To battle tough performance gear competitors like The North Face, Dick's Sporting Goods recently began harnessing nanotechnology. The Pittsburgh-based company coated jackets in its private-label, Koppen line with a water-repellant chemical called Aquapel, which attaches hydrophobic nano-sized whiskers to individual fibers. Consumers want more juice for the squeeze, explains Shian-Li McGuire, a brand manager at Dick's Sporting Goods.