In the mountains and all outdoor activities, cold rarely comes solely from the outside temperature: it mainly results from poorly managed moisture. Sweat, condensation, wind, and rain create conditions where body heat can drop rapidly if clothing isn’t adapted. Managing these factors is essential to maintain performance and safety.
1. Sweat: Internal Moisture
The body naturally produces moisture to cool down. During prolonged effort, sweat accumulates in fabrics if they are not breathable. The base layer’s role is to transfer this moisture outward. The RWS-certified merino used by AYAQ (Mefonna, Biafo, Shirwali) remains insulating even when wet, preventing sudden cold sensations during breaks.
2. Condensation: Moisture from Outside
When warm internal air meets a cold surface (jacket, rock, fabric), water vapor turns into droplets: this is condensation. In a quality hardshell, the membrane must allow vapor to escape before it condenses. The Sympatex membrane in the LONAK and LONAK-XT jackets excels here: the more internal moisture increases, the more it breathes.
3. Wind: The Cooling Accelerator
Wind greatly increases heat loss, especially if clothing is slightly damp. It compresses textile layers and expels insulating warm air. A windbreaker like SHANDAR or an AYAQ hardshell prevents this and stabilizes body temperature.
4. How to Avoid Moisture Build-up
The key is anticipation: unzip before overheating, remove a layer as the ascent intensifies, and add insulation (Kokanee, ULTAR, FORNO) as the pace slows. Waiting until sweat accumulates causes rapid cooling at the first stop.
5. The Importance of a 3-Layer System
The combination of a merino base layer + insulating midlayer + breathable hardshell is the most effective way to control moisture. Each layer manages part of the challenge: transfer, regulation, protection. Together, they create thermal stability.
6. AYAQ Expertise
Vincent Defrasne emphasizes: “We manage moisture before it appears.” Extreme condition tests conducted by Mike Horn have refined membranes, ventilation, and cuts to maximize vapor evacuation and limit condensation in cold or humid environments.
Conclusion
Understanding moisture and its mechanisms is essential to stay dry and avoid thermal drops. Thanks to its RWS merino textiles, high-performance fleece jackets, and Sympatex hardshells, AYAQ offers a complete system to control sweat, condensation, and wind, whatever the conditions.