All Arcteryx Squamish windshell users, is the fabric used in this jacket air permeable?

Arcteryx says the fabric, called Gossamera, has a very light urethane coating on the inside surface of the fabric.

The recent BPL review of the Squamish stated that breathability was on par with similar windshells, such as the Houdini.

The Houdini has an air permeability rating of 5 CFM. But the Squamish, unless it has a microporous urethane coating, may not be air permeable.

Anyone care to do a blow-through or suck-through test on their Squamish?

Arcteryx says they'll get back to me with a CFM rating from the fabric source. Will post that when I get it.

bump

I'm interested too, since we won't be seeing the Houdini for a while.

Was the Houdini completely discontinued? Or are they just redesigning it and releasing a new model?

I know it's almost impossible to get one anywhere, unless that's what you meant, that the stock is just gone.

A lot of patagonia stuff is seasonal. They killed it at the end of summer. It'll probably be back for spring, hopefully unchanged. I want one for winter dayhikes, but I NEED one for this summer.

I actually passed up some good deals on the black and yellow colors, but I am holding out for green. If they don't bring back the green, I'm gonna cry.

I love the green too! If you find one, i'm going to be "green with envy" hehehe

Patagonia says the Houdini will return in mid January. I didn't ask about colors. Hooray.
/threadhijack

Edited by TwoFortyJeff on 11/29/2008 15:09:40 MST.

I just checked & I can barely move air through the Squamish. It seems to be about the same as Pertex Quantum (Rab Quantum windshirt).

Thanks Aalok. With Quantum at about 5 CFM, that makes the Squamish pretty good I guess.

Edited by Stumphges on 12/02/2008 21:24:54 MST.

In case anyone is interested, Arc'teryx just told me that the Gossamera fabric used on the Squamish windshell has air permeability of 7 CFM.

As I mentioned before, this fabric has a light polyurethane coating on the inner face, which helps with water resistance. The fact that the fabric is air permeable means the PU coating is microporous, or discontinuous. The Arc'teryx rep said the coating was very thin and evenly applied by a fabric mill in Japan known for their coating technology. I asked which mill, and he replied, "Toray, I think."