just read that - very amusing article. And - surprise, surprise - a guy treated to posh hotels, exquisite meals and a huge bundle of expensive freebies comes out speaking favourably about his host's products........................... That's what pr departments are all about - it's their bread and butter, and they have had decades to work out how best to influence journos, both consciously and sub-consciously! Even if the reporter is trying to be impartial etc etc (and ignores all the current and future freebies likely to accrue), the subconscious tends to mitigate against harsh criticism against a guy, and his company's products, who has been so friendly and accommodating. And being baffled by lots of "scientific facts and graphs" doesn't help matters either.
However, one item included in all the puff i thought to be very interesting. A pair of goretex-lined boots were filled with water and then spun around at high speed for a while - and no water came out of the boot.
Now correct me if i'm missing something here, but the feet are one of the sweatiest parts of the human body. Water vapour comes off the feet and then condenses into water, unless your socks wick away the sweat onto the lining of your boot, where it will then condense. But then the water in goretex boots cannot escape - see the above comment, so the water remains inside the boot, and feet get wet, then cold. And the lining then takes an age to dry out, as anyone with goretex-lined boots that have got their lining wet knows all too well.
And that is supposed to be a good thing?
