Defender® yourself – in summer and winter!

At Eider, many of our jackets are designed with a Defender® membrane. Derived from an exclusive Eider technology, the Defender® is a high-performance microporous membrane: when bonded to a garment’s outer, it give its user a guarantee of waterproofness, breathability and a barrier against the wind, for maximum protection.The Defender® design concept? It’s a fabric with tiny pores that are small enough not to let water or air in, but large enough to let the water vapor produced by the body during outdoor activities escape outward. We didn’t dare say “magical”, but it’s a terrific idea, no?

Waterproofness, which stops water and wind from penetrating, is achieved by bonding the membrane on the inside of the shell fabric. It is measured in Schmerber units – a slightly barbaric word for some people, but well known to others (are you reading this, late-summer ultra-trail running fans with your list of compulsory gear, including… a waterproof jacket?). So a garment rated at 3,000 Schmerber is waterproof, while 20,000 or even 30,000 delivers protection to withstand extreme conditions..

Breathability describes a fabric’s ability to remove body moisture. With regard to the Defender® membrane, this ability is defined by the MVTR (Moisture Vapor Transmission Rate), which measures moisture transfer through the fabric: 5,000g/m²/24h means good breathability, while 20,000 g/m²/24h is very high.

So that each product suits different applications, Eider uses three types of assembly around the membrane. In a two-layer assembly, the membrane is placed between an outer layer of fabric and an inner mesh or lining, with or without insulation. With the 2.5-layer build, the membrane is placed between an outer layer of fabric and a printed lining which protects the membrane. Lastly, with a three-layer garment, the membrane is placed between two fabric layers: inner and outer.

Since creating the Defender® membrane, our teams have constantly evolved it, incorporating the latest fabric innovations, so that it adapts to all of your activities, even the most intense. The upshot? It’s ever lighter and more breathable, but also ever more supple and soft to touch. Defender® High Density, Defender® 2-Way Stretch 15K, Defender® High Air Exchange, Defender Weave® are just a few variants – in total, there are 23 types of Defender® membrane to choose from, based on what you’re doing and how you do it.

Our teams have delivered, now it’s over to you: when selecting an item of protective apparel, it’s important to clearly define your requirements and the use the item will be put to. Your criteria – for protection, but also breathability, weight and stretch – will vary according to your activity.

Keen on contemplative hikes? Looking for a jacket that’s equally at ease on trails and on sidewalks, for neighborhood strolls once back home? Then what you need is a two-layer Defender®, like the Tonic jacket: lightweight build, casual look, with a mesh lining that feels good next to the skin.

Giving your Defender® some TLC will keep its properties maximized, season after season. Here’s some advice from our experts – themselves (very) frequent users of Defender® membranes!

You’re best washing your garment at 30°C: no fabric softener, and preferably a liquid detergent, to avoid clogging the membrane’s pores and impairing its breathability. After every third wash, using a reproofing spray on the outer fabric will reactivate its water repellency and stop the fabric from absorbing water. For the same reasons, if machine-washing is prohibited, gently drying your garment with a hairdryer is a good idea! So, you’re now fully briefed… And wearing your Defender®, where are you heading?