Ultra breathable quilt using mesh liner

[Huzefa @ Blue Bolt Gear]

Hello guys,

I am excited to share my latest project, a Climashield Apex quilt with 0.5oz mesh as inner (!!) and uncalendered 1oz nylon as outer (!)

**I have explained calendering process in the final comments below.

I was quite anxious to find out how mesh would work out as a liner. After using it for past 4 months across Asia, it is holding up well. The lowest temperature I used the quilt in was 40F in May over a 13000ft pass in India and I was cozy.

This combination of fabric offers some obvious advantages over regular calendered ultra light fabrics:

1. Mesh is softer and less clammy against the skin
2. Both mesh and uncalendered hyperD are a lot more breathable then standard calendered nylon used by most manufacturers.
3. Quilt dries significantly faster.
4. Reduced condensation.

Design

This is a oversized rectangular quilt (59″ x 90″) similar to a comforter at home and it works well for me and my partner. There is no foot box, zipper, or hood and none is needed; it works so well without it.

I think there are 2 reasons for this:

1. The mesh inner is not slippery (unlike light nylon fabrics) and therefore we both can grip the edge surprisingly well under our feet.
2. The extra length and full width is sufficient for tucking and covering 2 heads.

This quilt is comfortable over a very wide range of temperature. Since it has no foot box, it is really easy to vent.

The size is good for solo or couple (works for us).

Instead of using a stuff sack, I am folding it then using Velcro to compress it. This is very convenient and quick method. See pics below.

Specs

• Weight: 23oz / 650g
• Dimensions: 59″ X 90″
• Outer: 1oz HyperD uncalendared
• Inner: .5 oz mesh
• Insulation: 5oz Climashield Apex

(All from ripstopbytheroll)

Construction

The construction is as simple as it gets.

1. Cut the fabrics and insulation to size.
2. Sew the inner and outer together on the edges but leave 12″ unstitched. There is no right or wrong side.
3. Sew the insulation with the inner+outer but leave the 12″ unstitched.
4. Now use the unstitched hole to pull out the quilt inside out.
5. Sew along all sides with 1cm margin.

Further thoughts:

If you have worked with fabrics which have a shiny side and matt side, then you have seen a calendered fabric. This fabric has been passed through rollers which fuses yarn on one side and creates the shiny effect. This process significantly reduces the breathability of the fabric which is necessary trade off to get a downproof fabric. You can try blowing through calendered and uncalendered fabric and compare to see the difference. I bet you will be surprised!

With uncalendered outer and mesh liner, it’s possible to achieve unprecedented breathability and fast drying. Combined this with Climashield which doesn’t require any stitching on the outer side for stabilisation, we have here truly superior water resistance compared to anything that is available in the market currently.

Looking back now, I am surprised that most manufacturers are still using calendered fabrics for making quilt with apex insulation. I think it is one of the reasons for mass spread condensation issues and has been holding back the synthetics from a fair fight against down.

I would love to see and hear from more people making their own gear with this combo.

Also, I would like to add that I am considering getting a batch of quilt for sale. So if anyone wants to get one, you can talk to me by sending me a PM or contacting me at huzefasid(at)gmail(dot)com

I am looking forward to hearing your thoughts!

HS

[edited by MK]

[Huzefa @ Blue Bolt Gear]

This post is total mess. Does anyone know how fix it? I can see the edit button.

[Jerry Adams]

You can’t edit the first post of a thread, known bug

You could repost the whole thing, fixed, as a second post.  Readers know to just ignore the first screwed up post.

That’s why a lot of threads start with the first post “see next post”

[Huzefa @ Blue Bolt Gear]

Thanks Jerry. Its been a while since I have posted here. Well, I just reposted the whole thing as a new post. Here is the link to new post.

I hope the moderators can delete this thread. In the mean time, reader, just ignore this and go to new post.

[Franco Darioli]

.

 

[Franco Darioli]

I did the above to see if it worked.

Select all. Copy.

Start a new post (or edit the text from the previous one if it isn’t the first post) select TEXT , paste, then select VISUAL.

[MJ H]

That’s a nice looking quilt and very light. I wonder about the effect of dirt on insulation though. It looks like more would get in through the mesh than through fabric.

[Huzefa @ Blue Bolt Gear]

Mk, thanks for fixing my post.

Franco, thanks for your help. It’s good to know how to fix it.  But now the original post is fixed. So if you see this, I ask you to please delete the copy.

Btw, It is good to see you and Jerry again. :)

MJH, I really like how soft this mesh and hyperD fabric is.

You right that more dirt will get in via the mesh but it’s easy to wash and clean the quilt in the washing machine (I tried it). It dries very fast.

[MJ H]

I suppose it would dry very quickly after a wash. I hadn’t thought of that benefit.

[Franco Darioli]

Hi,

Nice to see that you are still at it.

This one looks good.

Glad that my previous criticism hasn’t put you off.

( I spread it around…)

BTW, only the Mods can fix the first post.

[Edward Barton]

Nice work, I’ve been putting together a polartec alpha shirt with the same mesh for the lining to increase breathability/drying. Really surprised how soft the RBTR mesh is. I like that it has some mechanical stretch and it seems like it will wear well too. Great material.

[Nick Smolinske]

Nice work. I have thought about using that same mesh for a synthetic quilt before, good to know it works.

I’ve also wondered if an uncoated, uncalendered 7d nylon fabric might be a nice choice for a synthetic quilt. The 7d silnylon from rockywoods has a finished weight of 0.7oz so a version without the sil coating would be lighter than that. It would tear pretty easily but the consequences of a tear on an Apex quilt are pretty minimal.

[Matthew / BPL]

I recently got an Apex quilt made from .67 Argon. It’s so soft! I wouldn’t want such a thin fabric on a down quilt but i figures the consequences of a rip wouldn’t be a big deal like Nick said.

[Huzefa @ Blue Bolt Gear]

Edward, That’s great to hear! I think polartec alpha jacket with mesh liner will be very good active insulation. I was planning to make one too with mesh liner and hyperD outer but haven’t done it yet. I am very interested in seeing how it comes out. Keep me posted! Btw, where did you get polartec alpha?

Thanks Nick. Uncoated/uncalendared 7d fabric will be very nice find but as far as I know, it doesn’t exist.

The lightest uncalendered fabric I found was 1oz hyperD. If anyone finds lighter alternative, I would be interested to know.

 

 

[Edward Barton]

Millyardage has a rotating list of seconds and by the yard stuff here: http://www.millyardage.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=1842

I believe they will also cut from their wholesale rolls now, but you have to call: https://www.milldirecttextiles.com/fullrollseries.asp?dept=34&id=1722294575671620584921

[Kevin B]

Price, when to market? Any chance of domestic clones in alpha?  Rogue Panda or EE

[Huzefa @ Blue Bolt Gear]

Edward, thanks for the info. Do you know the clo/oz for alpha?

 

Kevin, are you referring to the quilt or the jacket?

 

From what I have read, alpha is an active insulation designed to be a replacement for fleece, not high loft insulation. For warmth/weight perspective, climashield apex is still the best in the market.

[Edward Barton]

Clo/oz for Alpha varies a bit according to different weights apparently, from .28-.37 per a Nisley write up from 2015, here.

Toray Full Range and Primaloft Silver Active measured higher, around .56. This makes sense because alpha is structurally more like thermal pro, and Full Range/Silver active more like continuous synthetics. It would be interesting to see how each would function (especially over time) when paired with a mesh liner, and how either of these setups would compare to alpha direct, which is perhaps even more like thermal pro hi loft, with (I imagine) lower clo/oz relative to straight alpha (probably something around .25?). Alpha direct doesn’t need a face fabric and therefore may gain in moisture management what it loses in warmth/weight though.

I imagine the characteristics of the nano air light would be pretty close to an analogous piece that used a mesh inner – maybe the latter would be a touch faster drying/lighter/packable/more breathable, and perhaps a bit warmer too, given the added air space the mesh creates – but perhaps not noticeably so in any of these departments, given the already very breathable/fast drying nano air light fabric.

 

[Russell Lawson]

I’ve seen a clima silk bag on here before. Curious what your opinions on .5oz nylon vs 4.5-5momme (15.75gram-17.5g) silk is, besides the slight weight increase? I know silk has a tendency to cling more than synthetic, which causes tears. But it feels the best on the skin especially in winter.

[Sam Farrington]

Would have thought that the woven outer might block vapor entering more quickly through the mesh, but apparently not from your 4 month experience using the quilt down to 40 degrees F.  Thanks for your post.

[Roger Caffin]

Curious what your opinions on .5oz nylon vs 4.5-5momme (15.75gram-17.5g) silk is, besides the slight weight increase? I know silk has a tendency to cling more than synthetic, which causes tears
I have been using silk for liners for some (many) years now.I started using silk long ago because it was lighter than the then-available nylons, but today that reason no longer holds.

Silk is MUCH more fragile than even the lightest nylon. I did not find it clingy though.

Cheers

[Huzefa @ Blue Bolt Gear]

Edward, thanks for the post. It’s very interesting information.

Alpha/Fullrange/Silver Active do have some stretch which is very good for making thin, close fitting active garments.

But from warmth to weight ratio perspective Apex with 0.82 clo/oz is still a winner. A warm winter parka from Apex / Mesh / HyperD is on my to do list.

 

Sam, I think uncalendered top makes a big difference in breathabilty.

 

Roger, thanks for sharing your comments on silk.

[Anonymous]

Interesting stuff. Somewhat related:  I’ve made some 2.5 oz/yd2 Apex vests both with low thread count, uncalendared 1.1 oz nylon (so porous that I can very easily blow through both fabric layers and the Apex), as well as combos with wicking, knit polyester for the inner and 1.1 uncalendared nylon for the outer.

The backs are uninsulated as to be active pieces while wearing a backpack. It works decently, but is very warm for all but the very coldest temps we get around here (around 0* F).

 

[Roger Caffin]

This is thinking out aloud.
I wonder whether using mesh on the inside is a good idea? I would expect that a low-CFM fabric on the inside would prevent loss of warm air by simple body movements – pumping. But a mesh inner would allow the loss of warm air and a reduction in insulation.
Thoughts?

Cheers

[Huzefa @ Blue Bolt Gear]

Justin, it is great to hear about your  backless Apex vest. I considered making one but I thought it may end up too warm for active use in condition I encounter. Your report confirms it. Now if Apex was available in 1 oz range, it would be perfect for this.

Roger, I thought about it but i don’t particularly remember feeling cold moving around in my quilt. I could do more testing next month in USA.

(I will be San Francisco on Oct 24! If anyone here is interested in meeting up, just send me a PM).

If I make this quilt again, I will use a more windproof shell such as Argon 67 or Membrane 66 which have CFM of 48+.

[Author]

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