INSULATION TESTING

Active wear thermal performance must match your activity.  Too little insulation will make you cold.  Too much will make you hot.  How much is enough?  How does one garment compare with another?

Manufacturers make numerous claims about their latest "technology".  But, are they true?

Manufacturers can incorporate a variety of construction methods and details.  How well do these support the garment's intended use?

Our custom laboratory instruments test a garment by combining high end thermal imaging equipment, sophisticated temperature measurement devices and precise controllers to obtain accurate measures of thermal performance.   We measure energy transfer across the garment.  We measure thermal resistance (R-value) of the garment.  R-value is the rating for the effectiveness of the insulation in your home.  We produce a similar measurement that permits any tested garment to be directly compared to any other for its insulation level.  This is an objective, reliable means of performance assessment and comparison.

Manufacturers of any type of insulating garment should use our tests to document the performance of their insulation materials, assembly details and innovative designs.  Our objective, 3rd party testing  will provide verifiable proof of performance.  Such proof will provide a valuable competitive advantage in an industry where performance claims are often overstated or simply erroneous.

The adjacent image shows a typical insulation test.  The infrared image provides a qualitative comparison of heat loss through the garment.  The quantitative data shows shows thermal resistance (R-value) and heat transfer for each garment.  The left garment has  higher quality down and a higher price then the right garment.  However, the construction of the right garment results in better thermal performance.  It uses box construction rather than quilted sleeve construction.