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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
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    134

    Goretex vs Goretex Pro (Norrona Lofoten pants)

    Hi everyone.
    have in mind to buy a new pair of pants for next season, pure shell since i have already a lightly insulated Mammut pant. Would use it mainly for snowshoeing with snowboard on the back, and then for splitboarding if i decide to pull the trigger.
    I guess i will decide between Norrona and Patagonia, but I am open for suggestions.
    I see that Norrona has already published next season pants:

    https://www.norrona.com/en-GB/produc...en/?color=3301

    https://www.norrona.com/en-GB/produc...en/?color=3301

    what would I give up choosing the normal Goretex instead of Goretex Pro? is the difference worth the 100EUR gap?
    thanks in advance

  2. #2
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    Dec 2010
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    In my experience, and I've owned plenty of both fabric, Goretex Pro is about 20% more breathable and the garments tend to be more packable, depending on which backer they choose (or if the regular Goretex is 2L). If you are actually snowshoeing with the jacket on, the comfort level will be much higher with Goretex Pro. 100 euros worth? Hard to say - usually you aren't climbing with the hardshell on your body unless it's a wet day, in which case maybe you simply don't go?

  3. #3
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    Oct 2004
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    I can't say too much technically about pro vs non pro, but living in Seattle I care more about waterproof vs breathability. I've never wet out in my Pro garments while I have in my non-pro. For me, that is worth the extra $.

  4. #4
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    Nov 2010
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    Pro is thinner, lighter, hence more packable as Greg alluded to, and in my experience not quite as durable, but it depends so much on the exact fabric i.e. the denier of the fabric maybe the durability bit is just my biased experience based on a low N.

    For inbounds, I actually prefer the slightly beefier backing on normal Goretex (like the old XCR) compared to Pro. Pro is great for human powered activities like alpine climbing. For ski touring where I do I exclusively use soft shells or wind shells and skip on WPB fabrics, so really I only care about Goretex fabrics for inbounds skiing.

    The pants you linked to have side zips, so any venting you do will make a bigger difference than the fabric.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
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    Wasatch
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    I have lofoten pro and their gore for tour
    Gore is thin and pro is burly. Pro does not seem to breathe quite as well but I can’t do direct compare since I tour with vents wide open. The pro breathes well enough for resort. I bought strafe nomad to try more event


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  6. #6
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    FWIW, a manufacturer with a Goretex license can attach any weight of face fabric to any of their membranes - typical choices are 40, 60, 70, 80 and 100 denier. Denier is thought of as a general measure of fabric thickness, but really is the weight of 9,000 meters of the thread used to make the fabric (sometimes warp and weft weights are different in a given fabric). They can also spec 2L or 3L for regular Goretex, and have a choice of backers for 3L (i.e. regular mesh or C-Knit).

    They can also choose nylon or polyester face fabric, stretch or non-stretch, etc. Goretex will test the laminated fabric for wear and wash resistance, but they don't actually make the face fabric or tell you where to source it (they will offer suggestions). Gore references to "toughness" are calling out the durability of their membranes, with Pro being the toughest, but overall durability of a garment probably has more to do with the thickness of the face fabric and the quality of the construction than the ePTFE layer. There are more 40 denier Pro offerings because "Pro" buyers tend to carry their stuff uphill more and be more weight conscious.

    Water resistance of DWR compounds also varies, but older 8-chain compounds (no longer being used) were more water-resistant than current, more environmentally-friendly 6-chain compounds - not much you can do about that.

  7. #7
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    Sep 2005
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    Regarding Norrona Lofoten Pro, the face fabric is super thick and super bomber. Actually, I think that the face fabric is either as thick, or thicker than Arcteryx SV. Where the Lofoten fails is in the details: zippers (my Lofoten Pro pant back zipper exploded), the internal wrist/thumb sleeve (my Lofoten jacket sleeve ripped). Either way, as far as their fabric goes, the Lofoten is the shit.
    Last edited by schindlerpiste; 04-27-2020 at 06:56 AM.
    “How does it feel to be the greatest guitarist in the world? I don’t know, go ask Rory Gallagher”. — Jimi Hendrix

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
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    134
    Quote Originally Posted by skis_the_trees View Post

    Pro is great for human powered activities like alpine climbing.
    For ski touring where I do I exclusively use soft shells or wind shells and skip on WPB fabrics, so really I only care about Goretex fabrics for inbounds skiing.
    thanks. I read a lot of people like softshell/windshell, but i guess never got it why. if you have a windshell pants, but aren't these non breathable? and if using softshell, aren't these non waterproof? what are the advantages? could you point out few models/examples?
    thanks

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
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    134
    Quote Originally Posted by schindlerpiste View Post
    Regarding Norrona Lofoten Pro, the face fabric is super thick and super bomber. Actually, I think that the face fabric is either as thick, or thicker than Arcteryx SV. Where the Lofted fails is in the details: zippers (my Lofted Pro pant back zipper exploded), the internal wrist/thumb sleeve (my Lofted jacket sleeve ripped). Either way, as far as their fabric goes, the Lofted is the shit.
    thanks. The reviews on their site indeed are not flattering.
    What other brand/model you'd suggest, with similar features and non-tight fit?

  10. #10
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    Westcomb Vapor pants

    Arcteryx Alpha SV bib

    These are the two best that I have owned.
    “How does it feel to be the greatest guitarist in the world? I don’t know, go ask Rory Gallagher”. — Jimi Hendrix

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by lorcar View Post
    thanks. I read a lot of people like softshell/windshell, but i guess never got it why. if you have a windshell pants, but aren't these non breathable? and if using softshell, aren't these non waterproof? what are the advantages? could you point out few models/examples?
    thanks
    Soft shell is windproof but breathes so IME its great for uphill skiing/ movement/ human powered travel where you dont want to overheat, below freezing you got snow not rain so it doesnt matter so much if yer kit is water proof, softshell at --10C is ideal but I've toured with it to -25C , thro on the big puffy jacket when you stop, ime getting yer touring kit right is important

    Ski down a run and sit on a lift for 15 minutes has different needs, I like Gortex and insulation to keep dry/warm on the lift ride up but really the gear for lift skiing does not need to be all that technical mostly it just needs to keep you warm,

    REALLY a snowmobile suit or insulated carhart overalls would work fine but at most ski area's nobody does that
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  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by lorcar View Post
    thanks. I read a lot of people like softshell/windshell, but i guess never got it why. if you have a windshell pants, but aren't these non breathable? and if using softshell, aren't these non waterproof? what are the advantages? could you point out few models/examples?
    thanks
    People like softshell garments for touring or skiing in dry interior climates because you can often put them on in the morning and just wear them all day, plus they are super comfortable and have a soft hand (don't make noise when you move). Classic softshell fabrics are water resistant, but only to the limits of their fabric/DWR, then you're wet. Not sure what you mean by "windshell" - there are windshells of thin ripstop nylon with a PU coating on the interior that don't breathe especially well, then there are softshells with a wind-blocking membrane like Windstopper which are very effective at blocking wind, reasonably water resistant, and still breath well. So it depends on the weather of the day. For touring in the PNW, even if I wear softshell, I also pack a super lightweight Goretex Pro jacket "just in case."

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