When it comes to performance at its highest levels, clothing counts. This year at Rio 2016, numerous material innovations will be on show from Nike’s 3D Printed Shoes to swimsuits perfectly customized using Adidas body scanners. In addition to adding every advantage in terms of aerodynamics, beating the heat is also an essential advantage. Here, we look at fabrics being worn by Canada’s Ruby team as well as the Swiss and Dutch beach volleyball teams. Making use of something called ‘CoolSwitch’ technology, these sweat-activated uniforms draw from NASA spacesuit technology in order to reduce body temperature.
The uniforms for these teams were developed by Under Armour who innovated CoolSwitch technology. Drawing heat away from the body and increasing airflow, CoolSwitch fabrics blends three active cooling agents, integrated for the first time in athletic apparel.
The first ingredient works to pull heat energy away from the skin, creating a cooling sensation. The second agent responds to sweat, kicking into activate the body’s natural cooling mechanism. The third element is a ‘crystal’ print technology that is currently used in NASA spacesuits.During the process of changing phase from a solid to a liquid, this specially innovated material absorbs and stored heat energy within the binding agents in the ‘crystal’ print.
The combination of these three different functions allows for unprecedented cooling, leaving the athletes feeling cooler and less physically taxed. As their temperatures stay lower longer, they are able to continue to train longer to gain the advantage!