Just announced this week, the Swiss brand Mammut fuses the seams of its latest puffy jacket with lasers. And that, it claims, means big changes for the end user.
You probably have a waterproof jacket. And you likely also have a puffy. But they almost certainly weren’t made with lasers.
Mammut’s latest men’s jacket, the Photics HS Thermo Parka uses what the brand calls Laser Fuse Technology to join two materials via laser light to create completely sealed seams without needle holes.
And while other fabric-welding techniques have accomplished similar end results for a while now, it still sounds pretty darned cool.
Mammut Photics HS Thermo Parka
The brand claims the Photics is waterproof thanks to its proprietary membrane water column tested to 20,000 mm. It’s also insulated with 750-fill-power Responsible Down Standard Certified down.
What that means is this is a warm, light, puffy jacket that will fend off rain, snow, and wind. And the welded seams don’t have pinholes that need to be seam-sealed by the factory.
Beyond that, it has a down-filled, fixed hood, a two-way front zipper, two chest pockets with water-repellent zippers, and two fitted side pockets with snap buttons.
It looks like a very slick puffy jacket for both precipitation and insulation. But it comes at a hefty price.
The Mammut Photics HS Thermo Parka will cost you — wait for it — $899. Ouch. But if you’re feeling well-heeled, it launched this week in a limited-edition run. Expect an expanded collection coming in fall 2020.
We doubt the masses are willing to fork out nearly a grand for a jacket. But it’s cool to see spear-tip tech applied here, as it will certainly trickle down into more cost-friendly goods in the future.
