New eVent membrane leads to lighter shoe with “double the breathability”
04/03/2016
Hydroventure is also the first footwear product to use eVent’s newest waterproof and air permeable technology, eVent DvdryLT. ‘DV’ in the new technology’s name stands for ‘direct venting’.
The team at eVent has highlighted its ability to dissipate heat and moisture through footwear and to advance breathability during athletic use.
A patented one-piece upper construction was developed for the Hydroventure, which allows the fabric laminate “to become the body, or upper, of the shoe”, the companies said at the time of the launch, saying this reduces the complexity of the construction found in most light, waterproof shoes. The manufacturing process eliminates layers and glue to save weight and cost while increasing breathability and improving flexibility.
According to eVent its new construction yields “a significant weight reduction” because it requires 50% fewer parts and 30% fewer steps compared to typical waterproof shoe construction; it has calculated this at almost 30 grammes per pair.
And, according to eVent’s internal comparisons of its own waterproof and air permeable footwear technologies, the improvement in breathability is “vastly improved”. A three-layer (outer mesh, inner lining and membrane) one-piece upper laminate such as the one Topo uses in the Hydroventure “more than doubles breathability over traditional waterproof shoe construction”, the companies said.
“The invention of eVent DVdryLT is a tremendous step forward for performance footwear,” said Chad Kelly, director of sales and product line for eVent fabrics. “The one-piece construction is, simply put, like putting the best-quality jacket over the top of your foot. Footwear brands can now design a go-to waterproof shoe that is comfortable year-round in wet conditions. It eliminates the problems that have long been associated with waterproof shoes: the stuffy feeling, the inflexibility and the weight.”
For his part, Tony Post, founder and chief executive of Topo Athletic, said: “Making a comfortable lightweight construction is central to our product philosophy. Over my 30-year career, I’ve helped create many waterproof shoes, and the historical challenge has often been the multiple layers of material, cements, tapes and gaskets, all of which make the upper stiffer and add weight. Thanks in large part to eVent’s new technology, the Hydroventure is more comfortable and lighter in weight than any other waterproof breathable running shoe on the market today.”
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