Graham O,
I was amazed when you said you tried the idea of getting water to condense and leave at the hem, it was something i thought about, but assumed would be too bulky as you say.
They are all going to be bulky, whatever you use, so would all be winter systems. Maybe someone in the space industry could lend us some aero gel
...no, seriously
5mm is what i imagined would be a maximum thickness, any more and bulk really does play too large a part.
Were/are you in the clothing industry when you use the word 'we'?
It's worth bearing in mind that as soon as any ventile system you can come up with ceases to be as breathable it becomes pointless, but we all know this. It's also worth noting that when wet, ventile is always going to be less, if at all, breathable.
I think what this thread is about now is exploring all the possibilites, obviously i hadn't realised this had been done before and am pretty excited that it has. You ended the post in such a way that suggested there would be little point in persuing the problem, but i think it's worth it, scientists always encounter the most obvious problems first in this way, and don't give in at that point because thay know persistence has worked in the past. This is not a criticism however, and i am very grateful for your post, it helps jump a few stages with the idea.
As far as cost goes...well commercially it would require a very specific target group, so would always encounter cost problems, but how many people on here have made their own? The felt idea is a good starting point for experiments i think, i like the idea that you could use a natural material. Toddy, do you have any ideas about this?
@Wink,
Hmm, well why not? i have no experience with paramo gear so i can't comment directly, but i guess the question is why haven't they? maybe because they (paramo) wanted a lighter weight system, or maybe because they are just two different principles which when together don't like each other. It's most likely cost though.
This is not directly related, but i just bought second hand a survival aids parka. It was advertised by the seller as double layer ventile...it quite simply is not. It has two layers behind some pockets, but not where you need it on the shoulders, this is disappointing, but i like the design so much i think i'll keep it anyway. He may also have washed it with something as there is a soapy residue in areas and the taped seams (although some say unnecessary) sound like they have unstuck (i.e. washed at 40). It has two layers though, one ventile, one plain cotton, this makes it really nice and warm to wear, but not entirely reliable weatherproof wise, as i suspect this inner layer will wick water towards me and draw it through the outer layer! I hope to get away with wearing wool underneath, and when it gets really cr*ppy outside stick a poncho on. But it's not about staying dry right? it's about staying warm, and staying warm when you have stopped doing work and the inside of your jacket is or is (hopefully) not drenched with sweat...
cheers people
p.s. just reading up on aerogel and it turns out it could be effective! it is highly hygroscopic, which means that it absorbs water readily, and you can also treat it to make it hydrophobic. So if you just treated it on the side of the outer layer and left it how it was on the inside layer it could work, but it would be incredibly warm as it insulates very well, and would probably shatter, but nevermind...