WPB fabric available for MYOG
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I have found it difficult to find good WPB fabric for MYOG. I think maybe the highest performance fabric is reserved for commercial products. I made a rain jacket with fabric from RSBTR and Polartec Neoshell.
This is similar to a rain jacket I wrote an article about. 56 inches around (the width of the fabric as purchased) and 46 inches from shoulder to bottom. I like to protect the top of my pants, sort of like a kilt or rain skirt. Bulky so there’s lots of air space for air to circulate to help evaporate any sweat inside. The fabrics are classified as 2.5 layers – I put a lining of 0.7 oz breathable nylon on the hood and shoulders and the rest of the jacket is unlined. Front zipper. Inside pockets.
RSBTR – 10 D fabric, $25 per yard, 1.4 oz/yd2, 7 ounces for finished jacket.
Polartec Neoshell from Discovery Fabrics in Vacouver B.C. – 5 oz/yd2, $45 per yard, 12.7 ounces for finished jacket.
When I use the RSBTR fabric in steady rain it wets out – base layer inside gets wet, but, the base layer tolerates this and eventually dries out if it stops raining. Not catastrophic, but not optimum. It works well in showers or no rain, blocks wind good. This is good to minimize weight if the weather report says no rain. The fabric is very thin so I fear it would get ripped against a bush or something.
Stephen Seeber recommended the Neoshell. I’ve used that in steady rain on a number of trips and it never got wet inside. The outside DWR is very good. It seems like it’s more robust against branches or rocks or whatever.
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