Momentum? Cuben?

[Sean Walashek]

I found the momentum rip-stop and taffeta at thruhiker whats the difference between these? The cuben i found at quest outfitters in 2 weights. What I want to know is the momentum used by Mountain Laurel Designs the same that is sold at thru hiker?

[Huzefa @ Blue Bolt Gear]

>I found the momentum rip-stop and taffeta at thruhiker whats the difference between these?

Ripstop is mostly used for the outer shell and tafetta for the inner shell. The only difference is in feel. Performance wise it doesnt matter what you choose.

>What I want to know is the momentum used by Mountain Laurel Designs the same that is sold at thru hiker?

Yes, MLD uses the same momentum as that sold by thruhiker.

[Graham Williams]

I disagree. It might well matter depending on what it's being used for…

Ripstops tend to be 30 to 40% stronger in warp strength that taffeta materials made from the same size and type of thread. Also, the coatings on ripstops are generally more aggressive, and this does play a significant role in the strength of the material.

[Huzefa @ Blue Bolt Gear]

Cara, Graham is the manufacturer of CiloGear packs. He obviously knows what he is talking about.

I understand why Ripstop is stronger fabric then taffeta. But it may not mean it is more abrasion resistant.

This is what Roger Caffin has to say:
http://www.bushwalking.org.au/FAQ/FAQ_Fabrics.htm

Ripstop weave is a variation on the plain weave which is suposed to be important for gear. In this design heavier threads are placed at regular intervals in both directions. This produces a grid pattern in the fabric. The idea is to make the fabric a bit stronger against tears: the heavier ripstop thread won't let the tear propagate. The idea is nice, and I must say the ripstop fabric is more interesting to look at compared to a plain weave. However, it may not be any better than a plain weave, and under many conditions it is actually worse. There are three reasons for saying this.

First, modern synthetics don't tear very easily, You have to be pretty violent to damage them, and then the ripstop thread is not much use anyhow. The addition of the ripstop thread adds no strength in practice.

Second, the ripstop thread sticks up from the surface of the fabric. When the fabric rubs up against something there is always the risk of damage, but with a plain weave the load is spread out and the fabric often slides safely. But the raised ripstop thread focuses the load onto the thicker ripstop thread and onto the other threads as they cross it – especially the other ripstop thread. You can get abrasion focused on these small areas where a plain fabric would have escaped without damage.

Finally, the larger ripstop threads distort the fine micro-structure of the weave, and this makes weak spots for any coating. Hold a light coated ripstop fabric up to a bright light and you will see points of light around the ripstop threads, especially where they cross. This is where the coating will fail first. I discovered this while pressure-testing many coated fabrics: they leaked first at the cross-overs.

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