Free pdf from Camping's Top Secrets - Falcon Guides

nonissue in Europe. Once again, America is
behind the curve. Cordura is the toughest nylon
of all. It resists abrasion and puncture far better
than any other fabric of equal weight. Many
of the best backpacks are made from it, and it’s
widely used in the manufacturing of lightweight
hiking boots. However, heavyweight Cordura
does not accept waterprooing compounds very
well. Invariably, tiny pinholes (which you can
see when the fabric is held up to a strong light)
of untreated material remain, which will admit
some water.
Packcloth is a medium-weight nylon weave
with a heavy polyurethane coating. Packcloth
is lighter, less abrasion resistant, and more
waterproof than Cordura. It also costs less than
Cordura.
Coated oxford cloth (which weighs about six
ounces per square yard) is a strong, absolutely
watertight fabric used in the manufacture of
lightweight backpacks. his is the same stuf
that Eureka uses for looring in their outitter
Timberline tents. It is the best material I’ve
found for making fabric splash covers for canoes.
Taslan nylon: Nylon yarn is textured with
jets of air to make it feel soft and cottony.
Taslan nylon fabrics are lightweight, durable,
and very resistant to abrasion. Taslan nylon is
much less “slippery” than regular nylon.
Ballistics cloth is a 1050+ denier nylon. he
yarn was originally developed as a tire cord then
later reined into cloth for military lak vests.
Ballistics cloth is exceptionally strong and abrasion
resistant. It is less lexible than Cordura or
cotton canvas. Like all synthetic ibers, ballistics
cloth must be coated with polyurethane to
make it waterproof.
Note: All these nylon fabrics can be had
with or without waterproof coatings. Weight
YARD GOODS AND REPAIR MATERIALS
and cost of the fabrics will vary depending upon
the type and amount of coating applied.
Polyethylene and Polypropylene
Polyethylene-coated polyethylene is a tough polyethylene
fabric with a polyethylene plastic coating
on both sides. he material is mildewproof
and is commonly used for heavy-duty tent
loors and tarps. Both vinyl-coated nylon and
polyethylene-coated polyethylene are much
more dimensionally stable (less wet stretch/dry
shrinkage) than polyurethane-coated nylon.
Propex (Condessa) is a woven polypropylene
that is designed for use in luggage. It resists
solvents, stains, molds, abrasion and tears. he
(coated) material weighs about twelve ounces
per square yard and looks and feels almost
exactly like eighteen-ounce canvas. Tough stuf
. . . and very beautiful.
Blends
Sixty/forty cloth (60 percent cotton/40 percent
nylon) is woven with nylon threads in one direction
and cotton in the other. he nylon supplies
strength, the cotton provides water repellency
and a luxurious feel. A lot of great mountain
parkas are built from 60/40 cloth.
Sixty-ive/thirty-ive cloth: Cotton and polyester
yarns are blended together then woven
into the garment. hreads of each yarn run in
both directions. his fabric is supposed to be
more water repellent and have greater strength
than sixty/forty cloth.
here are also a number of exotic blends
that feature cotton, polyester, and nylon in
varying weaves and amounts. Generally, the
higher the nylon content, the stronger, lighter
and less water repellent the garment. More cotton
and polyester mean a softer hand, higher
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