Drilite Loft - Water Resistant Fabric

Drilite Loft is another proprietary fabric from Mountain Equipment and should not be confused with Drilite, the waterproof fabric that is used in hard shell garments. The Drilite Loft range of fabrics have been developed to provide high levels of protection to insulation in damp conditions by repelling moisture. These fabrics are also lightweight, allowing insulation to fully loft ensuring excellent insulation levels, this is particularly important for down filled bags and jackets where warmth is dependent on the clusters lofting fully creating as much dead air space as possible.

Drilite Loft is water resistant fabric that Mountain Equipment use in their Extreme and Classic sleeping bags and in all but the lightest insulated jackets. Made for 100% Polyamide (Nylon) that has a microporous polyurethane coating applied to the inside providing a hydrostatic head of 1500mm. This combination of the light weight and water resistance allows insulation, in particular down, to loft to it's full potential providing maximum insulation while protecting against damp environments.

Drilite Loft II is a lighter version of the standard Drilite Loft. It has the same polyurethane coating ensuring the same levels of water resistance keeping insulation protected from damp. The difference between the two fabrics is the weight of the outer fabric, in the Drilite Loft II the fabric is much lighter at 55g/m². This ensures that higher quality down can loft to it's maximum potential as there is less resistance from the weight of the fabric.

Drilite Loft SL was the lightest of this range of fabrics until the advent of Drilite Loft Xero. The outer fabric weight in at 36g/m². It retains the water resistant polyurethane coating so still ensuring the water resistance and protection of the down filling. The advantage this has over Drilite Loft II is weight. It will contribute to a minimum pack weight, essential on expeditions where everything has to be carried and every gram counts.

Drilite Loft Xero is the lightest of this range of fabrics with the outer fabric at 28g/m². It retains the water resistant polyurethane coating so still ensuring the Hydrostatic Head remains at 1500mm for water resistance and protection of the down filling. Such a lightweight fabric is important as it will contribute to a minimum pack weight, essential on expeditions where everything has to be carried and every gram counts.