When things get rough, gear up in styles both tough and tasteful.
Puffer jackets are supposed to be warm, soft and comfortable. Even their name denotes a sense of non-threatening fluffiness. An indestructible puffer jacket then, sounds like an oxymoron, but tech-based clothing start-up Vollebak has produced one.
It’s woven from Dyneema, a brand of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, and marketed as the world’s strongest fibre — 15 times stronger than steel, when compared on a weight for weight basis. Current uses for the fibre include bullet-resistant vests, tank panels, cockpit doors, satellite tethers and even ropes to recover sunken ships.
What this means for a piece of clothing is that it’s virtually impervious to rips and cuts, and will keep you warm when the mercury dips below zero. In fact, the lower the temperature dips, the stronger it becomes.
As an ethical bonus, the jacket isn’t insulated with duck down, but with synthetic fibres made from recycled plastic bottles. This has the added benefit of being more breathable than down jackets if you intend to hike through Siberia.
URBAN GEAR
In this age where style and paranoia are in equal abundance, it’s hardly surprising that brands like Aspetto (pictured) and Garrison Bespoke are making bullet-resistant suits. The latter even claims to use ballistic materials that exceed FBI standards. Not at the expense of sharp tailoring, of course.
US$45
