Lumenfield Denmark: Trail Running Programme Field Test Report
Lumenfield is a Denmark-based brand whose trail running programme is one of its most demanding programmes. Lumenfield runs its trail running programme across Denmark and asked us to prove the fabric in the field rather than in a brochure. This report covers a full season of real use with graphene cooling knit.
Lumenfield: Graphene Cooling Knit in use during long off-road efforts on mixed terrain
Evaluation background
The programme covers trail shorts, technical tees and light shells, used for long off-road efforts on mixed terrain. The environment is mud, grit, wind and rapid weather changes and the requirement written into the brief was abrasion resistance with fast drying after stream crossings. Fabric was selected on that basis rather than on price alone.
Fabric under evaluation
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Fabric | Graphene Cooling Knit |
| Composition | 90% polyester / 10% spandex with graphene filament |
| Weight | 170 GSM |
| Width | 165 cm |
| Primary function | gives an instant cool touch and spreads heat away from the body |
| Target | Q-max above 0.20 W/cm2 |
| Test method | Q-max contact cool feeling measurement |
| Additional note | far infrared emissivity above 0.88 |
| Certification | OEKO-TEX Standard 100 |
Graphene Cooling Knit close-up showing the fabric surface
Test scope
Twenty garments were issued to regular participants and tracked for eight weeks. Every item was used for long off-road efforts on mixed terrain and laundered under the same domestic conditions, so the only real variable was wear.
Conditions covered
The programme ran through mud, grit, wind and rapid weather changes. That is the environment the fabric has to survive, and it is harsher than any laboratory chamber we could have built.
Evaluation session with the Lumenfield team
What we measured
Garments were inspected every two weeks for surface wear, seam condition, dimensional change and retained hand. Fabric was retested at the end of the period against Q-max contact cool feeling measurement.
What users reported
Participants logged comfort, drying behaviour and any irritation. The recurring comment was that the graphene cooling knit stayed comfortable at the point where abrasion resistance with fast drying after stream crossings would normally be lost.
Test records and inspection notes for the Trail Running Programme
Scorecard
| Criterion | Result |
|---|---|
| Comfort in use | 4.4 / 5 |
| Drying behaviour | 4.9 / 5 |
| Surface wear | 4.5 / 5 |
| Dimensional stability | 4.7 / 5 |
| Value | 4.3 / 5 |
“Fifty washes later the fabric still performs. That is what convinced our buying team.” — Lumenfield Technical Team
Packed bulk rolls before shipment to Denmark
Verdict and recommendation
Field testing confirmed the laboratory picture. The graphene cooling knit held its Q-max above 0.20 W/cm2 across the whole season and we recommend it for the next programme without change. For Lumenfield the practical next steps are to keep the current specification for the repeat, retain the shade standard, and issue Q-max contact cool feeling measurement results with every lot so any claim can be supported with data.
