Robert W. Gore, the inventor of Gore-Tex fabric, dead at 83.

Robert W. Gore, whose invention of what created the breathable-yet-waterproof fabric known as Gore-Tex revolutionized outdoor wear and helped spawn uses in numerous other fields, has died. He was 83.

Gore, who was president of W. L. Gore & Associates for almost 25 years and company chairman for 30 years, died on Thursday at a family home in Maryland following a prolonged illness, company spokesperson Amy Calhoun confirmed Saturday.Gore discovered a new form of a polymer in 1969 at a company lab in Newark, Delaware. His father, who began the company, asked Bob Gore to research a new way to manufacturer plumber’s tape at a low cost using PTFE, commonly known as DuPont’s Teflon, The News Journal of Wilmington reported.

The son figured out that by stretching PTFE with a sudden yank, the polymer expanded by 1,000 percent. The resulting product, known as ePTFE, created a microporous structure. The introduction of Gore-Tex technology came seven years later.“It was truly a pivot point in this company’s history,” Greg Hannon, W.L. Gore & Associates’ chief technology officer, said last year. “Without which we would be much less significant of an organization than we are today.”

The membrane within Gore-Tex fabric has billions of pores that are smaller than water droplets, leading to waterproof but breathable raincoats, shoes and other clothing. The patents ultimately led to countless other uses with medical devices, guitar strings and in space travel, the company said.

Gore was born in Utah, the oldest of five children to Bill and Vieve Gore, who both founded the company in 1958. Bill Gore had previously joined DuPont’s workforce and ultimately came to Delaware.

Bob Gore earned his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Delaware and advanced degrees from the University of Minnesota. He succeeded his father as the company’s president and CEO in 1976. Gore and his family contributed funds for buildings and engineering laboratories at the University of Delaware.

Gore is survived by his wife, Jane, as well as children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Memorial plans weren’t immediately announced by the company.


https://www.foxbusiness.com/busines...e-inventor-of-gore-tex-fabric-dead-at-83

If they line his casket with Goretex it'll start leaking in 6 months. That'll teach him.

When Gore-tex 1st came out, it got a really bad rap because clothing makers weren't using it right. They weren't properly sealing the seams and it leaked badly. I had a pair of Vasque boots like that. They leaked like tennis shoes. Gore had to get them to start using it right or loose the right to put it in their stuff. They ended up in court a few times before they forced the clothing makers to do it right or quit putting the Gore-tex label on the stuff. Gore about went under with all the legal problems but they slowly got their reputation back.

Lots of hype and over priced for what it does. I got schooled on rain gear last year fishing in Canada. Rain or shine we were going to be out there and mostly we got rain. My Gore-Tex leaked and soaked me and my partners heavy duty stuff didn’t. Take a lesson from those Alaskan crab fishermen on TV. They are not wearing Gore-Tex.

His final words were...

"The Senate MUST fill RBGs SCOTUS seat immediately!"

Per an anonymous source at his bedside.

One quickly learns Gore-Tex has it's place. For the heavy wet stuff go Grundens.

This! I learned quickly upon arrival to Alaska that Gore-Tex is great if you’re on a day trip and it may shower. If you’re going to be out for a week or two and it’s going to RAIN, you need PVC.

In my mind, I've never been able to square all of the anecdotal evidence about Gore-Tex fabric leaking with my experience wearing Gore-Tex waders.

Unless the waders had holes or leaky seams, the fabric itself remained totally waterproof for years, even while submerged in four feet of moving water adding pressure against the waders. Also, compared to my experience wearing neoprene waders, the Gore-Tex fabric definitely is breathable in comparison.

Anyone here had the same experience, and, if so, how do you explain all of the stories about the Gore-Tex fabric itself not being waterproof with your experience wearing breathable waders?

Yep. Used to be out in the elements for work and PVC rain gear was always in the truck.

I thought it was Al Gore after he invented the internet.

I was pretty happy w/ my GoreTex gear on several month long trips to the Alaska Range. Wore a Kokotat LW Drysuit during much of my sea kayak trip around Admiralty Island. Old School GTX was used for many weeks in the Aleutian Islands, it wasn't perfect but worked far better than anything else if you were very active.

YMMV


mike r

I imagine the guys that make waders already knew how to seal seams.
The people who make shoes and jackets probably skimped on the QA/QC, margins being what they are in the textile business.

It's not like with waders where if they fill up with water you are in deep trouble..

I don't think it was until the mid 2000's that glued seems became common for external layers on jackets etc.

Gtx technology is not a fabric.



Any respectable brand Gtx shell jacket on the market
was seam-sealed well prior to mid 2000's

Gortex was a game changer, yes it’s no perfect but growing on the PNW coast it’s amazing.

Al? fugger invented everything.

Yep. I bought a Moonstone Momentum Tech GTX jacket in 2001 and have never had a problem with it, even in the Scottish Highlands.

Gore has strengths and weaknesses...two biggest weaknesses are it’s a soft, solid prone to damage from abrasion and bend stress fatigue and sewing creates opening and thread wicks water through those openings. Seam sealing should eliminate that but is rarely foolproof.

I work with alternatives that are not laminated and exceed Gore performance in every category ...especially weight/stiffness and breathability. Really exciting stuff on the horizon.

GoreTex came out in the late 60's or early 70's IIRC. I mentioned a pair of Vasque GT boots that weren't seam sealed and leaked like tennis shoes. That was about '71 or '72. Shortly after that Gore went after their manufacturers who weren't seam sealing it.

Rock,
Correct on the going after manufacturer’s, but off by about a decade on those dates. That was early 80s. :-)

Gonna let this news pass, like water off a duck's back.

Lol

RIP.

I've swam through ice cold whitewater in my Gortex dry suit after being tossed out of the raft a few times. Also floated in snow and sleet. Was more concerned with getting too warm than cold and wet. Thanks Mr. Gore and Godspeed.

My 1989 cordura goretex Rocky cornstalkers compared to my Sears foam insulated all leather mink oiled were like going from a Ford Pinto to a Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight.

Well done Mr. Gore.

So it was made with teflon.
Never did read that until now.

So when the jacket starts getting dandruff I can put it in my next oil change and get another 100,000 miles.