Jackets with nano-coating

Posted on by admin

Table of contents

Jackets with nano-coating
fact

clothing

Station wagons, jackets & pants

Jackets with nano-coating

Jackets with nano-coating
Nano technology put to the test

A special surface treatment of textiles is supposed to let water roll off and prevent dirt from sticking. MOTORRAD has subjected the four functional jackets currently available on the market to a practical test using this so-called nanotechnology.

Holger Hertneck

08/30/2007

The technical term »nanotechnology« refers to a special surface texture that humans have copied from nature. Prime example: the lotus leaf. Water or dirt have no chance of adhering to its finely structured surface. After a downpour at the latest, the leaf will be sparkling clean again. The industry has copied this self-cleaning effect and developed techniques to apply millions of tiny (nano) particles to different surfaces ?? among other things on textiles. Motorcyclists are particularly happy about this progress, as they are exposed to wind and weather and thus also dirt without protection.

Since the new technology is still in its infancy, at least in the motorcycle clothing sector, the range of corresponding jackets is manageable. Only four manufacturers were able to offer models that were completely coated on the outside at the time of the test. In addition to these jackets from Haveba, Ixs, Modeka and Reusch there are still some that are only equipped with nanotechnology in a few places. Overall, the range is likely to expand significantly in the coming years, as many other brands are planning nano-products for motorcyclists.

From the outside, the jackets don’t show their special abilities. They differ from conventional models only in the discreetly applied lettering such as “nanosphere” or “NANOtex”. Their grip and surface feel are completely identical to that of comparable, untreated functional jackets. Of course, despite nanotechnology on the surface, a waterproof membrane underneath ensures reliable watertightness.

In the test, MOTORRAD not only looked into the question of how well the candidates defend themselves against dirt attacks, but also extensively tested all four models in the laboratory and in practice (see box on the right). After all, what use is the best dirt repellent properties if safety and everyday practicality are neglected.

So much in advance: All jackets are suitable for motorcycling. In addition to the functional membranes, they have width adjustments, numerous pockets and removable thermal liners as well as ?? except for the Haveba Maori ?? closable ventilation openings. The best prerequisites for being used as driver equipment from spring to autumn.

And the test results show: First and foremost, the Ixs Sterling and the Reusch Pure-Nanosphere are functional jackets that are particularly recommended. The comparatively inexpensive Melville from Modeka is also convincing, while the Maori from Haveba primarily lacks suitable protectors. And the extremely effective nano-coating on all jackets caused astonishment in the editorial office during the test.

Buy complete article

Jackets with nano-coating

Jackets with nano-coating
Nano technology put to the test

4 pages) as PDF

€ 2.00

Buy now

Haveba Maori

Provider: TWS Central Europe, Telephone 07432/220595, www.haveba.de
Price: 229 euros;
Colors: black, black / gray
Sizes: women S to XXXL, men S to 5XL

plus
Good water and dirt repellency; pleasantly light to wear; high ease of putting on and taking off; long and short connection zipper; removable thermal lining; well processed

minus
In the test, slight ingress of water in the collar / chest area, besides all outside pockets leaking; no width adjustment in the hem, jacket slides up while driving; scratchy collar Velcro; no vents; if the cuffs are set tightly, bulges form; no back protector; insufficient shock absorption of the elbow and shoulder protectors; very little reflective material

Conclusion
Comfortable to wear, light touring jacket with effective dirt repellency, but inadequate protectors and other flaws in detail.

MOTORRAD verdict: satisfactory

IXS sterling

Provider: Hostettler, phone 07631/18040, www.ixs.com
Price: 699 euros;
Color: Black
Sizes: S to 5XL

plus
Completely waterproof, also outside pockets; very good dirt and water repellency; great wearing comfort and great fit; absolutely flutter-free; perfect width adjustment; high comfort on and off; effective ventilation; Elbow and shoulder protectors with good shock absorption values; many reflective strips and surfaces distributed over the entire jacket; long connection zipper; high quality equipment; very warm, removable thermal lining; excellently processed.

minus
No back protector

Conclusion
Very robust, waterproof all-season touring jacket with dirt-repellent upper material, which also shines with high-quality features and the best workmanship.

MOTORRAD verdict: very good

Modeka Melville

Provider: Beckumer Leder- und Bekleidungswerk, Telephone 02521/85030, www.modeka.de;
Price: 199 euros;
Colors: black, black / gray
Sizes: XS to 4XL

plus
Completely waterproof, including breast pockets; good water and dirt repellency; good fit; Ventilation can be felt very well; Elbow and shoulder protectors with good to very good shock absorption values; long connection zipper; removable thermal lining; well processed.

minus
Due to several removable layers (thermal lining and membrane) and two front zips, it is comparatively difficult to put on and take off; much too small Velcro fastener on the collar with little adjustment range; very small outer belly pockets; only slight width adjustment in the hem, jacket slides up while driving; if the cuffs are set tightly, bulges form; no back protector; very little reflective material

Conclusion
Waterproof motorcycle jacket with a somewhat fiddly interior design, but effective dirt repellency and the best ventilation function in comparison.

MOTORRAD verdict: good

Reusch Pure-Nanosphere

Provider: Polo express delivery, phone 0211/9796699, www.polo-motorrad.de;
Price: from 399.50 euros;
Color: sand / gray
Sizes: women S to M, men M to XXL

plus
Completely waterproof, including breast pockets; very good dirt and water repellency; completely flutter-free, perfect width adjustment; high ease of putting on and taking off; lots of large vents ?? Ventilation clearly noticeable; the only jacket in the test with a standard, albeit somewhat small, back protector that also has very good damping values; Elbow and shoulder protectors with good shock absorption values; many reflective surfaces all over the jacket; high quality equipment, including a crotch strap; very well made.

minus
Somewhat stiff to wear; slight draft in the collar-chest area; Elbows cut too wide; only a very short connection zipper; one of the snaps fell off during the test.

Conclusion
Stable, waterproof touring jacket with a high level of practicality, effective dirt repellency and a fully-fledged safety package as well as a refreshingly light color scheme.

MOTORRAD verdict: very good

Conclusion

The dirt-repellent surface treatment was convincing for all candidates. By far the most expensive jacket in the test, the Ixs Sterling, left the best overall impression. Overall, it offers everything that makes a year-round motorcycle jacket strong. This also applies to the Reusch Pure-Nanosphere, which is only one point behind and is around 300 euros cheaper. For this reason, she received the MOTORCYCLE buyer’s tip. The cheapest jacket in the comparison, the Modeka Melville, fared well behind, but still rated it good. The hardly more expensive Haveba Maori gets away with a black eye, which loses points mainly due to the poor protectors.

This is how MOTORRAD tests – point game

Practical test (25 points): This criterion evaluates the suitability for everyday use and the handling of the jackets as well as their fit and comfort on the motorcycle. During the test drives, among other things, the ventilation function was checked and the tendency to flutter was determined at speeds of up to 200 km / h.

Wetness test (25 points): With each jacket, a MOTORRAD tester had to defy the powerful jet of water from a garden hose for ten minutes on a BMW F 800 S, which is equivalent to a very violent thunderstorm.
Shock absorption / safety (20 points): How complete is the protector equipment? How well are the protectors fixed? In addition, the residual force values ​​of all protectors were determined on a drop test stand * based on the European standard EN 1621-1 / 2. And: do the jackets have reflective material?

Dirt repellency (15 points): Samples of wine, dirty water, oil and mustard were applied to several points on the front of the jacket and exposed to the blazing sun for almost an hour. Are stains visible after rinsing??
Equipment (10 points): Are the jackets fully equipped? Keywords: pockets, ventilation, width adjustments, thermal lining, etc..

Workmanship (5 points): Dropouts, snaps, sloppy seams or manufacturing errors result in deductions.
* Sas-Tec, 71706 Markgroningen

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *