Sometimes the weather complicates your plans for outdoor runs, especially when it rains. If the conditions change mid-jaunt and humidity begins to rise, that your running jacket can quickly turn into an upper-torso oven. Most jackets can keep moisture from getting in, but few are as good at letting sweat get out.
This dilemma of designing a running jacket that's protective and well-ventilated is at the core of Nike's latest apparel breakthrough — Aerogami. Using an autonomous venting, this all-new tech can create a more breathable setup in an instant once the sweat begins to roll.
“Aerogami is our latest example of Nike’s culture of innovation focused on solving the timeless needs of runners,” says Jahan Behbahany, Senior Apparel Innovation Product Manager in Nike’s Advanced Innovation Collective. “We know feeling too warm, uncomfortable and distracted while wearing a running jacket is a common challenge many runners face, so we’ve obsessed developing an innovative solution that gives them increased breathability without compromising style and protection."
But how can this symbiote of an outer layer determine when to open and close its vents? Here's everything we know so far about Nike's latest textile innovation.
How does Nike's Aerogami tech work?
The winged profile of Nike Aerogami will debut in the Nike Run Division Aerogami Jacket. According to the brand, these vents will open as sweat builds up against the skin, and close back up once the body cools down. This capability is made possible through a moisture-reactive film applied across the vents, which senses the presence of sweat and moisture and reacts accordingly. Instead of unzipping key locations to help improve your jacket's breathability, this Nike profile does the window opening for you so you can keep your focus on the miles and turns ahead.
Where are the vents placed on the jacket?
Exactly where these vents would sit across the Nike Aerogami Jacket is also a matter of testing and expert insight. Using the heat and sweat maps of runners, Nike determined that ventilation was most necessary across the chest and back. As a result, the Aerogami Jacket has stretches of vents across these areas that allow air to flow throughout the jacket when the moisture-reactive film deems it necessary.
There will also be vent placement variances across men's and women's cuts to better facilitate gender-specific needs. For example, the women's jacket profile will feature vents around the area where a sports bra would fit — a high-sweat area for female athletes.
When can you buy the Nike Aerogami jacket?
The Women's Aerogami Jacket is set to hit shelves sometime in July, while male athletes will need to wait a little longer until the fall season. No pricing is available yet, but we expect this innovative tech to be pretty expensive given the new technology in incorporates.
Nike's been on a run of innovative textile breakthroughs, so we're excited to see how this new running apparel fares in the real world. This could be the running partner you never knew you needed — although this symbiotic relationship doesn't involve superpowers (at least to our current knowledge).
