IMPERMEABILITY & BREATHABILITY

Impermeability is the capacity of a fabric to resist water pressure. Breathability is the capacity of a fabric to eliminate water vapour, especially the rider's sweat (due to heat or stress in particular). When you ride a motorbike, water from outside (rain or spray, for example) and the rider's sweat are problems because feeling wet is soon uncomfortable.

IXON equipment is both impermeable and breathable: it can protect you from water, while eliminating sweat to maintain riding comfort.
The impermeability and breathability of a fabric can be measured. We use the Schmerber water column test to measure impermeability performance and the MVTR index to test breathability.

BREATH

IMPERMEABILITY PERFORMANCE : SCHMERBER WATER COLUMN TEST

The Schmerber water column test shows a fabric's level of impermeability, expressed in Schmerbers (named after Charles-Edouard Schmerber, the creator of the test). During the test, the clothing fabric undergoes pressure from a water column. One millimetre of a water column is equal to 1 Schmerber and 0.1 mbar of pressure. The test ends when the water starts to pene-trate the garment. We can then measure the water pressure the garment was able to withstand. The number of millimetres in the water column is given in Schmerbers (ISO norm). It shows the impermeability performance of the fabric. The higher the number, the more impermeable the fabric is.
Because of the pressure on motorcycling equipment resulting from wind or speed during a ride, motorcycling equipment must achieve specific levels of performance which greatly differ from the standards for everyday clothing.
The ISO norm states that a fabric is waterproof from 1300 mm / 1300 Schmerber. To give you an idea, rain rarely goes over the equivalent of 2000 Schmerber. But for a motorbike riding in the rain at 130 km/h, the pressure from the water on clothes can reach about 8000 Schmerber.

BREATHABILITY PERFORMANCE: THE MVTR INDEX

The MVTR index tests a fabric's breathability rate. MVTR stands for "Moisture Vapour Transmission Rate". It measures the quantity of water vapour in grams that a square metre of material lets through in 24 hours. The result is given as g/m²/24 hours and shows the fabric's breathability performance: the higher the result, the more breathable the fabric.

IMPERMEABILITY AND BREATHABILITY OFFER OF IXON CLOTHING

IXON clothing offer 3 ranges of impermeability and breathability : XDRY, XDRY3L and DryMesh. Each range includes various performance levels in order to provide users with the most suitable technology according to their uses

TABLEAU SCHMERBER

HIGH-PERFORMANCE WATERPROOF BREATHABLE MEMBRANE

We have developed a high-performance membrane that is both lastingly water-proof and highly breathable: XDRY. Highly technical, our XDRY membrane includes microscopic pores that are invi-sible to the naked eye: they are small enough to prevent water from penetrating but big enough to evacuate perspiration. IXON equipment can either include a fixed or removable XDRY membrane.

“ALL-IN-ONE” LAMINATED MATERIAL PROVIDING DIRECT VENTILATION AND IMPROVED COMFORT

With XDRY3L, we offer an “all-in-one” material: XDRY3L is the equipment’s ou-ter material and directly integrates the XDRY membrane in its construction. The “3L” in XDRY3L stands for “Light Laminated Layers”. XDRY3L is made of three layers which have been laminated to form a single material: the outer fabric, the XDRY membrane, the inner layer.
With XDRY3L jackets and trousers, IXON provides a high level of technicality to the most demanding of riders, with direct ventilation and improved comfort. Once the ventilation zips are opened, the XDRY3L material sends fresh air direc-tly to the motorcyclist without the airflow having to pass through a membrane. Furthermore, by directly integrating waterproofness and breathability in the clo-thing’s outer material, XDR3L combines protection, waterproofness and brea-thability in a single material.

XDRY3L Animation