Hey, is the EVENT fabric comparable to the gortex used on the Alpha SV? I've got a 2009 AlphaSV that was given to me as a warranty replacement for delaminations on my 2005 AlphaSV seams. I'm wondering if I should sell this or keep it. This largely depends on others' reviews of the EVENT fabric. Thanks!

eVent and Gore-Tex are actually the same polymer. Basically, expanded poly tetra fluoride. -(CF4)- This polymer is not air permeable at all. (How would it be wind proof, if it was air permeable?) By itself, the material is very breathable, it allows, H20 to pass though, but only in gaseous form. The problem with the polymer is that it is easily clogged by salts form your sweat. Gore solved the problem 30 years ago by coating the inside with PU (poly urethane) which significantly reduces the MVTR. eVent recently solved the problem in another fashion which doesnt reduce the MVTR. And thus it is more breathable. I'm guessing that's why it needs to be washed more. Durability only comes from the outside layer of woven nylon. This can be seen as the N rating, 580N, 380 N, etc. (Cordura is 1000N). Unfortunately, I have no experience with eVent. Does anyone know, can you run in an eVent shell?

I have an eVent jacket and I definitely prefer it over Gore-Tex shells in warmer weather because it is noticeably more breathable than any Gore-Tex shell that I have. The one thing I definitely notice with the eVent though is that for cold weather activities you might need to use either an extra layer or a heavier layer underneath the shell as compared to Gore-Tex because heat isn't trapped as well - it's a trade-off for the more breathable fabric. From researching on-line, I have seen some references to eVent not being as durable as Gore-Tex, and I've also seen references indicating that it has to be washed more frequently than gore-tex to maintain its breathability and waterproofness. I suspect that the durability of the shell has more to do with the manufacturer than the eVent. My own personal take: for cold weather activities I like Gore-Tex; for warm weather, I like eVent. If you are shopping around, you might want to consider jackets made with Schoeller's c_change material too - it seems to be the real deal, and a good compromise between Gore-Tex and eVent. Look at the Cloudveil Koven Plus, or some jackets by Mammut.

as others suggest in the reviews, goretex does not actually breathe that well. it is waterproof, but event is far more breathable. event actually allows air to pass through, air permeable. other water proof breathable laminates are not air permeable, or compare in moisture vapor transfer rate (MVTR)