Polartec | 40 Years of Innovation

40 years

It’s hard to imagine a world before fleece and other technical fabrics. In large part, that’s thanks to Malden Mills—the textile company you know today as Polartec—which revolutionized the outdoor adventure world by inventing technical fleece. In celebration of Polartec’s 40th anniversary, this is the story of how the brand ushered in the modern era of performance outdoor apparel by inventing the widest range of fabric technologies in the world, enabling a whole new generation of modern adventure and fabric innovation that continues to this day. It’s the story of the first ascents, first-to-market products, and many more firsts that changed the world. And, like so many great stories, it begins in the ’80s.

How Polartec revolutionized outdoor adventure with technical fabric innovation

The 1980s

1982

FLEECE IS BORN Malden Mills creates a new breed of polyester pile fabric by “napping” it—combing it with a cylindrical wire brush to break the loops on the pile and tease the fibers upward. The first fleece is born. The fabric is light, soft, and fast-drying. But it has problems. Notably, it “pills” like crazy. That is, light nappy fuzz balls form on the surface of the fabric. But the warmth-to-weight ratio is great, as are the breathability and durability—advantages welcomed by a few outdoor-market pioneers.

1984

1983

1981

1980

1985

1986

The mullet is rocked by the likes of George Michael, Billy Ray Cyrus, and pretty much every Canadian professional hockey player. Outdoor adventurers, like Wolfgang Güllich, are not immune to the hairstyle’s magnetism.

1984

Patagonia introduces Synchilla (“synthetic + chinchilla,” get it?), its exclusive new fleece from Malden Mills. Patagonia’s debut piece is the Snap-T technical fleece pullover jacket with its distinctive yoke and chest pocket with the mountainscape Patagonia logo. The Snap-T becomes ubiquitous in mountain towns and on college campuses.

FLEECE GETS A CREWCUT Yvon Chouinard, CEO of Patagonia, is a big fan of Polarfleece but urges Malden Mills to take the fabric to another level—in particular, solve the pilling problem. Malden responds with the world’s first sheared fleece — essentially giving the nappy stuff a crew cut. The new two-sided fleece is also softer and retains its integrity longer while providing an extraordinary warmth-to-weight ratio, amazing breathability, even faster drying, and thermal regulation across a range of conditions and activities. It’s the holy grail of fleece, which Patagonia nabs for a two-year exclusive deal on solid colors. The deal marks the beginning of a collaboration relationship between Patagonia and Malden that’s lasted decades—and changed the way the world dresses.

FLEECE GOES MAINSTREAM Patagonia introduces Synchilla (“synthetic + chinchilla,” get it?), its exclusive new fleece from Malden Mills. Patagonia’s debut piece is the Snap-T, with its distinctive yoke and mountainscape Patagonia logo on the chest. The Snap-T becomes ubiquitous in mountain towns and on college campuses.

BIG BRANDS TAKE NOTE A number of pioneers have brought Malden’s Polarfleece to the light of day. The early fleece wave includes LL Bean, which produces a fleece baby blanket. A small New Hampshire company makes the Chuck Roast fleece jacket. A Seattle factory run by REI produces fleece outerwear for outdoor stalwarts like MEC, REI, Royal Robbins, and Patagonia.

1982

1985

1987

International ski slopes get snazzy after Malden Mills introduces bright new fleece prints at a European trade show. A dozen or so Euro brands sign on for the new fabric, led by Jack Wolfskin, Fila, and Fjällräven.

1986

1988

1989

1990

The 1990s

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

Fifty-year-old Helen Thayer skis to the North Pole alone and un-resupplied, pulling her own sled—the first woman ever to solo to one of the world’s poles. The New Zealand adventurer wears a Polarfleece jacket and half-zip sweater for the trip. Four years later she returns to the pole with her husband, Bill, the couple outfitted in matching Polarfleece.

1988

The North Face introduces its soon-to-become-iconic Denali fleece jacket—utilizing Polarfleece—which climbers Todd Skinner and Paul Piana wear on their 30-day first ascent of El Capitan’s Salathé Wall in Yosemite. A year later, Conrad Anker wears Denali fleece on a climb of the actual Denali in Alaska. He notes that the fleece also makes for a comfy pillow.

1988

NEW NAME, CONTINUED INNOVATION The Polartec brand is born and the textile factory known as Malden Mills grows into a powerhouse supplier of technical fabrics for the outdoor industry and beyond. The company’s commitment to providing its customers ample choices is firmly established as well, as Polartec fleece is launched in three weights: 100, 200, and 300. Polarfleece, the brand, rides off into the sunset.

Mark Jenkins and Keith Spencer parlay a Polartec Challenge Grant into an attempt to climb Hkakabo Razi (19,300 feet), on the Tibet-Burma border—the tallest peak in Southeast Asia. After a dozen arrests and several days in a Chinese jail, they opt instead for the first ascent of Peak Rawu (20,000’), which they accomplish on half rations and frequent bonks. They wear dark teal, windproof Polartec fleece pants and hooded jackets—early prototypes of forthcoming Windbloc products—(and little else) the entire time. “It was a real f*cking expedition,” Jenkins says.

1993

Another Polartec-Patagonia partnership spurs the launch of recycled fleece. Canada’s MEC also signs on to spec the fabric in jackets and sweaters. The first recycled fleece is the color of the discarded products it was made from: soda-bottle green.

1993

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

Polartec introduces Windbloc, a 100% windproof and water-resistant membrane that brings windproofing to fabrics but doesn’t crinkle like potato chip bags. The polyurethane membrane is sandwiched between layers of fleece that are stretchy, supple, quiet (in contrast to nylon windbreakers), and warm. L.L.Bean’s Wind Challenger and Patagonia’s R4 jackets are early adopters.

FLEECE GETS FLEXIBLE With the introduction of Power Stretch, Polartec creates a whole new fabric category: stretchy fleece. It’s an instant hit for workout apparel, base layers, hats, and more because of its four-way stretch and wicking properties. The brushed-fleece inner layer is cozy soft, while the smooth outer layer’s low-friction finish means it resists abrasion and layers nicely under other garments. Arc’teryx introduces the Kyanite, and the Power Stretch Pro jacket becomes a staple in its lineup—a deft combo of breathable warmth, stretch, and moisture management.

1994

The Malden Mills textile plant in Lawrence, Massachusetts, burns to the ground in a December fire. Owner Aaron Feuerstein retains all 3,000 workers on the payroll and promises to rebuild in Lawrence. A year later, reconstruction is complete.

1995

POLARTEC LAUNCHES THE SOFT-SHELL REVOLUTION With the launch of Power Shield, Polartec invents a game-changing apparel category: soft shells. For the first time, a jacket material can be weather-resistant enough for most conditions while providing breathability unheard-of in any kind of standard windbreaker or shell. It’s also soft, stretchy, and blessedly quiet. The key: the fabric does the venting, not a membrane.

1998

Polartec further refines the art and science of fleece with High Loft, the warmest and lightest fleece construction to date. The open-knit insulation moves heat out readily but provides exceptional warmth because it’s so lofty, and its fast-drying, hydrophobic yarn is decidedly un-downlike. These attributes are especially valued by the U.S. military, whose Gen III ECWCS Level III jacket receives the most laudatory reviews of any military-issue product other than M&Ms candy. Among the most popular consumer iterators of High Loft is Mountain Hardwear, which still makes a High Loft jacket today.

1998

Steve Swenson leads an attempted ascent of a new route on Gasherbrum IV in Pakistan, an expedition co-sponsored by Polartec. The team is outfitted in custom, one-piece Polartec fleece suits fashioned by the Swallows Nest climbing shop in Seattle. “The Polartec suits were a fundamental part of our layering system that we wore most days over base-layer underwear and under a hard shell,” says Swenson.

1999

The 2000s

Polartec introduces Wind Pro—a fabric that’s four times more windproof than regular fleece yet retains 85% of fleece’s breathability. The magic key: a unique tight knit. Fleece can now stand on its own as outerwear for most conditions. No shell or membrane required. Mountain Hardwear’s Microchill is a popular example.

2000

With a bit of fabric wizardry, Polartec gives fleece a classic, dressy look—actually, multiple looks—with Thermal Pro. This performance fleece finds its way into fashionable sweater-knit and shearling pieces. Something of a high-tech chameleon, Thermal Pro can even emulate corduroy. Early and enduring examples are cardigans and pullovers in the Arc’teryx Covert line.

Lindsay Yaw Rogers traverses Lapland north of the Arctic Circle, tracing the path taken by World War II hero Jan Baalsrud, who escaped Nazi-occupied Norway by crossing the Lyngen Alps in winter, continuing across the high plateaus of Finland, and eventually reaching neutral Sweden. Polartec and Mountain Hardwear outfit the team, which includes Jimmy Chin, Mike Alkaitis, and Jon Webb. They wear Mountain Hardwear Chill Factor jackets lined with Polartec fleece, as well as a Polartec High Loft insulating layer.

2005

Time magazine names Polartec fleece one of the most important inventions of the 20th century.

1999

Why are polar bears so warm? Polartec studies high-low fur anatomy—guard hairs and underfur—and then experiments with biomimicry to make fabric that imitates animal fur. One wild example: Patagonia’s R2, with its high-low hairs in the main body of the fleece. That fabric carries over into the company’s hugely popular Re-Tool sportswear line. Polartec and Patagonia also work together to create an innovative knitting technology called BioMap—blending fabrics of varying density, loft, and breathability to optimize thermal qualities, all without cutting fabric or introducing seams. “Performance where you need it,” as Patagonia describes its Regulator 1.5 pullover and jacket.

2005

2009

2011

Power Dry, Polartec’s first next-to-skin fabric, realizes the dream of outdoor clothing companies (and U.S. Special Forces, for whom it was initially developed)—it wicks moisture from the skin to the outside. The first of hundreds of Power Dry base-layer tops and bottoms come from Eastern Mountain Sports and Patagonia, which calls it Capilene, and launches a revolution in the art of layering.

1994

Power Grid, a grid-backed refinement of Power Dry, is developed for Patagonia’s Regulator line. R1 becomes an icon of active-sports layering and Power Grid becomes a staple for nearly every outdoor brand—because channels in the fabric backing allow it to do more (wick, warm, breathe, compress) with less material, less bulk, less weight.

1998

SEPTEMBER 1996 ISSUE Eight climbers die in a single day on Mount Everest, a tragedy that writer Jon Krakauer chronicles for Outside, and later in the book Into Thin Air. Two years later, Polartec sponsors Everest, the blockbuster IMAX movie that went on to become the highest grossing giant-screen documentary of all time.

1996

Fleece has become truly ubiquitous. LL Bean’s Christmas catalog features more than 170 fleece items, filling the first 14 pages.

1998

Polartec Hardface technology creates a durable, abrasion-resistant outer coating for fleece that permits full breathability while greatly protecting the underside material—fleece becomes more weather-resistant and durable than ever before. Hardface mates nicely with Wind Pro, Power Stretch, and Thermal Pro as a smooth-faced, fleece-backed fabric ideal for gloves, hats, pants, jackets, and tops like the Faroe Wind Pro from Mission Workshop.

2001

Fleece has become fashionable, and Polartec also leads the way in developing new technical fabrics that don’t look technical. Technologies like Thermal Pro and Power Dry get special treatments that transform them into upscale fabrics that look like cotton yet perform like the technical textiles they are. All this and more finds its way into lifestyle attire from Arc'teryx, Nanamica, Nonnative, Norse Projects, Palace, Rag & Bone, Reigning Champ, Supreme, Theory, and more. Simultaneously, the fashion world gains a taste for outdoor aesthetics—a trend whose roots grow deeper as the 2010s progress and ultimately earns its own moniker: gorpcore.

2013

Polartec ups its recycling game another notch by spurring the development of Unifi Repreve, a polyester raw material derived entirely from post-consumer recycled plastic bottles. Billions of bottles stay out of landfills. Patagonia R1, made with Power Grid, uses Repreve 100 yarn—a pound of which uses 27 plastic bottles. Meanwhile, Norwegian brand Norrona partners with Polartec to produce the first 100 percent recycled Wind Pro fleece jacket, the 29 Warm4—upcycling 40 plastic bottles (and using 20% less energy) in the process. Today, over 60% of Polartec’s production is made from 100% post-consumer recycled material.

2010

INTRODUCING ALPHA: THE FIRST ACTIVE INSULATION Of all the groundbreaking Polartec fabrics, Alpha might be the most innovative. Its release kick-starts an entirely new category—active insulation—and dramatically streamlines the traditional layering process. It’s originally developed for the U.S. Special Forces, whose troops need insulation that will both dump heat and moisture as they carry heavy packs through the mountains of Afghanistan and keep them warm when they stop, often in cold, miserable conditions. To achieve this unheard-of level of versatility, Alpha employs a knit construction with the full structural integrity of a fabric and creates downlike dead-air space without the need for breathability-reducing container fabrics. This combo of breathability and warmth changes the way the world dresses for any chilly endeavor, from cycling to skiing, running to urban strolls. More than any technology before, Alpha eliminates the need for multiple layers. Alpha is an instant and enduring hit, garnering prompt honors and rave reviews from Backpacker and Elevation Outdoors (the Rab Strata Hoody), Men’s Journal (the Marmot Alpha Pro Jacket and Westcomb Tango Hoody), and National Geographic Adventure (the Marmot Isotherm Hoodie), among others.

2012

Polartec’s Power Shield High Loft exemplifies Polartec’s ability to create synergies among its own products—in this case, Power Shield breathable soft shell laminated to High Loft lightweight insulation. The combo marries the most coveted qualities of insulation (warmth), soft shell (breathable weather protection), and fleece (moisture wicking) into a single highly functional layer. Result: the world’s warmest, lightest, and most compressible soft-shell fabric.

2012

Polartec launches a field sprint into the world of cycling apparel. Its fabrics are ideal for the job: Delta for hot-weather jerseys; Power Stretch for shorts and bibs; Windbloc for gloves; NeoShell for foul-weather jackets; Power Wool for insulation; and Alpha for cold-weather jackets. The latter technology, Alpha, proves especially applicable to cold-weather cycling, where high-output climbs necessitate maximum breathability and zero-output descents demand highly effective insulation. Bike-clothing brands take notice: today, most of the world’s leading cycling brands are leveraging Polartec fabrics to expand their apparel lines to include entirely new categories.

2013

WOOL GETS TECHY Polartec Power Wool harnesses the best of wool while overcoming the shortcomings of even contemporary fine merino. The bicomponent fabric places soft merino wool against the skin and durable synthetic on the exterior, creating a warm-when-cool, cool-when-warm microclimate while readily wicking moisture. Unlike wool on its own, Power Wool is durable and won’t get soggy. Gearmakers like TNF, Burton, and Mammut quickly employ Power Wool, and gear testers laud the results—Power Wool products earn top honors from Gear Institute (Best New Gear), Gear Patrol (Best of Outdoor Retailer), National Geographic (Gear of the Year), and more.

2015

Polartec upcycles its billionth post-consumer plastic bottle into fabric. (Today, in 2021, the brand is approaching the two-billion-bottle mark.)

Polartec develops a cycling kit for the racing teams of Alberto Contador (world-class cyclist, winner of all three major Grand Tours). The bike pieces demonstrate Polartec’s “a fabric for every condition” approach—in this case a Power Wool base layer, Power Stretch jersey, Delta jersey for hot conditions, Alpha vest for the chill, a superbreathable Power Shield Pro jacket, and a Windbloc jacket for full wind and water protection.

2017

Delta is introduced to a warming world as Polartec’s first fabric platform for hot conditions. The trick is a deft blend of both hydrophobic and hydrophilic yarns in a knit structure that promotes airflow and keeps just the right amount of moisture against the skin. Delta functions something like a swamp cooler, using the body’s own perspiration as a cooling mechanism but without any concomitant clamminess. The fabric is a hit with fitness brands like Rhone, outdoor brands like Outdoor Research, and cycling brands like Pas Normal. Gear Patrol names Delta one of the Best New Products of 2017.

2015

Alex Honnold becomes the first climber to free-solo El Capitan—wearing a TNF kit built with Polartec Power Grid. The following year, the film Free Solo, chronicling the feat, wins an Oscar for Best Documentary Feature.

2017

Polartec’s place in lifestyle clothing continues to rise with increased demand for comfortable and versatile clothing as part of a modern active lifestyle. Brands like LC23, Moncler, Nike, October’s Very Own, Snow Peak, and Todd Snyder all use Polartec fabric technologies to meet this demand.

2020

Polartec announces Power Air, the first fleece fabric engineered to minimize shedding. Sweden’s Houdini introduces the Mono Air, built with a spandex-free version of Power Air, Houdini demonstrates the potential of circular recycling—meaning fabric can be recycled endlessly with no loss of quality. The initiative is open-source, challenging the international apparel industry to follow suit. Backpacker acknowledges the gains made by Power Air with an Editors’ Choice Green Award, and R&D World recognizes the fabric with an R&D 100 Award.

2018

The 2010s

Polartec celebrates 40 years of innovation, continuing to lead the industry in sustainable science and performance innovation.

Polartec debuts Power Fill, an insulating fill made of 100% recycled material that requires 0% virgin crude and 0% plucked geese. The fill’s matrix of hollow fibers is light and compressible and doesn’t retain moisture. The Bight Swelter—named one of Gear Patrol’s top “synthetic down” jackets of the year—exemplifies Power Fill’s place in the world of alpine mountaineering.

2017

WATERSPORTS LAYERING, SIMPLIFIED Polartec Aqua Shell—a.k.a. “fuzzy rubber”—solves the challenge of how to stay warm and dry while paddling hard. A Windbloc membrane helps repel incidental moisture while a soft fleece layer against the skin provides warmth and comfort. Most critically, sweat vapor is transported. For the first time, a single paddling jacket does the work of a two- or three-piece layering system. The company that helped establish the art of layering also illustrates the utilitarian beauty of using a single fabric in place of two or three.

Late 1990s

Steve House and fellow climbers Barry Blanchard and Marko Prezelj attempt a new route, alpine-style, on the then-unclimbed south face of Nepal’s Nuptse East (25,600 feet). They reach about 24,000 feet before turning back. House wears Polartec fleece in the form of a Patagonia R1 pullover. “This was cutting-edge insulation,” House says. “We kept our clothing system as warm and light as possible. Basically every climb I’ve ever done utilized Polartec clothing somewhere on my body.” Twenty years later, he still wears the same R1 pullover.

2001

With the introduction of Power Shield Pro, Polartec launches the softshell-plus-membrane movement—weather protection in a supple, three-layer fabric that is transcendently more breathable than any other membrane technology. The following year, The North Face’s Kishtwar jacket, utilizing Polartec Power Shield Pro, nabs Gear of the Year honors from Outside, which lauds the jacket for breathability that transcends any hardshell. The jacket also reels in top-gear honors from Backpacker, National Geographic Adventure, and Men’s Journal.

2009

Roark Well Worn Trail Knit Top

66 North Vik Jacket

Mammut Aconcagua Tight

Santini Vega Xtreme Top

Patagonia R4 Fleece Jacket

1995

Giro Biking Gloves

Bomber Gear Paddling Jacket

Salewa Ortles Hoody

Burton Baker Pant

AndWander 83 Jacket

MEC Prodigy Hoodie

Arc'teryx Gamma Jacket

7Mesh Gryphon LS Jersey

U.S. Military Gen III ECWCS Level II shirt

Patagonia R1 Regulator Jacket

Nomex Fleece Military Pant

Marmot Chilkat Jacket

66 North Tindur Fleece Sweater Jacket

Polartec utilizes DuPont Nomex in the first flame-resistant fleece, developed for the U.S. military. Soldiers need garments that won’t melt on the skin when exposed to intense heat, as from explosions.

2000

Beringia Sibir Hoody

Orvis Pro Fleece

Filson RIdgeway Fleece Vest

Arc'teryx Covert Hoody

Patagonia Re-Tool Snap-T Pullover

With the introduction of Power Shield Pro, Polartec launches the soft-shell-plus-membrane movement—weather protection in a supple, three-layer fabric that is transcendently more breathable than any other membrane technology. The following year, The North Face’s Kishtwar jacket, utilizing Polartec Power Shield Pro, nabs Gear of the Year honors from Outside, which lauds the jacket for breathability that eclipses any hardshell’s. The jacket also reels in top-gear honors from Backpacker, National Geographic Adventure, and Men’s Journal.

2009

66 North Vatnajokull Softshell Jacket

Converse All Star Chuck Taylor

Ariat FR Polartec Beanie

Carhartt Flame-Resistant Portage Work Jacket

Polartec’s flame-resistant (FR) initiative brings flame resistance to a number of its fabrics to create Power Dry FR, Power Stretch FR, Thermal Pro FR, Wind Pro FR, and Power Wool FR. The products find a home in the military and in the workwear industry under such labels as Ariat and Carhartt.

2009

Patagonia R1 Fleece Pullover

Norrona /29 Warm4 Up-cycled Jacket

Taylor Stitch The Hawkins Jacket

FOX Flexair NeoShell Jacket

Marmot Alpha 60 Jacket

Stio Alpiner Hooded Jacket

Rab Alpha Flash Jacket

Outdoor Research Lodestar Jacket

The North Face Polar Hooded Jacket

Ornot Base Layer

Velocio Rain Cap

Mission Workshop The Mission Bomber

Ornot Neck Gaiter

Roark Shelter Long Sleeve Pullover Knit

Velocio Women's Delta Long Sleeve

Rhone Delta Pique Polo

NOBULL Quilted Crew Pullover

Snow Peak Flexible Insulated Cardigan

Fabric Innovations

1984

cultural Milestones

Polartec Expeditions

Houdini Mono Air Crew

Burton Power Air Pant

Giro 100 Proof Winter Gloves

Bight Swelter Jacket

66 North Brimholar Jacket

Triple Aught Design Bastion Hoodie

Triple Aught Design Bastion Woobie

Burton Baker Power Wool Base Layer Pant

Mammut Klamath Crew Long Underwear Top

Stio Basis Power Wool Boxer Brief

Adidas Terrex Polartec Power Air Jacket

Reigning Champ Polartec Delta Long Sleeve

Pas Normal Solitude Mesh Jersey

Pedaled Tokaido Alpha Jacket

Fox Defend Fire Alpha Vest

Santini Redux Genio Vest

Patagonia and Polartec PCU Level 3a

Westcomb Hooded Jacket

Filson NeoShell Reliance Jacket

Eddie Bauer Neoteric Shell Jacket

66 North The Snaefell Jacket

Ariat Polartec Hoodie

Vollebak 100 Years Hoodie

Patagonia Northwall Pant

Patagonia Knifeblade Jacket

Mammut Arctic ML Jacket

Mission Workshop Faroe Wind Pro Hoodie

Arc’teryx Rivet Glove

Norrona Lyngen Wind Pro Jacket

L.L.Bean WInd Pro Polartec Jacket

Mountain Hardwear Microchill Jacket

Mountain Hardwear Microchill Top

Polartec Gen III ECWCS Level III High Loft Jacket

Mountain Hardwear High Loft Jacket

Montura Stretch Pile Speed Jacket

Millet 7/24 Jacket

Arcteryx Gamma SV Jacket

Patagonia Alpine Guide Jacket

Patagonia Adze Jacket

LL Bean Wind Challenger Jacket

Oakley Biozone Fleece

Jack Wolfskin Blizzard Jacket

Giro Chrono Pro Windbloc Jersey

Patagonia Activist Tight

Arc'teryx Kyanite Hoody

Houdini Power Houdi

USPS Cycling Jersey

U.S. military Gen III ECWCS Level I Bottoms

Patagonia Capilene Wallace Beery Baselayer

Marmot Power Dry Baselayer

EMS Techwick Midweight Half Zip Baselayer

Outside Magazine, 2004 Summer Buyer's Guide

Haglofs Fleece Jacket

Schoffel Fleece Jacket

Jack Wolfskin Gecko Fleece

Norrona Lofoten Powershield Pro Alpha Jacket

Black Diamond Equipment CoEfficient Hoody

Rag & Bone Fleece Tactic Jacket

Palace Ultimo Tracksuit Sweatshirt

Supreme Polartec Overalls

Nike ACG Wolf Tree Pants

J.Crew Sherpa Fleece Half-Snap Pullover

Prana Tri Thermal Threads 1/4 Zip

Patagonia Synchilla Snap-T

Jack Wolfskin launches their Kodiak, Koala and Balu products.

Lafuma catalog, 1986.

Marmot's Polarplus Jacket

Reinhold Messner with Millet gear.

Cape Horn expedition caption info here

Helly Hansen Fleece Jacket

L.L. Bean Sherpa Fleece Jacket

REI Deep Pile Collar Fleece Jacket

Chuck Roast Nylon Shell Ski Vest

Cape Horn recycled fleece jacket

Ciele Power Grid hat

Bossi Sportswear

Roark Trail Blazer Long Sleeve Knit

Diadora LC23

OVO

And Wander

Reigning Champ

Alberto Contador racing team

Chuck Roast Printed Fleece

Millet Beltane Jacket and Omer Pant

Patagonia R2 Regulator Fleece Jacket

66 North Vatnajökull jacket

2002

Kathmandu Baffin Island Fleece

NEOSHELL BREAKS THE WATERPROOF-BREATHABLE MOLD Instead of working to make a waterproof membrane more breathable, Polartec turns the challenge on its head—waterproofing a breathable membrane instead—and comes up with NeoShell, the world’s first and best breathable waterproof technology. The sauna effect is a thing of the past, as are pit zips—and NeoShell’s supple, four-way stretchiness is a far cry from stiff waterproof shells. It’s a hit across categories and earns top honors from gear reviewers throughout the industry. In 2014, Outside names a NeoShell-equipped snow-sports shell from Eddie Bauer Gear of the Year, and Gear Institute selects the Bomber Gear Palguin Dry Top for Paddling for its Best New Gear Awards. In 2020, Blister Gear Review names NeoShell the “most influential fabric of the decade.”

1984 Olympics Uniform Jacket

Fleece

Polartec Power Grid Fabric

Stone Island Skin Touch Nylon Jacket

Kim Carrigan

Courtesy of Helen Thayer

Bill Hatcher

Chris Noble

Courtesy of Mark Jenkins

Getty: Boston Globe / Contributor

Courtesy of Steve Swenson

Courtesy of Steve House

Jimmy Chin

Alessandro Belluscio/Polartec

1986

1980

Stio Basis Power Wool Boxer Brief

Courtesy of Mark Jenkins

Bill Hatcher

Courtesy of Steve Swenson