Super Ultra Light / Super Ultra Cheap

[Lucas Boyer]

Ran a marathon on Saturday. As always, I kept my thermal foil blanket. Turns out they gave me 2 stuck together. These things are magical for wrapping around cold shoulders and trapping heat. A couple of ideas:

1. Glue a couple velcro ties on for making a nice camp shawl
2. Double fold and tape edges for a groundcloth
3. Line bottom of bivy
4. Keep in first aid kit for emergency.
5. ……Any suggestions?

[George Geist]

Hi Lucas,

Check out the BPL Forum "Philmont – Homemade Tents"
for some innovative construction ideas with foil heat blankets

[Jim Colten]

Found at the same grocery store as the gloves … pack towels, very absorbent, 10×14 inches (25.4cmx35.6cm), 0.67oz (19 grams), two for $4.99

[Countryman _]

Hello Bill, I don't know if you are still checking of this thread.

I have read several of your posts and seen your blog. What is this material your have found? I noticed other posts regarding this matter have been completely ignored. If there is a particular reason why you cannot, or are otherwise unwilling to, share this information please make it known so we can stop wondering.

My experience with the GG polycro sheets is that they are great as groundsheets, but very loud and crinkly for most other applications. They are also not very heat resistant; fire burns right through them ( :) ), and the heat from spectra cord rubbing on them is very damaging as well.

Are silnylon seconds inferior in performance. I have heard conflicting answers. Some say it is a cosmetic difference, while others suggest (including RJ) that the silicone impregnation is "uneven" in application. The cost difference can approach 50%.

---

I would wonder how there is such an abundance of seconds of this material, when I see no other material with 2nds offered; there are also few other materials utilizing silicone impregnation.

[Jerry Adams]

I've used silnylon 2nds – maybe 4 different tents, 100 nights of camping

I've never noticed any defects.

Maybe there were some cosmetic lines near the edge.

The coating could be uneven, but it's not that big a deal.

Maybe there's less misting with better quality silnylon.

[. .]

This might not qualify as SUC, but at least Super-cheap – especially if it is impractical for one to sew (i.e. lacking machine and/or experience and/or time):

ChicoBag rePETe DayPack 20l
5.1 oz. on my scale (5.6 mfr spec.)
Fabric similar to SilNylon, but a PET based recycled!
Reinforced pack-cloth bottom
Daisy chains
Padded shoulder straps
$20 + 1.85 shipping +/-
Neutral colors (yeah for brown!)
1 year warranty
Inside zippered pocket (stows inside when turned inside out)
2 water bottle pockets on the side

Methinks this set of features for the weight and price to be tough to beat. It would be tough to sew something like this for less than $20 in materials, unless you had whole bunch of scrap laying around and miscellaneous hardware. You'd probably spend a mint on shipping for the various components, or on gas driving around finding them.

(click on photo to link to their website)

[Roger Caffin]

I was told (fwiiw) that very often the problem is that stray gloops of silicone get left behind on the fabric – dripped off the coating machine somehow. Lumps on the surface. Doesn't upset the performance.

Cheers

[Michael Ray]

> The material weighs 3.4 ounces a square yard but the total weigh for a decent size pack should be well under one pound. The material is very strong and easy to sew.

The real $$ cost of this pack (the material is from something meant to be thrown away) might be $5.00. I will post more about this material as this project moves forward.

Bill,
Any chance you can share what this material is yet? I was actually going to make a pack for my son from a dog food bag, but not sure how to get rid of the smell though. Hope you're doing well enough to get hiking again soon.

[Troy Ammons]

FYI – The new driducks Emergency poncho weighs 2.8 oz.
Have 3 of them sitting here.

[Jeff McWilliams]

So, can that emergency poncho be sewn and used as a bivy top?

Would it be reasonably breathable? I'm thinking of a cheap bivy to be used under a tarp to protect from misting, and modifying it to have a "stripe" of no-see-um netting down the middle like others have done with Silnylon/M50 bivies to fight condensation.

[Troy Ammons]

I dont see why not. Is the polypor poly fabric or whatever you call it, but it is super thin. No snaps on it or velcro etc. Thats my plan is to make a convertable bivy. Polycro ground sheet, velcro it to the dryducks poncho to make a bivy. As of yet I have never found any glue that would stick to polycro for the velcro. You could do opposites on the poncho so it would close up when you wear it.

I am not sure actually how breathable it is as I have just gotten them.

They are not long enough to cover a pack and the reason I bought 3 to extend one
and try that out.

The edges are hemmed so I guess sewing works.

[David Miles]

I first got 2 ponchos to make a bivy. That's when I found a better, lighter version of that fabric. It is green and very easy for MYOG. I now use a little heavier (2.3 oz/sq yd instead of 1.8 oz/sq yd). I would sell my remaining stock until I run out to MYOGers for $2/yd (60" wide). You don't have to cut up a poncho and it's cheaper :)

[Michael Ray]

Where were you able to purchase the propore fabric, David?

[David Miles]

It is similar fabric and I had to buy a HUGE factory roll :)

[Steve B]

Any update on using the driducks Emergency poncho material for a bivy top?

Steve

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