproof durability chart @ 30 minutes of accelerated wear, Isotak Ocean is 2.5x more waterproof than the leading industry brand
@ 60 minutes of accelerated wear, Isotak Ocean is 10x more waterproof than the leading industry brand
[30 minutes of accelerated wear = approx 14 days of extreme offshore sailing or 1yr of regular use] Accelerated wear Impacts in 30min = 1,800 Impacts in 60min = 3,600 Impacts in 90min = 5,400 Impacts in 120min = 7,200 Round-the-world leg – 20 days Hours sailing: 480 Hours active (70%): 336 Average impacts per hour: 8 Total impacts: 2,688
This has provided Hussey and the R&D team with a much more meaningful way of experimenting with different combinations of materials and bonding techniques. The result is their most recent version of Isotak, a new multilayer membrane. ‘It’s the membrane we use throughout our Ocean range,’ says Hussey. ‘It is in our Isotak Ocean range and new Isotak 2 range, the only difference being that the Ocean has a much thicker, heavier and tougher outer shell fabric. Ocean is our most extreme, most durable product, while Isotak 2 has extremely high levels of waterproof durability, although it’s much, much lighter, less bulky and more flexible.’
Without being prepared to reveal the full magic recipe – the closely guarded combination of materials and methods that have gone into Isotak – Hussey says the secret lies in how you combine various component materials. ‘It’s the knowledge and experience we have gained from exhaustive testing that we believe gives us a competitive advantage; it’s a matter of how we combine all the waterproof layers to make something very, very tough, while also maintaining the same high breathability. The membrane layers that go into Isotak combine to work really well to provide a longlasting waterproof durability.’
According to independent tests run by RMIT, Zhik’s Isotak outperforms the acknowledged industry leader in offshore garments by a factor of at least 4:1. ‘RMIT’s independent testing has shown that Isotak reaches the same or lower level of degradation after 120 minutes of accelerated
Round-the-world leg – 14 days Hours sailing: 336 Hours active (70%): 235 Average impacts per hour: 8 Total impacts: 1,882 Regular customer use 30 x 6hr races: 180hrs/108hrs active
3 x overnight races: 72hrs/58hrs active
1 x 4-day race: 96hrs/77hrs active
Hours active total: 242 Average impacts per hour: 8 Average impacts/yr: 1,940
wear testing, compared with just 30 minutes for the industry standard.’ Hussey is excited by the results and can’t wait to have some offshore professionals wearing the Zhik garments in next year’s big round-the-world race. ‘But obviously we don’t just stop where we are today. We are always looking to the next thing, and the next. There are lots of different membranes, lamination methods, composites that you can produce; there are a lot of different things coming out all the time. So we’re always keeping an eye on what’s going to work best for extreme sailing that some of our best- known customers take part in. ‘One of the major problems we come across is a lot of products, particularly with waterproof textiles, are targeted at the outdoor industry and so are frequently geared more towards breathability than outright waterproof durability. So it’s really, really good for climbing a mountain, or cross-country skiing, but not the best product for sailing.
‘You’ve got extremely different
Flexible but dry, Isotak 2 (opposite) and the Zhik accelerated wear machine (above). Test fabrics are made into pockets that contain a control ‘test ball’. These fabric pockets are then placed in a rotating drum that simulates impacts
against hard edges and also flat surfaces
covered with non-slip grip. Test balls are shaped to simulate the parts of the body and other hard objects that impact a
boat through the fabric
SEAHORSE 45
environments and requirements in the products. A very small leak in a sailing garment is a fail, whereas when you are skiing down a hill in light, dry snow it isn’t going to worry you so much. Having the absolute highest breathability possible is a much more important factor for some of these other sports. ‘Of course breathability is very important for sailing as well, and Isotak delivers at least the same level as any other offshore clothing product. But compared to land-oriented products we are laser-focused on the fact that you have to ensure that your garments do not leak while you’re mid-ocean. ‘So a lot of what we do is looking beyond the outdoor industry standard and aiming for something that’s best for our intended use. And that’s really where this testing method originates. Because the amount of wear and tear sailors put on their garment is significantly more than in any other outdoor sport – certainly any outdoor sport we’ve been made aware of!’
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