ISPO Award Winner 2024: Mammut Eiger Nordwand FL Air Mesh Vest

The FL Air Mesh Vest works as an initial next-to-skin layer in a layering system to deliver warmth and to keep the skin dry - two main factors in feeling comfortable. »This unique tank top is the ultimate next-to-skin layer for cold weather mountaineering and expeditions, designed to keep you warm and dry on long and cold days in the mountains«, says Alfred Stoppacher, Mammut Eiger & Innovation Lead. The very open and lightweight construction of the material delivers an amazing warmth-to-weight ratio and allows for air to flow. It accelerates breathability and the push of moisture vapor through the system into the next layer.

Being out of 100% Polypropylene, which is a highly hydrophobic and lightweight fiber, the product itself, also after long hours of exercise, does not pick up any moisture, thereby creating a dry and warm barrier next to skin with minimal weight.

Polypropylene is one of the lightest synthetic fibers in existence he thermal conductivity of this substance is lower than that of most synthetic fibers, which means that it is ideally suited for cold weather wear. Comparing the Polartec Alpha, the Polypropylene Alpha is 25% warmer than the Polyester Alpha but with the same weight. Polypropylene is hydrophobic so even after long times of exercise, it does not pick up any moisture, hence, creating a dry and warm layer next to skin. 

This tank is therefore a fantastic direct-to-skin piece for breathable warmth and a dry and comfortable feeling as it can pull moisture away from the skin into the next layer while staying dry and warm itself.

The open mesh construction as a baselayer is inspired by one of the very first ascents in the high mountains: During the first ascent of Mount Everest, Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay were relying on an open string shirt as their base layer, keeping them dry and comfortable throughout their expedition. Inspired by this concept Mammut custom-developed a polypropylene version of the well-known innovative lightweight Polartec Alpha fabric and exelarated the idea of a mesh base layer to the next level in terms of modern material and product development innovations. This makes the Mammut vest a unique piece that will be unforgettable soon in everyone’s kit for extreme environments and high altitudes.

During product testing, Mammut’s athletes really felt the improvement in their layering systems with this specific first layer vest. Being suspicious at first, now they are 100% sold on the product as it keeps them dry and warm in the coldest and most extreme environments, not having to compromise on performance or movement.

The close collaboration with some of the strongest mountaineers in the world ensured honest feedback and rigorous testing, as they need dependable reliable gear under all circumstances that enables them to push the boundaries of the sport. The several prototypes during developing this vest have been tested by Mammut athletes and Swiss mountain guides in snow, ice, and rock from the Bernese Oberland, Valais, Chamonix, Canada to Greenland and finally Pakistan.

• use of hydrophobic material that stays dry even during high intensities
• innovative construction with Polartec Alpha and polypropylene fibers
• effective transport of moisture to the next layer