The human body is capable of combating many environmental stresses, but cold can be particularly difficult. Thus, Under Armour is reintroducing its ColdGear line of training gear and its designed to keep athletes warm as the degrees drop.
As the temperature goes down the human body constructs blood vessels, directs blood flow away from the muscles and towards inner vital organs in an effort to stave off hypothermia. According to Under Armour, frigid temperatures impact the rate of necessary chemical reactions within the body and reduce the flow of oxygen to working muscles; this causes the muscles to work much harder and increases the risk of damage to muscle tissue.
“Athletes can adapt to humidity,” said Paul Winsper, VP of Human Performance and Research at Under Armour, in a statement. “They can adapt to heat. They can adapt to altitude, but it’s very difficult for human physiology to adapt to the cold.”
Thus, Under Armour ColdGear is designed and tested to keep the body warm without adding too much weight; heavy layering can add extra weight that increases energy expenditure, and it often leads to friction. ColdGear uses a lightweight fabric that sits right on the skin, one that stays warm without cooling off quickly.
“Textiles aren’t ovens or microwaves — they don’t generate heat on their own,” said Kyle Blakely, VP of Materials Innovation at Under Armour. “So, what we set out to do is utilize the heat generated by the body as efficiently as possible. We found a way to trap heat with ColdGear via the construction and the yarns.”
ColdGear can keep athletes warm, but it won’t stop them from sweating. The garments handle that sweat several ways including quick dry technology, which pulls moisture away from the skin, and active odor control, which uses a zinc-based anti-microbial solution to mitigate bacteria and odor build up.
You can learn more about Under Armour ColdGear by checking out the video above. You can browse the latest ColdGear garments at UnderArmour.com and at DicksSportingGoods.com, UA Brand Houses, and Dick’s Sporting Goods retail locations.
Source: Under Armour