Gore-Tex Wins Backpacker Award

GORE-TEX(R) fabric invented by W.L. Gore & Associates recently won a place in the prestigious Backpacker Magazine Top 5 Gear inventions award.
Gore-tex fabric is said to give weather protection and keep backpackers and other outdoor enthusiasts dry and comfortable from head to toe. The Gore company says Gore-tex uses membrane technology to form a barrier against wind and water but it is still breathable and comfortable to wear.

Gore's signature product, Gore-tex joins other Backpacker Reader's Choice winners Yosemite National Park, Patagonia apparel, REI Half Dome tents, Smartwool socks. Backpacker conducted the survey among its readers on-line between September 1 and October 4.

Steve Shuster of Gore says, "What makes this especially gratifying, besides the fact that we rank higher than a multi-million dollar government satellite navigation program, is that this is the outdoor market weighing in with what they prefer out in the field."

Other Readers' Choice winners of the Top 5 Gear Inventions include the Therm-a-Rest sleeping pad and screw-on canister stoves.