Waterproof and Breathability Rating
What is a waterproof rating? What does this actually mean?
The pieces that Loki has with waterproof ratings fall within these three levels:
8,000mm - Rainproof and Waterproof under light pressure (Light rain, average snow, light pressure.)
- Mountain Hoodie Extreme (8,000mm/5,000 g/m2)
10,000mm - Rainproof and Waterproof under light pressure (Light rain, average snow, light pressure.)
- Meta Snowsport Jacket
- Valhalla 2-Layer Shell
- Valhalla Pants
- Massif Parka
- All In One Light Shell
15,000mm - Rainproof and Waterproof except under high pressure (Moderate rain, average snow, light pressure.)
- Alpine Shell
- Alpine Pants
- Men's Storm Shell
Manufacturers typically describe the waterproof breathability of fabrics using two numbers. The first is in millimeters (mm) and is a measure of how waterproof a fabric is. In the case of a 10k or 10,000 mm fabric, if you put a square tube with inner dimensions of 1” x 1” over a piece of said fabric, you could fill it with water to a height of 10,000 mm (32.8 feet) before water would begin to leak through. The higher the number, the more waterproof the fabric.
The second number is a measure of how breathable the fabric is, and is normally expressed in terms of how many grams (g) of water vapor can pass through a square meter (m2) of the fabric from the inside to the outside in a 24 hour period. In the case of a 20k (20,000 g) fabric, this would be 20,000 grams. The larger the number, the more breathable the fabric.