ISPO News: The Nikwax Hydrophobic Down™ Experience

To prove the superior performance of Nikwax Hydrophobic Down (NHD) over conventional down we took a group of colleagues and friends of Nikwax into the Alps, at -20 degrees temperature, to float 2 NHD sleeping bags on a lake. Head to www.nikwax.com/ispo2018 to find out what happened.

Stay warm and dry at this year’s ISPO with Nikwax Hydrophobic Down.
Although down offers superb insulating properties, it clumps together if it gets wet, leaving you feeling cold. Nikwax’s revolutionary Hydrophobic Down is a water resistant down fill that retains loft and recovers quickly after a downpour; all without adding weight.

PFC-free, Nikwax Hydrophobic Down is environmentally safe and is already being used by trusted outdoor brands including Berghaus, Rab, Mountain Hardwear, Alpkit and Therm-a-rest.

It works by adding a flexible Durable Water Repellent (DWR) finish to each individual down filament, thereby reducing the absorption of moisture – whether from the inside (perspiration, condensation) or the outside (rain and snow). It maintains its high performance loft and insulation properties in cold and damp conditions.

Wet down loses its insulating properties because water conducts heat away from the body up to 25 times faster than air
It’s also heavier and loses its breathability, resulting in a cold, wet and uncomfortable experience. But a reduction in insulation can also be dangerous and in severe cases can lead to hypothermia.

That’s why Nikwax Hydrophobic Down is the optimal down fill for sleeping bags, jackets and gilets. It’s down that has a water resistant treatment applied to it which is at least 50 times more water resistant than standard down, maintaining loft, breathability and an ability to continue to insulate.  Furthermore, because it stays moisture free, there’s less bacteria trapped inside a garment, which can result in the breakdown of damp down. This increases the useable lifetime of clothing and gear and also provides odour resistance.

Nikwax Hydrophobic Down’s radical features offer clothing manufacturers more versatility as their products can be used in a much wider variety of conditions
The increased performance of Hydrophobic Down in comparison to similar down filled garments means Nikwax treated down will continue to be effective in conditions where conventional untreated down filled items would fail.