Inspired by nature – 6 times biomimicry transformed outdoor gear

Recently, I traveled to the Swiss Alps with outdoor brand Columbia to test out their latest technology. Omni-Heat Arctic is an insulation technology inspired by the way a polar bear’s fur works to keep it warm in the frigid conditions of the Arctic. Although polar bears appear white, they actually have black skin that absorbs heat and two layers of translucent fur that prevent almost all heat loss.

Using a process called biomimicry – the design of structures and systems modeled after living organisms – Columbia developed the new technology and incorporated it into two garments – the Arctic Crest Down Jacket and the Arctic Crest Sherpa Technical Fleece – which absorb rays of the sun while being conventional. insulation helps trap it there, in addition to the heat generated by your body.

Although Columbia’s technology is new, biomimicry is not. As explained in Biomimetics and outdoor clothing designThe term was coined by Otto Schmitt in the 1930s to describe an electronic feedback circuit he designed that inspired neural networks, but long before that, humans took inspiration from nature. Over the decades, birds have inspired aviation, humpback whale flippers have improved the efficiency of wind turbines, and gecko feet have spurred the development of non-toxic adhesives.

Wale pilot group passing the coast — Humpback whale fins have improved the efficiency of wind turbines (Image credit: Getty Images / PetziProductions)

Biomimicry has also played a significant role in the development of outdoor gear, which makes perfect sense. Why don’t we turn to nature to help us better cope with whatever it throws at us in the mountains?

From creating synthetic fibers that mimic duck down in our down jackets to hiking shoes that help us grip steep trails like a mountain goat’s hooves, we’ve borrowed a lot from the natural world. Here are six ways biomimicry has transformed outdoor gear:

1. Fleece

Biomimicry is a fancy-sounding word, but it shows up in an everyday item you almost certainly have in your closet: the humble fleece jacket.

We’re probably all familiar with the magical powers of sheep’s wool, one of nature’s great breathable insulators. It wicks moisture away from your skin when you sweat while climbing a steep hill and repels odors from said sweat, but its supply is also limited and labor-intensive to harvest.

So in 1979, a Massachusetts-based company, Polartec, decided to replicate its properties in a synthetic version and created what we know today as fleece, according to a 2011 article in the New York Times.

This synthetic pile fabric, named after the sheep’s natural coat, was intended to mimic the insulating properties of wool while being stronger and lighter, making it ideal for rugged adventures. Although the first fleece jackets looked a bit like wool, they have become sleeker and better performing and you can go out in the cold without bulking up with jackets like the Berghaus Carnot Hooded Jacket and stay warm in bad weather without break you. the bank.

Close-up of the Columbia logo on the fleece

Fleece was designed to replicate the wonders of wool (Image credit: Paul Brechu)

2. Velcro

Have you ever gone hiking with your dog and spent half an hour getting home removing sticky burrs from their fur? These pesky seeds will stick to your canine companion and your hiking pants so he can hitch a ride to new soils, but even though most of us find them a little annoying, Swiss engineer and inventor George de Mestral used them to develop one of the most practical methods of biomimicry. ubiquitous technologies.

While walking his dog, de Mestral recognized the potential of the hundreds of small hooks on the burrs that caused them to “attach” to passing animals. He spent years developing a method to mimic this process, and in 1955 he patented hook-and-loop technology, made from tiny polyamide hooks and loops, which you probably know by the brand name. Velcro.

That’s right, every time you tighten the sleeves of your waterproof jacket to protect you from the pouring rain or tighten your ski gloves against the snow, you’re using technology inspired by a common and rather annoying plant.

Cuffs of the Mountain Warehouse Men's Journey 3-in-1 Recycled Waterproof Jacket

Where would we be without Velcro? (Image credit: Pat Kinsella)

3.Nylon

When you put on a pair of running tights like the Arc’teryx Essent High Rise Leggings, you almost certainly want them to feel silky against your skin, and that’s exactly what American chemist Wallace Hume Carothers wanted when he developed nylon on behalf of DuPont in 2017. the 1930s.

Silk has been a sought-after textile around the world for thousands of years, originally from China sometime before the middle of the 3rd millennium BCE. It has long been a symbol of wealth and beauty, but its production is expensive, labor-intensive and, most importantly, the cruel practice of boiling silkworm cocoons.

Enter nylon, which was designed to have a shimmering look and feel similar to silk but to be more durable and was first used to make lower-cost stockings during wartime. Nearly 100 years later, nylon is ubiquitous in your outdoor gear – although you’ll often see it on the label as polyamide – from running tops to your best camping tent, where a Less silky and more durable ripstop version is used to keep out the elements.

Close-up of female legs in leggings with hiker in background

Nylon leggings are silky but do no harm to silkworms. (Image credit: Paul Brechu)

4. DWR treatments

Spending time outdoors requires strengthening your defenses against the elements. When you get wet while hiking, your clothes become heavy and bulky and you quickly get cold, which can become dangerous. Fortunately, today we have bright, lightweight waterproof jackets and rain pants to keep us dry (and therefore warm) on the trails, made with technologies like a DWR treatment, which makes water bead up on the surface. of your clothes instead of soaking them.

Traditionally, these treatments were composed of harmful chemicals, called PFCs, but they were inspired by an organic organism: the lotus flower. The leaves of lotus flowers are naturally hydrophobic, with tiny wax-covered bumps that repel water and dirt, and a German scientist named Wilhelm Barthlott began studying how to replicate this in technology in the 1970s. His work has led to a number of innovations including antifouling paints, while DWR for waterproof clothing can also be attributed to these observations.

Fortunately, most of us who love the outdoors want to enjoy nature without damaging it, and there has recently been a big push to replace harmful DWRs with non-toxic versions such as plasma treatmentsso you can shake off moisture and dirt like a lotus flower. If you’re in the market for a new jacket and want non-toxic DWR, Fjällräven launched several new PFC-free waterproof products last year.

rain and DWR

Shake off moisture and dirt like a lotus flower (Image credit: Getty)

5. Snowshoes

Snowshoes are one of the first pieces of outdoor equipment, and while modern-day adventurers love to float through deep powder in a pair of the best snowshoes on a winter’s day just for fun, there are 6 000 years in Central Asia, they were essentially means of public transport.

As the Guardian explains in a article on the history of snowshoeingThese traction devices could be the original example of biomimicry, inspired by animals with larger feet or legs that distribute their weight and allow them to walk on snow without sinking – think snowshoe hares, bears and ptarmigan.

Archaeological evidence shows that the original snowshoes were made from animal-based materials, like bear and deer skin, but these days, models like the Tubbs Flex ALP are entirely vegan, made with lightweight carbon steel and Torsion Deck plastic so you can move forward in the snow without harm. all bears in the process.

Best Snowshoes – Two women snowshoeing in Hyalite Canyon on a sunny winter day.

Snowshoes could be the original example of biomimicry (Image credit: Jordan Siemens/Getty Images)

6. Combinations

Sharks get a bad rap, but without these marine predators there would be plenty of wild, cold swimmers and surfers in the water. Although it glides smoothly through the sea, a shark’s skin is actually rough because it is covered in tiny scales called denticles. Smithsonian explains allows them to move through the water faster and quieter.

So perhaps it’s no surprise that wetsuits designed for water sports like this Osprey triathlon wetsuit tried to copy this effect, replicating the texture of real shark skin to reduce water resistance and increase hydrodynamics.

No clinical research proves that this technology works for humans the way it does for sharks, but after iconic swimwear brand Speedo implemented this idea in its FastSkin swimsuit line, 108 world records were set in a single year. Consequently, it was banned by the International Swimming Federation because swimmers were seen as having an unfair advantage, but it’s a good indication that it might work well for you the next time you take the plunge.