Printable View
Anyone know of a fabric with these characteristics? Ideally something synthetic, but a blend would be okay, too. I want to try an UQ with a form-fitting interior surface that will stretch around the hammock when occupied for a air-tight seal with the insualtion. Closest thing I've found is PU coated lycra blend--doesn't sound too comfortable to lay on, though! :D
TCB
I don't know of any fabrics with those characteristics but if you make an uq with a stretchy inner material won't you compress your insulation?
I'm no expert but I'd think that any fabric with enough strech to form fit under your weighted hammock is not going to be down proof. :confused:
If you want to give it a try though, you could cut the inner shell of your UQ on the bias if using ripstop nylon. It will stretch much more that way than the normal in line cutting allows. :cool:
Montbell uses a stretchy downproof fabric in their sleeping bags. Not sure if it's something available to purchase somewhere or if it's manufactured just for them.
Found this on a review of one of their bags. Sounds like what I'm looking for :). In addition, it sounds like whatever fabric Montbell uses has some natural stretch, as well. They mentioned "coiled fibers" so perhaps they use a very tight nylon "knit"? Anybody heard of such a thing (sounds comfy, though)?Quote:
Montbell has adapted a classic tailor's trick by integrating a woven fabric "cut on the bias". By orienting the fabric's warp and weft threads at 45 degrees to most major seam lines the sleeping bag becomes more fluid or elastic in nature.
I don't think I'd need very much stretch (certaintly nothing like spandex or what have you), nylon on a bias combined with proper seams would probably be enough. I'm mainly looking at this as a way to eliminate "air bubbles" between a hanging/sagging UQ and the hammock, and to tension-close the edges of the UQ.
I was going to use extra-tall baffles that would allow some stretch of the inner layer so chambers can collapse a bit, but not enough to affect insulation. That must be what Montbell does, since their exterior is a simple 12D Nylon with DWR.
TCB
I think this sounds like an interesting idea. Go for it. You won't be laying on it, so the feel of the material won't matter too much.
Looking at Thru-hiker, it appears I only have a few options for "officially" downproof fabrics. M50 sounds like it's a bit to airtight for an inside layer, and could trap water vapor. Pertex is described as being more breathable, does anyone know if it has much (if any) stretch/give on the bias? What about M50 (if it's breathable enough), does it have any give?
I haven't yet figured out how to (efficiently) make large sheets of bias grain fabric (Google only shows how to make tape :mad:), but I'm guessing it's tedious and involves Frankensteining big chunks of bias-cut squares together. If anyone knows of a pattern for doing this that wastes the least material, that'd be very helpful. With the inner layer taught/stretched, I don't think the fabric would need to be much over 3ft wide.
I could do a down-proof layer (M50) and a breathable layer atop that (between hammock and quilt) from thinsulate or something, but that seems like a lot of extra weight/bulk, that could be avoided if I use a breathable downproof fabric. Would a vapor barrier setup like this be needed for a 20F quilt?
(I also gotta find a line on some 1" grosgrain so I can continue production on the hammock; I need to stop putting the cart before the horse with this UQ project!)
TCB