Climescape says its fleeces will shed four hours' constant rain

Fleece garments have been a mainstay of the outdoor industry for more than three decades, providing warmth and windproofing for walkers and mountaineers.

But when the rain comes a UK walker needs to slip on a waterproof shell to keep the wet out.

Now, a new entrant to the British fleece market is offering water-repellent fleeces which it claims are good for four hours of constant rain or seven hours of gentler precipitation – enough for many walkers’ day trips to the hills.

Climescape uses what it calls nanotechnology to replicate the natural water-repellency of plant surfaces, providing protection from rain, sleet and snow, while maintaining the natural comfort of cotton.

Whereas most fleece material is polyester, the Climescape fleeces use a mix of 80 per cent cotton and 20 per cent polyester in a fabric produced by California-based Nano-Tex.

The fleeces are also offered in women's models

Climescape demonstrated its clothing’s water repellency at the Outdoors Trade Show by throwing a bottle of water over a jacket.

It certainly shed all the water, so it will be interesting to see how the range performs in Britain’s notoriously damp climate.

The Climescape fleeces include a Classic Full Zip Hoody at £50; the Outbound Jacket costing £55 and women’s Aurora Jacket at £52.

There is also a Classic Popover Hoodie priced at £45, which is lighter in weight and has a scuba hood with drawstring.

The Mock Neck Jacket will sell at £48.

The range should be available later this autumn.

Climescape, owned by Canadian company Six Tiger Holding Corp, a manufacturer and distributor with more than130 years of garment manufacturing experience, said the fleeces’ water repellency is good for 30 washes, after which it can by revived by ironing the clothes.

It stresses it is not a spray-on durable water repellency treatment, but one that relies on changing the molecular structure of fibres within the garments.

The fleeces also retain good breathability, the company said.

More details of the new water-repellent fleeces are on the Climescape website.