Thru-Hiker

Quilts: What mat to choose and how to use it?

2008-10-09T23:31:44-05:00

How have people used mats with their quilts?

I have seen some people attach velcro down the the side of the quilt and the mat to keep air out, or fabric strips on the quilts that are tucked under the mat or body. What happens if you cut a foam mat down to rest under your projected body shape?
My previous thinking was making the quilt as a sleeping bag, but with a single layer of momentum and no down underneath the body and mat to keep water and outside air out.
Any ideas?

Also, which mat has the best insulation to weight ratio? Looking at camping at 14,000’ in summer (~25 degrees).

Cheers,
Alex

Minima/Maxima Sizing Questions?

2008-10-09T02:30:22-05:00

Looking at getting a minima and a maxima kit and have a few questions:

They include “full sized patterns” but there are “fit options” on the pattern. Can someone explain this? i.e I choose the pattern based on my chest size (M) and get a pattern that has several markings for the different fits? That would mean I get excess material if I go for the ‘athletic’ fit?

What about length? I am 6’5” and want something that fits my chest size and is reasonably tight all around. I have lots of clothing that is sized well in the chest but not long enough. This leads to my next question:

How much room is there in the pattern and materials to add some length at the back? Vest and jacket will primarily be used for cycling, how easily can I customise these dimensions?

Cheers,
Alex

Length Oriented Baffles in a Down Quilt?

2008-09-25T01:34:17-05:00

Has anybody tried or seen examples of length oriented baffles in a down quilt, from the head to the feet?

I’ve seen partial ones for the chest area, such as on the Golite Adrenaline bags and a couple others, but not the full length.

I think it would be just as hard to make, but give you an easier way of controlling the depth of insulation above certain areas, like the center of the bag directly over a warm body. It would make sense to have a larger loft of insulation directly above you than on the sides (or bottom).
For Example (looking head to feet): (-) are spaceholders for formatting, (|) represents ~inch of baffle
_
_ -----|-|-|
_ ---|-|-|-|-|
_ -|-|-|-|-|-|-|
_ -|-|-|-|-|-|-|
sidesleeperside

These being baffle heights. Therefore more down would be located on the ‘top’ of the quilt, perhaps making it more efficient.

Also, you could do a non-linear cut to make the heights different, such as going from a 2” at the head to 3” at the feet to take into account a down jacket being worn. I guess you could do this cross ways well, but might have to account for drape/curve them. Or, you could try and shake down from the top toward the feet.

I just can’t get over down spilling off the highest part of the bag directly above a sleeper, and where it is needed most, to the sides and bottom. This is more of a problem with side-sleepers making a nice little pyramid for down to fall from.

Has anybody heard of a reason, other than manufacturing or tradition, that this hasn’t been done before.

momentum and 1.1 fabric properties

2008-09-21T09:02:05-05:00

Hi all,

It’s my perception that thru-hiker’s Momentum fabric and good ol’ 1.1 ripstop are the primary breathable nylon fabric options for ultralight diy gear-makers. Unfortunately, I’ve yet to find a comprehensive source of information comparing their properties. Web and forum searches have turned up most of the information I might want, but there are still some gaps and ambiguities. This post will list what I think I know and what I would still like to know. Readers are invited to correct my mistakes and clear up my ignorance. If you’re curious why I write and think like I do, I’m an engineer/scientist, so I can’t help it.

Momentum:

Momentum 0.9 is a single-calendared, 20dx20d nylon fabric with a very effective DWR coating and a finished weight of ~1.05 oz/yd^2. It is available as a tafetta or ripstop. The tafetta is generally used as a liner, the ripstop for outer shells.

Per AYCE, compared to [thru-hiker’s] 1.1 ripstop, the Momentum ripstop has comparable puncture/abrasion resistance and slightly enhanced tear strength.

Being single-calendared, there is a shiny (calendared or “heat-treated") side and a matte side to the fabric. Per AYCE, the matte side is the “right side”, i.e. goes to the exterior of the sewing project. Based upon this, I’m ASSUMING the DWR coating is primarily applied to the matte side. (If this is not the case, and both sides are comparably water-repellant, I’d be interested in whether water beads more readily on the shiny side or the matte side. For cold-weather use, where condensation can be an issue, I would generally prefer to keep enhanced bead formation on the exterior side.)

1.1 ripstop

There are many varieties of 1.1 ripstop out there. The effectiveness of their DWR coatings likely varies. Per AYCE, the finished weight of [thru-hiker’s] 1.1 ripstop is 1.3 +/- 0.1 oz/yd^2. (For comparison, I recall waterproof silnylon weights quoted as 1.35, 1.4, 1.5 oz/yd^2, again likely reflecting the variety of material available in the market.) The thru-hiker 1.1 ripstop is listed as a 30d fabric. 40d fabrics are also available from various sources, but many fabric shops don’t specify, so the buyer is left to guess. I’m ASSUMING most of the 1.1 fabrics we use are double-calendared. Calendaring seems to increase strength, increase down-proofness, increase water resistance, and decrease air permeability. If double-calendared, there would generally not be a ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ side to the fabric.

A post on hammockforums.net SUGGESTS that 30d ripstop is constructed from nylon 6.6, which is stronger than nylon 6. (I do not know what variety of nylon is used for Momentum.) Specifically, it was suggested that 30d ripstop from nylon 6.6 is suitable for constructing a single-layer hammock, while more generic 1.1 ripstop made from nylon 6 lacks sufficient strength. (70d 1.9 ripstop is the typical fabric recommended for single-layer hammock construction, but 1.1 is commonly used for double-layer hammocks. Although quite strong due to the silcone coating, 1.1 silnylon would have ventilation issues.) Note that the lightest commercial Hennessy hammocks are constructed from a ‘high-tenacity 30d nylon ripstop’, corroborating this suggestion. (If all this is true, and Momentum has even higher tear strength… but I’ve never heard of someone making a hammock from Momentum.) In addition to tear strength, fabric stretch is also a concern in hammock construction. Some may find a single layer of 1.1 ripstop too stretchy for comfort, even if it is strong enough. (I do not know the stretch characteristics of Momentum.)

Comments on the backpackinglight myog forum from Ron Bell of mountainlaureldesigns suggest quilts made from Momentum are warmer than those made from 1.1 fabric. I infer this is because Momentum’s tighter weave and more effective DWR treatment results in reduced air permeability. I had previously ASSUMED Momentum is more breathable than 1.1 ripstop because it is single-calendared, but if it is less air-permeable, I could have been mistaken. (Part of this confusion could also be due to the variety of 1.1 nylon fabrics out there.)

Any corrections and clarifications would be appreciated.

Cheers,
Craig
---------------
Various sources of information:

http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/showthread.php?p=76987
http://www.articlealley.com/article_178753_22.html
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=2479
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=12101
http://www.mountainlaureldesigns.com/fabric.php
http://www.thru-hiker.com/x/index.php/forums/viewthread/187/#631
http://www.thru-hiker.com/x/index.php/forums/viewthread/72/
http://www.thru-hiker.com/x/index.php/forums/viewthread/68/
http://www.thru-hiker.com/x/index.php/forums/viewthread/40/
http://hennessyhammock.com/comparisonchart.html

Liberty Ridge Two-Tone

2008-09-28T13:00:36-05:00

I just couldn’t help but trying to create a two-tone version of the Liberty Ridge shell. AYCE’s pattern of the two sleeves as separate pieces seemed perfect for using two colors. I used the black momentum for the sleeves and collar whith ‘gray-green’ momentum for the front and back. See attached pic.

This is the first time I have used the momentum rip-stop. There is a big difference in softness between it and the 1.1 breathable riptstop. And the momentum is very tough. Awseome fabric!

New CLO ratings for Primaloft?

2008-09-26T15:52:13-05:00

Have heard talk that Primaloft’s CLO ratings are going to increase due to their new convection technology. When will we see this new stock arriving at Thru-Hiker?

Mens skirt

2008-09-12T07:31:57-05:00

Hi All
I have been thinking about making a waterproof wrap around skirt. Something that if the weather turned bad I could just wrap around my shorts and would keep my shorts and gaitors dry. I would have a rain coat as well.
So does anyone have any ideas on how to make something like this and any recommendations on material?

Thanks
Gunn

Dyneema X gridstop finally back in stock

2008-09-24T13:08:56-05:00

Anyone associated with MYOG knows how hard it has been to track down the elusive Gridstop. Thru-Hiker is pleased to announce that a custom run of Dyneema Gridstop produced as a joint venture with Mountain Laurel Designs is in stock under the ‘coated’ subheading of the Materials tab: http://thru-hiker.com/materials/coated.php

Color chart

2008-09-22T17:49:06-05:00

Hey ACYE - do you have a page with some bigger views of the colors available in the fabrics?

My eyes are having a time with distinguishing the difference between Agean Blue and Grey Green.

Is the pix of the Maxima Grey Green, and the Kinsman Agean Blue?

And the Whitney, Kennebec, and Liberty Ridge are all Royal Blue? In the pix these all look like different colors.

Thanks

mesh for clothing vents

2008-09-08T01:08:23-05:00

What sort of mesh should be used in a gusset added to clothing for ventilation? This would be placed under arms and between legs.

Hope you don’t mind but I made a similar post elsewhere. No replies after a couple days. Thanks in advance for this and all the other ideas discussed here.