A recent wearer trial set up by Gore in cooperation with the agricultural division of BayWa AG and ELTEN, the manufacturer of the test boots, attests to the functional and comfort benefits of the new GORE-TEX Insulated Comfort footwear laminate AIRFIBER that features a hollow fibre insulation technology: a high level of thermal insulation - combined with a lighter weight and a more comfortable fit.
Between September 2017 and March 2018, 31 workers at BayWa AG in Neunburg, Germany, tested GORE-TEX Joschi ESD CI boots by ELTEN featuring the new AIRFIBER footwear laminate. They wore the boots 4-5 days a week and 6-9 hours a day. This was mostly inside unheated buildings as well as outdoors in temperatures as low as minus 16°C, and in wet environments. During this time the participants performed activities such as installation work in farm buildings and dairies, or maintenance work in biogas plants.
This is what some of the participants had to say about the waterproofness and heat retention properties of the test boots:
The boots are durably waterproof: that was really important in the winter, in rain and when there was a lot of snow (waterproofness).
They are the best winter boots I've ever worn (thermal insulation).
WATERPROOFNESS
All of the participants confirmed that the test boots were totally waterproof. This feature proved to be particularly beneficial when working outdoors in slushy snow and icy conditions, and while performing tasks in the dairy or involving milk tanks.
PERCEPTION OF TEMPERATURE
77% of the participants confirmed that the temperature inside the test boots was “pleasant”, even when they were working outdoors in temperatures as low as minus 15 °C.
18 of the 31 participants (58%) said that the test boots were “warmer” than their old safety boots.
SWEATING
76% of the participants said they perceived “no sweating” or only “mild” sweating in the test boots.
20 of the 30 participants (67%) said that they had even sweat “less” than in their old boots (half of which had no membrane).
FIT
81% of the participants were extremely satisfied with the fit of the test boots.
The data collected during the wearer trial was analysed by HYVE, a Munich-based innovation and market research agency.
wearer
BayWa
Wearer trial in cooperation with the Neunburg-based agricultural division of BayWa AG, a globally operating trading company and services provider.
