Columbia Sportswear North America, Inc.

Woody Blackford

Gary Davis

Embodiments provide a weather resistant slide fastener with a modified slider body including a top control rib and tightly controlled inner dimensions. In embodiments, a water-resistant coating and/or an adhesive may be applied to the zipper tape, resulting in a highly water-resistant zipper and finished garment. Embodiments further provide a slider body that may accommodate longitudinal edge portions of the outer layer of fabric, allowing the edges of the fabric to be brought into close proximity/contact, substantially covering the zipper teeth and minimizing ingress of water and/or wind through the zipper tape. Additional embodiments provide methods of manufacturing and installing weather resistant slide fasteners.

Weather resistant slide fasteners

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to body gear having designed performance characteristics, and in particular to methods and apparatuses that utilize an array of heat managing elements coupled to a base material to direct body heat while also maintaining the desired transfer properties of the base material. In some embodiments, the heat managing material elements include heat management elements that reflect heat or conduct heat, and may be directed towards the body of a user or away from the body of the user.

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Portland, OR, United States of America

Woody Blackford