Every Epic fabric source I test is unique

If the HH with the silicone is that low, can only imagine how non water resistant it would be without it.

Btw, sort of related.  Once i get my fabric stretcher up and going, and start treating some more fabrics with silicone, any interest in testing before and after CFM and HH levels?  Since i know these fabrics come with a DWR, i will try to wash it out first before treating.

I realize you might not know it definitively, but any educated guesses as to whether or not, one long, hot wash cycle with liberal amounts of Oxy Clean (+ thorough rinsing) is sufficient to completely get rid of a typical factor DWR?    Thanks.

Justin,

I anticipate that any type of residual DWR, other than silicone, would take MANY washing to completely remove. Make things easy on yourself and test your process with a non-DWR treated fabric. Take a water bottle to a fabric store and just sprinkle some on to test a fabric.

I just want to thank you Richard for testing the CFM and HH on the Epic jackets  I would have kept the Wild Things one if the XXL was a bit longer in the sleeves and was a full zip.  It is too bad that most of the jackets made out of Epic are about 12oz for an XXL.

Thank you for the feedback Richard.

Unfortunately, almost all the fabrics i’m interested in treating are online, and many come with a factory applied DWR.  There are a couple of 1.1 oz nylons that don’t though.

Richard – EPIC treated fabrics are all over the walk, as so many different fabrics have been so treated. You might be interested in Roger Caffin’s tests of two samples of EPIC Malibu, believed to be the material that Black Diamond originally used for its single wall tents: Both were the faded yellow ripstop polyester, weighing around 1.8 oz/sq/yd, but only one was the calendered variety, with a shiny finish created on one side with a hot roller, and used on the BD tents for a while before EPIC Malibu was replaced altogether.
The tests were done around January 2011, and Roger reported that:
“Two yellow EPIC Malibu fabrics, both seemed to breathe slightly as expected.
Dry at 10 kPa, but around 15 kPa the surface suddenly erupted with
drops of water everywhere. Increasing the pressure beyond this simply
increased the flow everywhere. This is normal for EPIC. The big
problem is when the fabric gets slightly dirty: the surface tension
effect then dies.”
15 kPa is very roughly around 1500mm HH, quite a bit more than you noted with your samples. A breathable tent wall material seems akin to the golden fleece sought by mythological adventurers. Roger has persuaded me that a more practical approach is needed for tent walls, but every so often I fall off the wagon and gaze longingly at the roll of Malibu in the workshop.

Sam,

On 3/22/11 I tested a sample of Epic Alpine from Outdoor Wilderness Fabrics. It measured 2.83 oz/yd2, 2.93 CFM, and 1129.74mm HH.

On 2/27/12 I tested a special edition Golite SL5 made of Epic Polyester. It measured 1.30 oz/yd2, .75 CFM, and 1265.39mm HH. I added a sod skirt to the special edition Golite SL5 and still use it in the winter with an internal heat source.

On 7/3/13 I tested a sample of Epic Malibu Polyester Double Ripstop. It measured 1.71 oz/yd2,  .44 CFM, and 843.59mm H20.

I haven’t tested any Epic fabric that had a virgin HH above the 1,500mm HH threshold to be considered rain proof. But to put that statement in context, 3 samples are not statistically significant.

Is there any Epic you can buy by the yard?

I’m not surprised given that Epic is an encapsulation process not a particular product and not even a particular fabric.

Richard,
Thanks for your third result with the Malibu. Franco summed it up well.

Brett,
I cannot return PMs on this site. No idea why from BPL. You are welcome any time to PM me with a return email address and I’ll get right back to you.

Rockywoods sells an EPIC fabric.  Bit on the heavy side though.  Must be 70D nylon at least.

From OWF,

We haven’t seen Epic available for some time now, in a regular supply not
since Nextec moved off shore.  I’ve seen some roll ends/extra stock someone
was touting as Epic but it wasn’t the same as the Epic we are familiar with
so we didn’t buy any.  It was much heavier and a different weave.

Maybe the same thing?  Almost all the military stuff is 70D.