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A couple questions about these two fabrics. Assuming they're the same weight (1.9 oz):
- Is there a strength difference?
- Stretch difference?
- UV resistance difference? (polyester handles UV better, right?)
- H20 Absorption difference? (polyester absorbs less, right?)
I'm most interested in the strength characteristics and stretch information. Lots of posts guessing about which is which, but I couldn't find much on characteristics. Thanks for any insights!
-Curt
All I know about the differences between polyester and nylon I have learned from webbing, but I would assume that it would carry over into fabric.
Polyester stretches less and has more abrasion resistance. I think is is also more resistant to UV exposure but I don't know for sure. Polyester has a softer feel to the material than nylon. My zHammock is made from polyester rip stop.
I have only found Polyester rip stop once at WalMart. It seems to be pretty rare.
That's a shame.Quote:
Originally Posted by headchange4u
A quick Googling reveals this source for ripstop poly. Note the name, Hang-em High Fabrics, is because it is a kite shop, but is amusingly appropriate for hammock use. Sadly, they only seem to carry 1/2oz and 3/4oz weights.
Most of the other sources seem to be direct from foreign factories, where you order by the ton. :eek:
the polyester will be weaker for the same weight and stretch less...Brandon
Quote:
Originally Posted by Frolicking Dino
1/2oz??? that would be great for a quilt liner/ shell or a hammock sock wouldn't it?Quote:
Originally Posted by angrysparrow
Sure would. I was thinking that it would be inappropriate for a hammock body, but you're right, for other uses it's perfect.Quote:
Originally Posted by slowhike
I think the poly might be heavier. I got a piece that I think is poly ripstop from walmart. I weighed it and I think it is 2+ oz heaver than the 1.9 nylon I have.
This is probibly only for walmart fabrics though. I did not cut it to size, but the piece I have is just larger than hammock size.
when i ordered ultralite fabric from a kite shop, i had to return it because it had an extremely heavy coating on it, that made it several times heavier than it's listed weight, and felt about like a magazine page when you tried to crumple it up. the guy at the kite store made it sound like all kite fabrics had that same coating, but who knows. i would make sure and ask them if it's coated before i ordered any, even if it doesn't mention that in the description...Brandon
Quote:
Originally Posted by slowhike
i wonder if the 1/2 oz is the weight of the fabric before treatment?Quote:
Originally Posted by warbonnetguy
i need to look & see what they say on that site.
I looked at kite fabrics once. Aren't they more waxey than what we normally use in coated ripstop?
That is what I was wondering too. I saw a pro kite once, and it seemed kind of waxy. I guess it could have been treated with something though.
Quote:
Originally Posted by hammock engineer
Kite material is often treated with vinyl polymer rather than the coating you guys are used to seeing. Vinyl polymers are heavier, but spread force better than other coatings (as in spread the force of high wind over the struts of a kite to keep them from breaking)
ummm... so i wonder if the weight they give is before treating?Quote:
Originally Posted by Frolicking Dino
Most likely it is before treating.
Something to consider too is that different places have different values for the size they are using to figure out the weight. Someone posted it here somewhere. But sail companies use some historical size and some other places use a true yard.
That may account for some differences.