Under Armour’s training clothing will soon come with a new ventilation design that the company claims will keep you cooler and more comfortable than any mesh has before. The design is so simple, it’s hard to believe it wasn’t done before.
ArmourVent is basically just a thin layer of stretchy polyester with a bunch of different-sized holes punched in it. You can use the material in various types of clothing, but let’s consider a workout shirt as a use case (since that’s what it’s being used for here). Usually, polyester jerseys use multi-layered mesh ventilation in different configurations depending on the brand to help get heat and moisture away from your body. You can see that approach in these offerings from Adidas or The North Face. According to Under Armour’s Senior Product Line Manager John Hardy though, this makes no sense, because the multiple layers add weight and trap heat.
For ArmourVent, UA has recruited a specific mill to cut polyester into a single-ply sheet as well as to punch holes. Using special machinery, UA can punch multiple hole sizes in its mesh pattern where other manufacturers have to keep these patterns uniform. Since most people prefer that the mesh not be too revealing, these shirts tend to use smaller holes, which in turn don’t disperse much heat. By using multiple hole sizes, UA can scatter in larger holes amongst smaller ones to make the garment more breathable without leaving you overly exposed. The shirt’s $US40 price tag is comparable with what other companies charge for similar products.
At a preview of its spring/summer collection today, we saw ArmourVent in everything from jerseys to shorts to leggings. You should be able to actually buy them in January or Early February.