MAUNA Apparel, Name inspired by the Hawaiian mountains.
MAUNA, like all good ideas, is a cycling/triathlon apparel brand that was created to fill a void in the North and South American market needs.
In 2020 MAUNA was Co-Founded by Philip Billikopf and Gonzalo Duarte. MAUNA focuses on providing high quality cycling/triathlon apparel that has been developed by listening to the athlete needs, sourcing the highest quality materials and using data from rigorous testing sessions to lead all their design process.
The textile industry is advancing rapidly and to stay on the forefront of these advancements MAUNA sources their materials from several textile manufactures from around the world. Each manufacturer has their own proprietary advantages and this allows MAUNA to source the best quality materials for each aspect of their design build. Mixing materials throughout a suit ensures that where aerodynamics, heat distribution and comfort are required, that the best material is incorporated for that element of the construction of the design.
MAUNA uses a performance scorecard, combination of quantitative and qualitative values when testing a new design. New materials are quantitatively scored for its aerodynamic and heat distribution benefits, then subjectively rated based on comfort and overall appeal. Computer simulated predictive outcomes and wind tunnel testing has been the industry standard, but real-world testing is where an apparel manufacturer can learn the most. Typically wind tunnels do not allow athletes to test when they are wet, but all triathletes start their ride wet and regularly pour water on themselves to use it as a cooling technique. Therefore, apparel needs to be designed and tested around this type of application.
The raw materials used for MAUNA’s Professional Athletes is what the consumer also has access to. What MAUNA learns from working with their Professional Athletes is directly incorporated into all of their designs. Therefore, the consumer can expect to receive the highest quality cycling/triathlon apparel.
The apparel is also only one small detail to the overall bike fit package. In today's age every position and equipment decision has to be carefully made to maximise the overall performance gains. The MAUNA Team is keeping a close eye on all advancements to ensure that their future designs compliment the body's position on the bike while still being comfortable and perform as it should off the bike during the swim and run.
New sports technology is now providing real-world testing opportunities. Real-world testing, for example, incorporates how a fabric stretches (how porous it becomes) when wet versus dry, or how well it dissipates heat. Therefore, a triathlete competing in cooler conditions benefit more from a fabric that is more aerodynamic when it is drier, versus a triathlete competing in a hot climate where the material may be subject to being more wet due to perspiration and water being poured on it for the athlete to dissipate heat. All the materials also have to take into consideration how well it will stand up to when a wetsuit is pulled off after the swim. For example, will the suit hold its shape and will calf sleeves stay in place during this process? These are small details, but it's these small details that add up and are all part of MAUNA’s apparel design.
Recently, MAUNA has been using the GiBLI G10 sensor for all their aero testing. The 2025 designs have been inspired by the data that MAUNA has seen during these test sessions. During the development phase, the new 2025 design showed a 44sec. savings over the current 2023 design. During the testing it also highlighted an area where the side panel could be positioned on a slightly different angle to continue to improve the reduction of Coefficient of Drag (CdA).
The GiBLI G10 sensor allows us to rapidly test, and modify our apparel designs. The ease of use and accuracy is a game changer for the industry to test real-world CdA, expresses MAUNA’s CEO, Philip Billikopf.
It is this type of example, how real-world testing is being used by MAUNA that now allows them to do rapid prototyping to ensure they continue to deliver first class products to their customers.
The GiBLI G10 app makes it very easy for MAUNA to know what the difference is and this level of innovation and design is what drives MAUNA current and future designs.
