>>2688848People in most of the US wearing Gore-Tex is a symptom of the California Influence.
Basically it’s a matter of humidity. California is fairly arid, especially in the places where hiking is more common. Gore-Tex is a fantastic choice in those areas, as it excels in those conditions.
Wearing it in the Southeast is like wearing a plastic bag. It’s just a piss poor choice, but hey everyone in YouTube said it was great and the consensus on Facebook is pretty clear, right?
Gore-Tex works by allowing water vapor to pass through a membrane while blocking water in liquid form. In order for water vapor to be carried through the membrane, the humidity on one side and of the garment has to be lower than the other. If the relative humidity is very low (such as in California), Gore-Tex works well as humid air inside of a jacket (or shoe) can readily be absorbed and evaporated through the membrane. When relative humidity is high, fuck you; the rate at which it builds inside the garment will be too high for it to pass through the Gore-Tex membrane and evaporate.
Sometimes Gore-Tex works in the eastern half of the US, but not often. If you consider it a good option and do t live in an arid environment, then you fell for a West Coast meme.
