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Not too hot, not too cold, just right - which description can better meet the expectations firemen have towards their apparel and footwear? This is exactly where the Magnum brand hooks in and presents a line of firemen boots with the innovative Outlast® material being able to balance temperature changes so that it feels inside the boot not to warm and not too cold, but just right.
Magnum is renown for using pioneering and innovative footwear technologies and to set high technical standards. Now Magnum has developed a series of premium uniform footwear that incorporates some of the best materials on the market and can easily be touted as the most progressive line of footwear this industry has seen yet. To offer more comfort to firemen Magnum uses the climate control Outlast® phase change material proofing once more its power of innovation. The Magnum Elite Series is designed with a specific end-user in mind; one that demands the most from themselves and their gear in situations that do not allow for mistakes or equipment failure. Besides the Outlast® technology there are names like Sympatex®, Dri-Lex® and Thinsulate® - all in one boot.
"We have used Outlast® technology previously on golf products", explains Barney Gollings, Magnum Category Manager at Magnum. "It is always important that the boots need to incorporate features that the sales force can use as a point of difference or added benefit." The reaction to date is extremely positive, Gollings confirms. "The Outlast strap line of ‚not too hot, not too cold, just right', from a Fire Boots perspective, is a fantastic fit and will be great to use in our marketing communications given that the temperature control inside the boots will be a concern when put to the test in extreme environments." Magnum will present the innovative Outlast® boots at further shows, like Fire specific and the SHOT show in the US (2 to 5 February 2008).
Principle of PCM
The principle of PCM is simply demonstrated. Looking at phase change materials (PCM) two well-known technologies are successfully combined: On the one hand is the microencapsulation, as known from the chewing-gum inside which microcapsules are embedded. While chewing the shell is destroyed, and the taste is released. Another example: perfume probes in magazines. The microcapsules being destroyed while rubbing on the paper, as the smell is released. The difference in Outlast® materials: Microcapsules are also used, but the shell is stable and doesn't get ruined. The capsules are very tiny: Around 1,000 fit on the head of a pin (ca. 3 million per cm?). Inside the patented microcapsules, called Outlast® ThermoculesTM, substances similar to paraffin are stored, which are capable of phase change. This simple physical principle is well-known to everyone, example H2O: Water becomes ice or vapour when energy is added or taken away. PCM technology takes advantage of exactly this same law of physics. The advantages of Outlast® products on a glance:
- Adaptation to body temperature
- Less overheating
- Less sweating
- Less chill
- Active temperature regulation
Outlast Technologies, Inc., a privately held U.S. corporation, is the worldwide pioneer in developing phase-change materials and applications. As an innovative technology company, Outlast has launched temperature-regulating technology in apparel, footwear, bedding and accessories. Originally developed for NASA, Outlast® fibers, fabrics and coatings contain patented microencapsulated phase-change materials called ThermoculesTM, which store, absorb and release heat, providing increased comfort for consumers. The company Outlast Europe GmbH based in Heidenheim/ Germany is responsible for the European market. For more information visit http://www.outlast.com/.
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