Gill XPLORE Fabric & XPEL Fabric Finish
Engineered for protection

Gill's marine expertise combined with their continuous product development and testing programme delivers the very latest in technical clothing.

FABRIC TECHNOLOGY & PERFORMANCE

Gill garments are rigorously tested to ensure they meet  stringent performance standards. Each one has been given a rating, indicating how well it works under our three categories of Waterproofness, Breathability and Durability; ensuring you have the right product for your activity.

XPLORE® is a two-layer fabric which is waterproof, breathable and durable, providing guaranteed protection and comfort. It delivers reliable levels of performance in a wide variety of conditions, where weight and breathability take priority.

XPLORE+® is a three-layer fabric which is waterproof, breathable and durable. It has the added benefit of a lightweight mesh, providing you with guaranteed protection and comfort. Created for those needing enhanced levels of waterproof protection and increased durability where performance in wet conditions has to be guaranteed.

Gill garments are rigorously tested to ensure they meet stringent performance standards. Each one has been given a rating, indicating how well it works under the three categories of Waterproofness, Breathability and Durability; ensuring you have the right product for your activity.

WATERPROOFNESS

Hydrostatic Head is the measure of how waterproof Gill fabrics are. It measures how tall a column of water the fabric can withstand before water starts to seep through. A Hydrostatic Head of 10,000mm HH means that a fabric could hold a column of water that is 10,000mm tall.

In order to claim true waterproof performance, the industry standard is set at a minimum of 1,500mm HH, we go above and beyond this requirement. Gill waterproof gear is rated 5,000mm HH to 20,000+mm HH to ensure customers have the confidence that their product will protect them against the harshest of conditions.  Gill also spray tests so they can assess the performance of a durable water repellent (DWR) finish on the surface of a fabric. The objective of this test is to ensure that water ‘beads’ off the surface of the fabric and is not absorbed.

BREATHABILITY

Allowing a product to let perspiration escape is just as important as not allowing water in, particularly during active use. Of the three test methods available to show how many grams of water vapour are able to pass through a fabric, Gill uses two, depending on the fabric type. To maximise the performance of your clothing system, we recommend using base and mid-layer that encourage the process of moisture transportation away from the surface of the skin.

DURABILITY

Durability against harsh surfaces and the damaging effect of salt is key in our industry, which is why Gill goes above and beyond the industry standards when testing the abrasion resistance of fabrics. In order to mimic the harsh surface of a deck for instance, they change worsted cloth for 320 grit paper and because saltwater causes zips and other metal products to corrode, they submerge a sample in salt water for 4 hours and then mimic the effect of heat and humidity by placing it in an oven at 70 degrees Celsius for an initial period of 24hrs, followed by a week if required. 

PROTECTION AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL

As part of Gill’s commitment to reduce their impact on the environment, a big goal for them was to find a less harmful DWR finish free of PFCs of Environmental Concern. 

Not only is their new and exclusive XPEL® fabric finish free of harmful PFCs, it also offers superior levels of water repellency and prolongs the lifecycle of the garment. 

Each fibre of it’s outer fabric of is coated with XPEL® during the manufacturing process, resulting in a durable and long-lasting finish. Benefits include: Water Repellency, Stain Resistance and Odour Control.

WATER REPELLENCY

Incredible levels of water repellency, water simply rolls off the fabric, keeping you dry even from spray when travelling at high speeds.

STAIN RESISTANT

Repels stains such as grease, mud and oil. Consistent levels of performance for up to 30 washes, with the treatment continuing to be effective for up to 50 washes.

NATURAL ODOUR CONTROL

XPEL® stops any water and moisture from penetrating the product, making it hard for bacteria to grow and populate which are the main sources of odour.