Dyneema pants or kilt?

[Les Waddel]

I’ve been making stuff with dyneema for quite a few years now.  I love it…except for the noise when using it on a pair of pants (I made a pair and gave them to my wife).

So I thought maybe a kilt…but then, would it fly up in a wind and I still get wet, would I get cold with my legs exposed…

and then what about just using waterproof breathable fabric?  I’ve had and made waterproof jackets…they have worked for awhile then I get just as wet as if it was not waterproof.

Suggestions?  Thoughts? On, type of fabric, weight and pros/cons of each.

THANKS!

[Diane “Piper” Soini]

I have a silnylon rain skirt. It works well. It doesn’t fly up in the wind. If it’s very very windy it does flap a lot, though, but in conditions like that a lot of things are going to bother you. A rain skirt made of DCF would work very well and you could use it as a small groundsheet when you weren’t wearing it.

The thing about my silnylon rain skirt is that as I walk, my legs fling the skirt and with it, the water on the skirt. I end up pretty wet underneath the skirt from all the water being flung around. I think DCF is stiffer than other fabrics and also less absorbent and would probably fling less water around.

[Les Waddel]

Thanks Diane!  I like the idea of a small ground sheet.

[Matthew / BPL]

I imagine a DCF rain skirt would be nice because the stiffness would ensure air flow.

[Ben C]

I have a DCF skirt and use it in all but really cold weather. The stiffness really works well. With elastic at the waist, it stays off your body in most places, creating good ventilation. Also, it doesn’t get wet and stick to you the way I imagine silnylon does. I really haven’t had many problems in wind. You do need to be ok with getting wet below the knees. For me, if I am dry above the knees, I stay pretty warm.

[Les Waddel]

Thanks Ben!  Very good info.

[Patrick W]

I’ve been using a DCF kilt for several years and am really content with the performance.  If the weather is colder, I have some DCF chaps that I wear under the kilt.  I also find the kilt very useful as a mini ground sheet when I explode my pack in the middle of nowhere.

[Les Waddel]

Thank you Patrick!  I was also thinking of chaps.  I have a pair that I made out of sil/poly a few years ago.

So… does anyone have a pattern for a kilt that they would post?

Thanks in advance.

[Adam G]

I made a silnylon rain skirt and I love it. I haven’t had any problems with it flying up. I made mine quite long, at least down to my shins. You can’t really get any longer or else you start tripping on it. I recommend making it quite long and then testing it out and hemming it appropriately. I recently added a snap in the back that kept it in place to keep the butt dry which helps a lot. They will brush against plants and such, so you do want something abrasion resistant.

[DWR D]

I have a DCF Kilt… I don’t recommend it if you sit on things that are abrasive or sharp. First time I used it I sat on a granite rock for a break. Instant hole due to crystals. Sure, you can easily patch it, but I had a wet butt the rest of that hike. I think some form of nylon is a better choice. my 2 cents…

[Dustin V]

To test the rain-kilt concept, I grabbed a very large stuff sack and cut the threads out of the bottom and side seams and left the drawstring in. I mostly use it as a doormat so the fact that it’s cheap and durable means I don’t worry about holes. Someday I’ll buy a purpose-built one, so I’m interested in everyone’s experience with the different materials.

I nabbed a pair of chaps for $8, but haven’t had a chance to try them out. I’m a little leery of doing so just because they might commit you to sitting on your poncho or long jacket.

[Les Waddel]

Well… Thank all of you for your input.  I remembered quit a few years ago I made a pair of chaps of WPB ripstop.  I tried them during our latest storm.  With my longer dyneema jacket they worked just fine.   So…after I finish ALL the Christmas gifts I’m working on I’ll make a pair of dyneema chaps.  And, DWR D, I wear a butt pad against the lower/lumbar support on my pack so no problem sitting down on something sharp or wet.

Les

[Les Waddel]

So I went ahead and made a pair of .5 oz. Dyneema chaps and tested them in our California drought (HA!!! It’s raining like I haven’t seen in quite a few years!!)

They work GREAT, nice and cool, light and dry underneath.

I have pictures but, as usual, difficult downloading them.

Les

[d k]

I’d love to see those pictures, Les.

[Les Waddel]

Hope this works….  Ha!!!  I figured it out, that wasn’t so bad…

[Les Waddel]

I use the snap hook to slip onto the waist of my pants.

 

[d k]

Nice!  Does the hook clip onto a belt loop, or just over the waistband?  Also, did you sew, tape, or both?

 

[Les Waddel]

It can hook either but I usually hook on my waist band.

I tape the whole thing. I found seeing puts holes in that turn to rips and tears with use.

[d k]

Double or single-sided?  That’s my last question, I promise!

[Les Waddel]

Ha!  You can ask more questions. They are single layer, .5 oz. dyneema.

Need the pattern?  It’s easy. My wife thinks it took all of an hour to make. I say a few more minutes than that.

 

[d k]

Thanks! And thanks on the offer of a pattern, but I have a pair of older rain chaps, maybe Equinox?  I think I can use those as a pattern.

No more Peter Falk imitations for me (“oh, just one more thing…”).  On this thread anyway!

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