Les Jones: Commercial Application of Aerogels for Backpacking

February 08, 2008

Tech > Commercial Application of Aerogels for Backpacking

Way back in 2004 I linked a NY Times piece about aerogels, which are amazingly non-dense materials with incredible insulating properties. At that time they were the stuff of NASA.

Tonight I'm reading Backpacker magazine's 2008 Gear Guide and one of the sleeping pads uses aerogels:

Pacific Outdoor AO-Aero Mtn
Want the most high-tech sleeping pad on the block? This winter-worthy self-inflater has a layer of of aerogel under the torso. Often described as "frozen smoke," aerogels have the lowest density and lowest thermal conductivity of any known solid. "On sub-freezing nights, I could tell where the gel was in this pad because it literally felt warm, not just neutral, between my hips and shoulders," said our tester. The pad is no bigger or heavier than a standard self-inflater. Just warmer and pricier. Available in both men's and women's models. $119. 1 lb. 11 oz.; 20x72x1.5"

Playing with a block of aerogel on YouTube:

Wikipedia article on aerogel.

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Les Jones linked with More Aerogel Links
Les Jones linked with More Aerogel Links

Comments

Sorry Dude but way back in 2004 aerogells were already commercial. As a matter of fact they have been used since the early 80s commercially. As for NASA they used and publicized them but did not invent or even corner the market.

FYI they were discovered as far back as the 1930s.

I hold two patents in the packaging of aerogells for windows.

Posted by: Dan at April 05, 2008