Patagonia introduces the R1.5 Pullover and R1.5 Jacket into its Regulator® System of insulation and shells. Made of a new fabric from Polartec®, the Regulator® R1.5 represents the debut of Patagonias new category of BIOMAP products, which employ variable knit technology. This knit construction, developed at Malden Mills, allows the creation of seamless, performance-enhancing panels where the body needs them most.
In a single seamless panel of Regulator® R1.5 fabric, areas with thick variable knits provide insulation and padding, while other areas have an open construction for breathability, wicking, stretch, heat dissipation and bulk reduction. Inspired by human anatomy and physiology, the R1.5 Pullover and R1.5 Jacket have open knit under the arms for dumping heat, curved channels in the elbows for mobility and additional channels on the shoulders for breathability and stretch. Seamless cuffs and hems feature glued in elastic for low bulk. The contoured fit of BIOMAP garments makes them ideal for light and fast activities where its too cold for just a base layer but too warm for insulation.
“For the first time, BIOMAP products give us the opportunity to meet the unique demands of different zones of the body in a single garment without multiple fabrics and multiple seams. One variable knit fabric now meets all of the bodys demands,” says Mark Galbraith, Patagonia Product Line Director. “You put on a BIOMAP garment and you dont feel too hot in one place, too bulky in another. The jacket effectively becomes a second skin, which allows you to immerse yourself in the sport.”
The technology used in Regulator® R1.5 is being tested in other Polartec® fabrics including Polartec® Thermal Pro® fabric, base layer Polartec® Power Dry® and mid layer Polartec® Wind Pro®. The goal is to create a complete layering system with this new technology.
