durability of M50 from thru-hiker

Hey all,

Thought I'd rally the DIY minds on a conundrum that I am having with my UQ project. I'm trying to decide on how to finish the channels on my underquilt and wondering whether or not to finish the channels using grosgain for added support. for those that have used M50 so far, what have you seen from it as far as durability? and as far as channel designs go, does anyone have any close in pictures of the channel design? I was thinking of taking the unfinished corners, and folding the corners like a triangle into itself, and then fold the channels so there is adequate opening for shock cords and clips and such. this will be a 3/4 underquilt, so the long sides will have shock cord runners.

Here is my idea on the channels. let me know if I'm off course at all.
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/...ps7ee0493f.png

I don't have any M50 experience, but I can tell you that is exactly how I made my end and side channels and it worked great. I can't imagine there being any durability concerns, you've double-layered the fabric and abrasion isn't a major concern for UQs as you're not sliding them on the shock cord very much.

That's how I do my corners. I turn the little triangle down first before I sew the hems.

I do not use grossgain channels. I have thiught about it but ended up using only the fabric folded over to make the channel and all is well. I do take care of my equipment in general.

BTW, I sew a channel along all 4 sides of my UQ's. I thread 5' of 1/8" shockcord in the long side channels then tie to zing-it for the remainder of the UQ suspension. I use 3' of 3/32" shockcord in the head & foot end channels with cord locks.

Hammockgear and Leighlo are two UQ makers that use grosgrain for channels. I have seen wear on the channel exit points where there is maximum load and abrasive wear from the rather rough shock cord on one UQ.

I would personally rather reinforce or repair a separate strip of gros grain than the main body of the UQ. But nylon abrasion resistance is much superior to the polyester in grosgrain. So, a superior garment might have entire channels of nylon fabric, Or at least be tailored to have the last inch of gros grain lined with nylon fabric for superior wear.
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Originally Posted by DemostiX

Hammockgear and Leighlo are two UQ makers that use grosgrain for channels. I have seen wear on the channel exit points where there is maximum load and abrasive wear from the rather rough shock cord on one UQ.

I would personally rather reinforce or repair a separate strip of gros grain than the main body of the UQ. But nylon abrasion resistance is much superior to the polyester in grosgrain. So, a superior garment might have entire channels of nylon fabric, Or at least be tailored to have the last inch of gros grain lined with nylon fabric for superior wear.
I

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I like your thoughts on the minimal application of grosgrain for reinforcement only. I might do that on the short sides of the UQ, but may fold and do a ful grosgrain channel on the long sides.

I guess I missed doing the fold in sewing class. I'll do it from now on - thanks for the diagram and the re-enforcement advice.

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Originally Posted by Lost_Biker

I guess I missed doing the fold in sewing class

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You had a class? No wonder everything I do is hard... I didn't have the class.