Almost all famous outdoor brands use so many materials, membranes, and fabric technologies that you might get lost when it comes time to buy a new jacket, pants, or a pair of shoes.
Be it a jacket for mountaineering, a pair of boots for hiking, or just for everyday use, the names of the available outdoor gear technologies these days are almost infinite.
But there are some technologies that we’ve come across many times during our research both when writing articles for this website and for our own shopping.
Such is the case with STORMLOCK a type of fabric by the German brand Jack Wolfskin. There are many products of this company that are made of this fabric, mainly jackets, and many customers, us included, have various questions about it.
What is it? Is it waterproof? And other similar questions.
So, today we’ll explore the STORMLOCK technology and answer some questions about it based on the information we found during our research.
Let’s get started!
Contents:
- 1. What is Stormlock and its Different Types
- 2. Jackets that use Stormlock
- 3. So, is Stormlock Waterproof?
- 4. Is It Worth It?
1. What is Stormlock and its Different Types
Stormlock is a type of fabric used by Jack Wolfskin in its jackets and other types of clothing.
It’s part of the construction of the jacket and depending on its combination with other materials and technologies, it gives the jacket specific characteristics when it comes to water resistance, wind resistance, and breathability.
Some types of Stormlock include:
- Stormlock Softshell Ripstop 3L: water-repellent and windproof 3-layer fabric;
- Stormlock Cotton Touch Stretch: windproof, water repellent, breathable, robust, and stretchy fabric with a cotton-like feel;
- Stormlock Soft Touch Ecosphere: soft, very light, windproof, and water-repellent fabric, made of recycled polyester;
- Stormlock Ecosphere 20D Ripstop: very light, breathable, and windproof fabric with ripstop reinforcement threads, made of recycled polyester;
- Stormlock Paper Touch.
As you can see there are many versions of this fabric, it’s mainly made of polyester, and it is used in all kinds of jackets as we’ll see below, from softshells to wind jackets to packable quilted vests.
Here is a video that explains Jack Wolfskin Stormlock Softshell jackets and their characteristics:
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2. Jackets that use Stormlock
Here are some examples of Jack Wolfskin jackets that use this fabric.
Northern Point Women’s Softshell Jacket
Image from jack-wolfskin.com
Check it out at jack-wolfskin.com
The Northern Point softshell jacket is perfect for a variety of activities, from challenging mountain hikes to casual strolls in the woods. This jacket is designed to provide only the essentials.
It uses the Stormlock Softshell Ripstop 3L fabric, which is durable, windproof, and water-repellent to handle light rain. It is also highly flexible and breathable.
Desert Wind Jacket Men’s Wind Jacket
Image from jack-wolfskin.com
Check it out at jack-wolfskin.com
The Desert Wind is a windproof shell jacket with a sleek, athletic design, making it perfect for casual and travel wear.
The robust Stormlock Cotton Touch Stretch fabric has a pleasant cotton-like feel, stretches with your movements, and is breathable and water-repellent, making the jacket ideal for outdoor activities.
Cape York Paradise Women’s Raincoat
Image from jack-wolfskin.com
Check it out at jack-wolfskin.com
The Cape York Paradise coat has a sophisticated, subtle look that makes it great for both work and casual wear. This coat is not only stylish but also highly functional.
Since it’s a raincoat it has to be waterproof and for this reason, its outer fabric is made of Texapore Ecosphere which is waterproof and windproof.
The Stormlock in this case is used for the lining and is the Stormlock Soft Touch Ecosphere, very light and soft.
Jwp Vest Men’s Down Gilet
Image from jack-wolfskin.com
Check it out at jack-wolfskin.com
The Jwp Vest is a packable, windproof, and lightweight quilted gilet, a good option for travel. It is filled with warm, recycled Microguard synthetic insulation and is great as a layering piece to wear under a hardshell jacket in wet weather or over a T-shirt.
In this case, the jacket uses the Stormlock Ecosphere 20D Ripstop which is windproof and breathable.
3. So, is Stormlock Waterproof?
As we saw from the examples that we could find, the Stormlock fabric is not waterproof per se, it is only water-repellent. But it can be combined with other fabrics or membranes to make the jacket waterproof, like the example we saw above where it was combined with the Texapore Ecosphere fabric.
We have explained the difference between water-repellent and waterproof fabrics here.
Having said that, if you find any examples that state the contrary (Stormlock waterproof), please let us know in the comments.
4. Is It Worth It?
It depends on the type of jacket, on your budget, on the type of activity that you’ll do with the jacket on, and on a multitude of other personal preferences, but in general Jack Wolfskin jackets don’t cost too much. This brand offers a good quality-to-price ratio. You can get many of its jackets for under $100.
And the Stormlock jackets follow the same line too, so in our opinion, they’re definitely worth it.
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