Holofiber

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by B.K. for webBikeWorld

We just love finding stuff that can be classified as unusual or unique or even wacky.  When we find something that hits all three, it's time to crack the knuckles and whip out the keyboard.

Perhaps you've heard the buzz about Holofiber clothing.  I suggested we try a set of Holofiber performance underwear to see if we could make any sense of the claims.  Maybe this stuff is the secret formula of winning Iron Butt riders?

Hang on to your seat - Holofiber makes some knock-down claims for the product.  They say that the Holofiber material "modifies the spectrum of visible and invisible light, interacting with certain wavelengths, and altering them into energy.  When Holofiber is worn as clothing, or placed near a person (in a bed sheet or pillowcase) it transmits the altered energy to the body."  Wow!

But that's not all; the manufacturer goes on to claim:  "This energy sent to the body by Holofiber helps the body’s cells to be better oxygenated.  Holofiber absorbs the light energy, altering it and re-emitting it immediately but also over a period of time, which means it does not have to be subject to a continuous exposure of light in order to function effectively.  The effects of better oxygenation on the body have been the described by many satisfied users" ... "In each instance, measurements of oxygenation levels in the skin have shown a significant increase in oxygen levels after wearing Holofiber fabrics."  Just the thing for that next D.C. to Juneau ride!

The Holofiber site includes a page of sample comments from Holofiber users, many who claim that wearing clothing made from Holofiber did amazing things, like improve their circulation, healed tendonitis and athlete's foot, and allowed the injured to walk without pain. 

I guess I'm a skeptic, but these are some serious claims, and there's more - they have research reports and clips from news articles about Holofiber.  I'm assuming all of their information is real, and if it is, it's impressive.

Unfortunately, I have no idea if any of this information is valid or not; obviously, there's no way we can test any of these claims. 

I first learned about Holofiber when I was contacted out of the blue by Mr. Robert Klein, the Chairman & CEO of Holofiber, LLC, who told us about the product.  Mr. Klein was interested in learning if there might be any marketing opportunities in the motorcycling sector for Holofiber products. 

He forwarded me the following email that his company had received from a motorcyclist, so I figured we'd try some Holofiber clothing to see for ourselves.  The motorcyclist wrote: 

"I am writing you to thank you for the piece of pile fabric you sent me.  As you know I am an avid motorcycle rider and frequently go on long trips with my Harley-Davidson Road King.  When I first got my Harley, about 12 years ago, I couldn't ride more than 40-50 miles before my upper buttocks would begin aching.  After spending hundreds of dollars on new seats and gel pads and the like I could go 60-70 miles and would have to stop at least for 15-20 minutes to relieve the pain.  The more I rode the shorter that became.

I took the piece the way you sent it and simply laid it on my seat and the first trip I rode 113 miles with no pain.  The only reason I stopped was because I arrived at my destination.  That same day I then rode 91 miles with no pain again stopping only because I arrived at my destination.  This is an absolute blessing to me.  The significance to me, aside from pain reduction, is that my motorcycle will go approximately 165 miles between fuel stops and this allows me to stop only once between fuel stops.  I might even be able to go the whole way but usually need to stop for other reasons than my seat pain."

A Holofiber seat pad?  I was interested in something a little more prosaic, so I asked Mr. Klein if he could send us a pair of Holofiber socks to try.  The socks arrive soon after, and they appear to be just like an average pair of normal white athletic socks - nothing unusual about them. 

Now, I may be over-sensitive to the power of suggestion, but I honestly feel that I can tell the difference when I'm wearing the Holofiber socks.  I can't really describe it; my feet feel somehow "lighter", "cooler" and "energized".  Again, this may be all in my mind, but there also may be something to the Holofiber claims.

We purchased a set of Holofiber long underwear bottoms and a short-sleeve underwear top.  The plan was to see if they would help reduce the muscle aches during a long motorcycle ride.  I figured at the very least, they'd work as under-leather wear or for wearing under textile riding gear.

One of the challenges in manufacturing and marketing a unique product like Holofiber is the price.  Apparently, it's not easy to manufacture, which drives up the price, which decreases demand, which means they can't get the economies of scale that are necessary to manufacture the product at a lower price.  This vicious spiral sort of feeds on itself and has probably hurt market acceptance.

The Holofiber short-sleeve undershirt and underpants cost $75.00 each, which is about 15 times what I'm used to paying for those type of garments.  Wickers also carries Holofiber glove liners, sock liners, socks and a few other Holofiber underwear products.

The Holofiber underwear is made from 92% Holofiber and 8% Lycra for stretch.  As far as I can tell, they're only available in black.  They feel like a flexible silk, so they're very comfortable and form-fitting. They're about 0.5 mm thick, and the pants have a high-quality elastic top on the pants.  The men's size large top weighs 222 grams, or 7-3/4 oz.  The men's size bottom weighs 237 grams, or 8-3/8 oz.  Both are labeled "Made in the U.S.A."

They aren't really designed to be insulating garments, but they do offer a modicum of protection against the elements. 

I've been wearing the Holofiber underwear around the house and for some short and long-distance motorcycle rides on and off for several weeks.  I'm not sure if I notice as much of the Holofiber effect from the underwear as I do from the socks, but I do feel like there's something different that I can't put my finger on.  Again, I'm not sure if it's the power of suggestion or a real effect. 

Are they worth $150.00?  Not for me, but if the claims made by owners on the Holofiber website are genuine, they surely would be worth it for some.

Now you know about Holofiber - I guess it's up to you to make a decision.  If you do purchase some Holofiber clothing and wear it for motorcycling, please write and let us know how they perform.

UPDATE:  It took me a while to break out the Holofiber socks, but they are fantastic and have become my favorites.  I'm not sure what it is about them, but they make my feet feel light, airy and dry!

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