High-tech gear for Everest climb

Athletes step out in cutting-edge sports apparel, but mountaineer and motivational speaker Jamie Clarke plans to step up in his high-tech gear. He will wear cold-weather Champion and Duofold athletic wear on a spring 2010 attempt to scale Mount Everest, at 29,035 feet the highest peak in the world. “Expedition Hanesbrands: Climb with Us” is sponsored by Hanesbrands Inc., Winston-Salem, N.C., maker of the popular Champion sportswear line and Duofold high-performance insulating base layers for winter sports. Hanesbrands unveils a one-of-a-kind summit suit for Clarke’s Everest attempt in January 2010.

Among the Hanesbrands gear that Clarke will wear at the top of the world are inner socks of Duofold Clima phase-change material (cellulosic yarn made with liquid-filled microcapsules to absorb, store and return heat); base layers that manage moisture, are antimicrobial and provide more insulation in areas exposed to the elements; a wicking insulation layer that dries four times faster than wool; three-layer soft shell; and a rugged hard shell that is water- and wind-proof, breathable and flexible. Two Web sites covered the Clarke team’s progress during a training climb in October and will follow the summit attempt in spring.