Mountain Equipment use dual tether hem drawcords on all of their hardshells and softshells. These were introduced in 2005 after receiving feedback from a Scottish winter climber who had a nasty experience half way up a pitch. While high stepping he managed to catch a crampon point in the small loop of elastic in the hem adjustment draw cord. Getting more pumped by the second, he tried to break it but found that the elastic just stretched and stayed in place.

Fortunately a nasty fall was averted, but this simple design lives on and not only makes adjustments easier and more precise but also makes climbing safer.

Gore-Tex is a unique tissue paper thin microporous membrane, which contains over 9 million pores per square inch. Each pore is 20,000 times smaller than a water droplet, yet some 700 times bigger than a moisture vapour molecule. This gives the fabric excellent levels of waterproofness and breathability.

The outer face of the Gore-Tex fabric is coated with a hydrophobic DWR (Durable Water Repellency) treatment which encourages surface water to bead up and run off, improving the wet weather performance of the garment and promoting breathability by preventing wetting-out of the outer face which can cause the face fabric to become less breathable, thus preventing the membrane from breathing.

Pit zips are a generic name for any zipper which runs under the armpits of a jacket. They are used to expose to the air the area of your torso which your body uses to dump excess heat and with it, moisture.

Although modern waterproof fabrics feature technologically advanced membranes which allow moisture inside to escape in a way that wasn't possible even 20 years ago, they still have their limits.

When you are working hard pit zips offer an instant hit of breathability without compromising on weather protection or slowing you down while you take off your jacket and pack it. Being positioned on the underside of the arm means that they can even be used in rainy conditions.

YKK is a Japanese group of manufacturing companies and is the world's largest zipper manufacturer with a reputation for reliable and durable build quality in their zips. It was founded in 1934 by Mr Yoshida and known as Yoshida Kogyo Kabushikikaisha.

Today YKK produces zippers for everything from handbags to wetsuits as well as many other fasteners. They are at the forefront of innovation in fastener design and will generally last longer than similar non-branded designs.