Moisture management properties of ski-boot liner materials

Abstract

Despite the markedly improved comfort of ski shoes, feet remain to be the part of the body most vulnerable to cold. The major insulation of the ski boot is provided by the liner. In this study the insulation properties of the ski-boot liner materials were evaluated. Thermal resistance of the plain material was found to be in the range from 0.235 to 0.289 m²K/W. While possessing good insulation properties and wind resistance in the dry state, these materials cannot maintain comfort in the presence of moisture due to insulation failure. It was shown, that no moisture evaporation occurred through the assemblies which included laminated materials. Analysis of the microclimate, established under experimental conditions, revealed rapid formation of water saturated atmosphere, which can be explained by the barrier function of the laminated materials used. This lack of evaporation through laminated material, along with a very low moisture sorption capacity of polymer padding foam, impairs drastically the moisture management properties of the liners. Besides poor moisture management during performance, overnight drying of such liners is very unlikely. This paper contains a recommendation for improvement of the moisture management of ski liners.