| In my previous article I explained to you what | | | | to cool the body and keep an athlete dry during |
| spandex was and why it was so commonly used in | | | | competition by transporting perspiration vapor away |
| volleyball compression shorts. In this article I explore | | | | from the body and cooling down a player's body |
| my findings regarding the differences between the | | | | temperature. Mizuno claims that DryLite is |
| fabrics and materials that Mizuno and Adidas use to | | | | "comfortable, breathable, easy to care for, and |
| produce their spandex shorts and whether or not | | | | durable." (No you aren't reading the same thing twice. |
| their trademarked technologies separate them from | | | | They used the same verbiage on the product |
| their competition. | | | | description to describe the characteristics of both the |
| Volleyball Shorts Made With A Polyester/Spandex | | | | Drylite and the MzO processes.) |
| Blend | | | | The Adibody compression shorts have the same |
| These type of shorts usually have an 88% to 12% | | | | combination of polyester/spandex blended materials, |
| or 90% to 10% balance of polyester to spandex | | | | but the exclusively Adidas-developed microfiber fabric |
| combination. | | | | used in these is called Climalite. Before you ask, let |
| Mizuno specializes in this specific blend of materials in | | | | me give you the 411 on what this term means to |
| their volleyball spandex shorts and has their own | | | | this company. Clima is one of the trademarked adidas |
| trademarked microfiber polyester called MzO which | | | | apparel systems which include the Cool, Lite, Warm |
| comes in the form of a series of high performance | | | | and Proof technologies. |
| technical fabrics designed with special yarn, fabric | | | | As far as volleyball is concerned the three |
| structure and dyeing process. MzO was designed to | | | | technologies I mention below are the ones you most |
| transport perspiration vapor away from the body | | | | commonly see used in volleyball shorts. |
| and cool down the body temperature. This fabric is | | | | ClimaCool is an integrated system of technologies |
| described as being "comfortable, breathable, easy to | | | | that work together to regulate the athlete's body |
| care for and durable." | | | | temperature and is also utilized as a cooling system in |
| Just for the record microfiber (I had to look it up) is | | | | footwear. |
| an "extremely fine synthetic fiber that can be woven | | | | ClimaLite fabric pulls sweat away from the skin to |
| into textiles with the texture and drape of | | | | the outer fabric face for quick evaporation, enhancing |
| natural-fiber cloth but with enhanced stretch, | | | | the body's natural temperature regulation and |
| washability, breathability, and water repellency." It's | | | | ClimaWarm is lightweight, breathable insulation that |
| usually a soft, lightweight fabric with a silky feel and | | | | keeps the athlete dry and comfortable in cold |
| is resistant to shrinkage, durable and provides | | | | weather conditions. |
| protection against the elements. | | | | In other words, Climalite is an Adidas water-wicking |
| Mizuno has two different types of microfibers that | | | | technology designed with cotton threads on one side |
| they use in their line of volleyball shorts. | | | | of the fabric and synthetic fibers on the inside that |
| MzO is found in the Vortex, the Women's Low Rider | | | | work to wick moisture from the skin to the fabrics |
| and the Techno volleyball shorts. The other type of | | | | surface for easy evaporation. Got it? Good. Because |
| microfiber, called Drylite is found in the Vortex Six | | | | I didn't until just a few minute ago. |
| Panel shorts. This trademarked process is engineered | | | | |