Abstract
This study investigates the behavior of water vapor permeability of a layered system to find out a comfortable combination of a layered system for outdoor activities and examines the water vapor permeability of various types of outdoor clothing fabrics. The layered system includes the base layer such as sportswool and polyester/cotton fabrics, the middle layer such as single and double sided fleece fabrics, and the shell layer such as polyurethane-coated, PTFE-laminated and microfiber fabrics in this experiment. Results show that the layered system was applied, it was working together as a whole having some influence on each other layer, though every layer offered varying degree of water vapor permeability. Water vapor permeability of layered system exactly followed the same trend as the shell layer, which is all vapor permeable water repellent fabrics as a single layer. The rate of water vapor transfer through a layered system is mainly related to the type of vapor permeable water repellent fabrics used for the shell layer.