We all know about breather membranes in buildings but Roger Bisby discovers something even more effective is now being used in Snickers Next Generation workwear.
If you were paying attention in biology lessons you will know that 37.5 centigrade is the ideal body temperature, and the same part of your brain that (hopefully) keeps your heart ticking also regulates your body temperature.
Too hot and you start perspiring to help you cool down, too cold and your brain tells your skin to produce goose pimples, which make the hairs stand up to trap a layer of air. Maybe you thought that only happened when your team scored.
It is the cleverest system imaginable and somehow, don’t ask me how, scientists came up with high performance 37.5 technology fabrics that do the same thing as your skin – keeping your body as close to the ideal temperature as possible. This fabric has been used in sportswear and has been proven to enhance performance in a totally legal way.
How does a fabric do that? Well, putting it simply it has millions of tiny permanently embedded particles adding eight times the surface area to the fabric, so it dries much faster and, because it is dry and can trap air, that trapped air retains heat. As your body warms up past the 37.5 centigrade mark you’re your metabolism ships the heat to the outside world.
If your body temperature is right you don’t use energy trying to correct it, and you can also give your brain an easier time, or you can divert that brain power to inventing nuclear fusion.
So that is the technology but how does Snickers workwear use it? The answer is they use it any way they can and that includes socks, base layers and even jackets.
Base Layers
Snickers new XTR base layer uses this 37.5 technology, combined with merino wool for supreme comfort. The insulating layer wicks moisture from your body but, somewhat surprisingly, you can wear the base layer for several days at a time (use your nose) because the fabric has an anti-bacterial treatment.
Now my view on this is that some people are going to be able to get away with this and others aren’t because some people have a natural tendency to stink. It may even be a defence mechanism to ward off predators.
Comfort
Despite being packed with technology the XTR fabric feels like a second skin, stretching as you move, so you are never restricted. I have been testing this base layer out for a few months and waiting for the real cold weather to come so I can give it a real trial, but long before I tried it the Snickers team had been putting it through tests in the Arctic circle.
Jackets
The Snickers 1100 All Roundwork 37.5 insulated jacket uses this same technology of millions of particles with a 3D 
mesh lining at the back to trap air for insulation.
The jacket is water-resistant rather than being completely waterproof, because Snickers has Gortex jackets to give you total protection against heavy rain. I really like the fact that this jacket has a dropped back, which, for me, is far better than those short jackets that expose your back when you bend over. It also has pull down inner sleeves to hook over your thumbs and a nice stand up fleece-lined collar.
That famous Snickers robust zip has a storm flap for complete protection. It is a jacket for the cold but it is also a jacket built to work, with Cordura reinforced panels.
Like many Snickers garments it is cut to assist movement, with pre-bent sleeves and stretch fabric and, considering how warm it is, is fairly light.
For more information on Snickers’ 37.5 technology click here.