Nearly six years ago in 2009, a Utah-based company called Klymit came up with a different idea for cold-weather clothing — replace traditional insulation with gas. This idea gave birth to NobleTek inflatable clothing that earned plenty of attention from the outdoor and technology industries. However, it never seemed to catch on. Under the guidance of start-up NuDown, the inflatable insulation has been packed again into a simpler form. Instead of the compulsory argon gas inflator, it uses a simple hand pump to adjust to your core warmth.
Klymit’s NobleTek was an interesting idea that was poorly executed. In 2013, it sold the apparel side of its business to Jeff Picket, an entrepreneur, who went ahead and founded NuDown. The new company has been selling Klymit’s argon-based inflation jacket and vest designs, but it was preparing to launch a new line of inflatable clothes that can be user-friendly. Nudown is christening it as NuTech and it drops the annoying argon canisters for regular air. Each jacket and vest has a pocket-sized hand pump that lets you pump these up for a higher insulation and more warmth. They also have a release valve that lets you release the air for cooling down.
The makers claim that every pump increases the warmth by about one degree Fahrenheit. They say that around 5 pumps will provide warmth on slightly chilly days, and 15 to 20 pumps will make things warmer for colder days. These jackets have the same versatility and pack ability that argon-based designs enjoy without the need of replacing the canisters. Although there still might be some extra pumping and tweaking, the new design seems to have taken care of NobleTek’s biggest drawback.
You simply squeeze a convenient, in-pocket pump, forcing air into the chambers surrounding your torso. The more air you pump in, the more air you trap between yourself and the garment. This “inner” air is warmed by your body and held tight to produce your ideal warmth. As conditions change, you can release air to cool down or add more air for even greater insulation. They use heat retaining substances and technology using which you can fully adjust the warmth you want.
Five pumps give you an initial blast of insulation that will suffice for normal activity on slightly chilly days. Ten pumps will get you started in harsher conditions. Fifteen to 20 pumps will protect you in the cruellest of colds. The creators have three men’s and three women’s styles with the prices ranging between $450 and $800. The prices are way too high, especially since the jackets will be using air to insulate, stuff that we breathe in and out every second for free.
