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The interesting thing about Gore-TEX is that is no longer patented, and is merely a licensed trademark that brands pay for. The Gore company certifies the desi
by jcampbell1 4y ago
The interesting thing about Gore-TEX is that is no longer patented, and is merely a licensed trademark that brands pay for. The Gore company certifies the designs, and it goes well beyond stretched PTFE. They require a final level of breathability, waterproof seams, various construction techniques, etc.
Bob Gore is known for being a savvy businessman, and this is one example of how to turn a 20 year patent into a 100 year revenue stream.
- UncleOxidant 4y agoIs this why I'm not seeing a lot of rain gear with Gore-Tex anymore? It seemed like it was pretty common about 20 years back which would coincide with the patent still being in effect.
- hyperhopper 4y agoThe thing is, the brand means a lot here. I've tried probably a majority of the major alternatives. Every winter sports company will claim their version of goretex is just as good, but they all fall short, usually waterproofing, or sometimes they just suffer from the garbage bag effect. Either way, I've spent hundreds of dollars on too many copycats to ever bother with non-goretex again. It's not financially worth it
- jcampbell1 4y agoI agree with everything you said, and the Gore company is in the business of certifying the jacket will perform well. That being said, for fishing where you are going to get fish guts everywhere, lots of people are now wearing this super cheap Frogg Toggs brand rather than rubbers. There is a place for super cheap PTFE gear.