Topic
Silnylon?
Forum Posting
A Membership is required to post in the forums. Login or become a member to post in the member forums!
Home › Forums › Gear Forums › Gear (General) › Silnylon?
- This topic is empty.
-
AuthorPosts
-
Jul 7, 2007 at 12:43 pm #1224001
I may put my toe in the water and wind up picking a couple pieces of gear made from this fabric. If I may? How durable is this fabric? How waterproof?
Any good or bad exp. with it?Jul 7, 2007 at 1:35 pm #1394686It's a staple for outdoor gear. The majority of tents, tarp, bivy bottoms, and gear bags are made of it. Probably the most popular on this site would be the 1.35 oz material. Waterproof, lightweight, abrasion resistant, good stuff! What, in particular, were you looking to use it for?
Jul 7, 2007 at 10:26 pm #1394735There are different weights of silnylon. Most commonly referenced here is 1.1 oz (uncoated weight) ripstop siliconized nylon, which will weigh 1.3 to 1.5 oz per square yard with silicon impregnation. Exact weights vary due to manufacturing tolerances. Slightly heavier versions are also in use commercially, including floors of some lightweight shelters and in some packs.
The 1.1 oz will abraid relatively easily compared to much heavier traditional nylons like oxfords. Silnylon is casually considered to be waterproof, although most versions don't meet the military definition of 25 psi. It will reportedly 'mist' lightly in heavy rains and can soak through if under pressure (i.e. kneeling on it, under pack straps, or similar).
Silnylon makes pretty good tarps, ponchos, and low-abrasion portions of packs. It is not breathable, so is has condensation issues when used as a tent or other enclosed shelter without ample ventilation. Those doing heavy bushwacking or mountaineering will go with more durable fabrics for packs due to silnylon's tendency to puncture, rip, or abraid, but it is in regular use for on-trail backpacks.
Jul 8, 2007 at 8:54 pm #1394808Anyone know a good online retailer to purchase silnylon to make homemade items?
Jul 8, 2007 at 11:31 pm #1394821Seattle Fabrics: http://www.seattlefabrics.com/
Outdoor Wilderness Fabrics: http://www.owfinc.com/
Jul 9, 2007 at 1:41 am #1394827Jul 9, 2007 at 9:13 am #1394849The rain shed – http://www.therainshed.com
and I second the recomendation for Thru Hiker. Great deals on 2nds.
Jul 10, 2007 at 4:16 pm #1395004OWF has Epic coated nylon that only weighs 1.7 oz or so. For the extra 0.4 oz you get breathability in most conditions. You also get a bigger invoice. Silnylon, particularly seconds, are much cheaper.
Listed under their new items as "EPIC RIP BLK" = Epic waterproof/breathable Peak Nylon mini Ripstop Black
Jul 21, 2007 at 7:29 pm #1396149noah lamport http://noahlamport.com/ has silnylon for the cheapest price i have seen, $2.75/yd. they do have a minimum order of 10 yards however.
you can also occasionally find silnylon at your local walmart in the "dollar bin" for $1/yd but dont bother asking employees to help you find it. they will not know if they have any in stock, they have no control over what kind of material they get for this clearance section, and they will actually not even know what silnylon is.
i picked up about 20 yards from my local walmart, but only after i came up empty handed from five differient walmarts on a road trip. -
AuthorPosts
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
Forum Posting
A Membership is required to post in the forums. Login or become a member to post in the member forums!
Our Community Posts are Moderated
Backpacking Light community posts are moderated and here to foster helpful and positive discussions about lightweight backpacking. Please be mindful of our values and boundaries and review our Community Guidelines prior to posting.
Get the Newsletter
Gear Research & Discovery Tools
- Browse our curated Gear Shop
- See the latest Gear Deals and Sales
- Our Recommendations
- Search for Gear on Sale with the Gear Finder
- Used Gear Swap
- Member Gear Reviews and BPL Gear Review Articles
- Browse by Gear Type or Brand.