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I am skeptical. "Mylar blankets, which are made of aluminum and plastic, are extremely warm but are not vapor-permeable, causing moisture to accumulate on a pe

I am skeptical. "Mylar blankets, which are made of aluminum and plastic, are extremely warm but are not vapor-permeable, causing moisture to accumulate on a person's skin." Mylar may reflect some heat back, but the loss of heat from the system often negates this. Insulation is still needed. You can see this yourself - go out on a chilly day in shorts / t-shirt, wrap up in a mylar blanket, and you will be cold. Columbia has been adding something similar to their clothing, from baselayers to outerwear: http://www.columbia.com/technology-omniheatreflective/ http://www.columbia.com/technology-omniheatreflective/ The idea being, the silver dots will reflect heat, but the gap between them will allow moisture management. I'm not sure how well it works in all scenarios but I'm sure I couldn't turn my heat off in the home and be comfortable with an omni-heat baselayer. As for the Ag nanowires, i would worry these would become airborn and inhaled as the fabric breaks down from washing, use, etc.

quickpost 12y ago
I have a pair of those omni-reflective gloves - they work really quite well for any kind of outdoor exercise in the winter (cycling, hiking, etc.). If you're body is sweaty and warm they warm up quick and stay fairly dry.
- freshyill 12y ago
  I've got a pair too but I hadn't given that silver any thought at all until I just read the parent comment. Do you find them much better than any other pair of gloves? I generally don't wear them to work, but maybe I'll give them a shot tomorrow. The problem with any gloves, even these, is that they separate your fingers and increase surface area, making it a lot easier to lose heat. Mittens are the solution to that, but the problem with mittens is that you lose dexterity and look stupid.
swamp40 12y ago
I have this Columbia Omniheat jacket: http://www.columbia.com/mens-heat-mode-ii-softshell-jacket---tall-1555943.html?cgid=technology-omniHeatReflective&dwvar_1555943_variationColor=010 http://www.columbia.com/mens-heat-mode-ii-softshell-jacket--... I live in the Chicago suburbs. The jacket is only good to about 32°F, and not good at all with cold winds. I was hoping the reflective coating would help, but I don't notice it helping at all. Definitely no more than a 5% improvement. My Carhartt jacket (1000 Denier Cordura Plus Nylon) is much better for wintertime. It seems like stopping the outside wind from getting in does a lot more to help you stay warm than does reflecting your body heat. But maybe put the lining inside the Carhartt jacket to get the best of both worlds?
ryanlchan 12y ago
A similar application was to use aerogels, which are highly insulating but not reflective, as clothing insulation. I recall a number of companies have explored this in the past [1]. The issue with aeogels appears to be two-fold: firstly, they are relatively expensive to manufacture, but secondly, the resulting garments are often too warm! [1] http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-gear/clothing-apparel/Holey-Smoke.html http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-gear/clothing-apparel/H...

quickpost 12y ago

I have a pair of those omni-reflective gloves - they work really quite well for any kind of outdoor exercise in the winter (cycling, hiking, etc.). If you're body is sweaty and warm they warm up quick and stay fairly dry.

freshyill 12y ago
I've got a pair too but I hadn't given that silver any thought at all until I just read the parent comment. Do you find them much better than any other pair of gloves? I generally don't wear them to work, but maybe I'll give them a shot tomorrow. The problem with any gloves, even these, is that they separate your fingers and increase surface area, making it a lot easier to lose heat. Mittens are the solution to that, but the problem with mittens is that you lose dexterity and look stupid.

swamp40 12y ago

I have this Columbia Omniheat jacket: http://www.columbia.com/mens-heat-mode-ii-softshell-jacket---tall-1555943.html?cgid=technology-omniHeatReflective&dwvar_1555943_variationColor=010 http://www.columbia.com/mens-heat-mode-ii-softshell-jacket--... I live in the Chicago suburbs. The jacket is only good to about 32°F, and not good at all with cold winds. I was hoping the reflective coating would help, but I don't notice it helping at all. Definitely no more than a 5% improvement. My Carhartt jacket (1000 Denier Cordura Plus Nylon) is much better for wintertime. It seems like stopping the outside wind from getting in does a lot more to help you stay warm than does reflecting your body heat. But maybe put the lining inside the Carhartt jacket to get the best of both worlds?

ryanlchan 12y ago

A similar application was to use aerogels, which are highly insulating but not reflective, as clothing insulation. I recall a number of companies have explored this in the past [1]. The issue with aeogels appears to be two-fold: firstly, they are relatively expensive to manufacture, but secondly, the resulting garments are often too warm! [1] http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-gear/clothing-apparel/Holey-Smoke.html http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-gear/clothing-apparel/H...