Volleyball Shorts Review – Moisture Management Secrets Revealed – Part 2
As I mentioned in the first part of this two-part series, the volleyball apparel market has a slew of manufacturers that introduce new designs or new technologies to their collections of volleyball shorts, compression or spandex shorts with the intent of making their line distinctive, increase popularity, to spur sales and to increase their market share.
Moisture management is a key feature that’s common among all the major volleyball shorts manufacturers.
Kaepa uses CoolMax as the lining in the crotch and inner thigh area of their USA, and their ACE compression shorts. Another technology this company uses is called CoolFast which absorbs the moisture and perspiration from the skin and transports it quickly through the fabric for fast evaporation, keeping you dry and comfortable.
Champion compression shorts have the Double Dry feature which is designed to pull dampness away from the body and help control moisture buildup. Delcron Hydrotec fiber is the fabric used in the apparel with “Double Dry” qualities and is an innovative technology which provides superior moisture management and comfort to a variety of fabrics. This is a proprietary fiber that delivers superior wicking and drying performance.
When Under Armour came into the volleyball market they took performance fabric and moisture management to a whole new level. The company calls itself the athletic brand of this generation and they have managed to raise the bar very high with their technically engineered volleyball apparel as well. They are the originators of performance athletic gear engineered to keep athletes cool, dry and light throughout the course of a game, practice or workout.
The original plan for UA was to make a superior T-shirt that provided compression and wicked perspiration off your skin rather than absorb it. This shirt was supposed to work with your body to regulate temperature and enhance performance. Ten years ago, after the creation of the first T-shirt, Under Armour developed its trademarked line of microfiber gear and launched their amazing entry into the performance product industry. The company’s latest textile innovations and the development of new technologies that continue to improve their products are developed in their own fabric lab.
Their volleyball shorts are created with Armour Stretch which is engineered to improve mobility and accelerates dry time. They incorporated strategic vent zones built into key points where the body dumps heat, keeping you cool, dry, and comfortable.
No conversation about moisture management could possibly be complete without mentioning Nike. Nike has long had their own Dri-Fit technology which is the trademarked process for their garments designed to absorb moisture and keep athlete’s cool. FIT stands for “Functional Innovative Technology.”
Here’s how it works, the Dri-FIT fabric moves sweat and perspiration from the skin to the outside of the fabric for quick evaporation. As the body perspires or produces moisture, it moves through the special hydrophobic layer of fabric, which “acts as a pump to move the moisture to the outer surface.” The synthetic Nike Dri-FIT fabric is both light, breathable and comfortable, and holds in warmth while repelling moisture. Nike Dri-FIT garments are usually made of polyester, spandex and nylon blends.
