Gore shell fabrics, the outermost fabric layer of a GORE-TEX? garment, are treated with an ultra-thin polymer coating known as DWR, or durable water repellent. This coating causes water to bead up and roll off the outer layer of fabric, instead of being absorbed. Water-repellent outer fabric provides additional insulation and prevents liquid from saturating your garment's outer fabric, a condition known as "wet out" that can make you feel damp and clammy.

Gore, we manufacture GORE-TEX? and WINDSTOPPER? fabrics - not the finished garments you find in stores. To see products made with Gore fabrics, you have several options: contact us to learn which of your favorite brands contain our fabrics; contact your favorite retailers to request their catalogs; or use our Store Finder to locate stores near you selling GORE??? products. UP

No. Salt water does not contaminate, clog the pores of, decrease the breathability of, alter, or harm GORE-TEX? fabric in any way. So go ahead and enjoy that ocean fishing or boating trip. UP

No matter which manufacturer makes the product, our label with the GORE-TEX? or WINDSTOPPER? trademark is sewn into an inside or outside seam. You can't miss it. In newer products, it might also be embroidered on the sleeve or chest of a garment, or you might find it on a small metal tag on the outside. Remember: If it doesn't say GORE-TEX?, it's not. UP

Any form of alteration to your GORE-TEX? product, including major repairs, post-purchase logo embroidery, or fit alteration, should be conducted at a Gore-authorized facility. Otherwise, you could compromise the waterproofness of your garment, usually via small needle holes that have not been sealed. Before proceeding with any changes to your product, get in touch with an authorized Repair Facility or contact us for advice. UP

The holes made by needles in seams may be small, but they can cause leaks. That's why even the most waterproof, breathable, windproof fabric won't keep you dry and comfortable if the seams are not completely sealed. For absolute weatherproofness, GORE-TEX? garments rely on the Micro GORE-SEAM? tape technology. Seam tape is used to completely seal every tiny hole created by sewing machine needles when GORE-TEX? fabric is made into garments.

Yes. No leather is inherently waterproof, and most "waterproof" footwear requires applications of special waxes or greases to stay that way. Not only is this inconvenient, but it severely compromises the breathability of the footwear. And it's not guaranteed to keep you dry. With GORE-TEX? footwear, the waterproofness and breathability are never in doubt. UP

First introduced in 1978, GORE-TEX? fabric is created when we laminate our patented GORE-TEX? membrane to high-performance textiles, which are then used by authorized garment manufacturers to make outerwear, accessories, and footwear. UP

Only a limited number of specialist apparel manufacturers are licensed to use our fabric in accordance with our strict quality standards. We test every product design before it is approved for production and sell GORE-TEX? fabric only for the production of approved designs. Plus we guarantee the performance of all finished GORE-TEX? apparel, footwear, and accessories - not just the fabric from which the finished product is made.

GORE-TEX? fabric is available only to our licensed manufacturers, who create garments and footwear to our exacting standards. UP

Yes. GORE-TEX? fabric is windproof, so it blocks cold air and wind that can disturb your body heat and cause windchill. However, GORE-TEX? fabric itself doesn't have any special insulating qualities, so in really cold conditions, wearing extra layers underneath your outerwear will ensure that you stay warm and comfortable. UP

GORE-TEX? fabric will last for many years. It's incredibly durable, and unlike other "waterproof/breathable" fabrics that can lose waterproofness after repeated laundering, flexing, abrasion, or exposure to body oils or insect spray, the waterproofness and breathability of GORE-TEX? fabric is guaranteed under any conditions you may encounter. UP

Yes, absolutely - and that's an important detail. Your feet stay drier from the inside out, because your perspiration is evaporating out of the footwear, not staying inside to make your feet feel clammy and uncomfortable. Especially in colder weather, breathability is crucial for keeping your feet dry and warm. UP

Wash your garment as often as you need to. In fact, washing and tumble-drying will actually help restore the water-repellency performance of a GORE-TEX? garment. See our Care Center for more information. UP

Apply repellent when you are going to be outdoors. Even if you don’t notice mosquitoes there is a good chance that they are around. Many of the mosquitoes that carry West Nile virus bite between dusk and dawn. If you are outdoors around these times of the day, it is especially important to apply repellent. In many parts of the country, there are mosquitoes that also bite during the day, and some of these mosquitoes have also been found to carry West Nile virus.

Insect repellents help people reduce their exposure to mosquito bites that may carry potentially serious viruses such as West Nile virus, and allow them to continue to play and work outdoors.

It’s advised that you take a good insect repellent for the evenings. While mosquitoes are not generally a problem, you may get a few sand flea bites should you be on the beach at night. You should ABSOLUTELY take a good sunscreen. The sun in Jamaica is NOT what we are used to in the States.

It really depends on you. The GORE-TEX? membrane won't deteriorate with time, and our garments are guaranteed to be durably waterproof and breathable. Just use common sense and wear your garment for its intended use; i.e, don't wear a lightweight cycling jacket on a backcountry camping trip. And obviously, a ski instructor who wears his or her garment every day will need to buy a new one sooner than a skier who takes his or her garment out twice a year will.

ALL our GORE-TEX? fabrics are waterproof, windproof, and breathable. However, there are many different outer fabrics and fabric constructions available so that you can choose what's most important to you: weight, texture, abrasion resistance, and so on. UP