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Edited by yalacasa on 10/17/2006 19:30:27 MDT.

Hi Eric,

I was in Georgia hiking when you posted this and I didn't see it till now.

I have three different fabrics that I could use for something like a winter bivy. I will be making one soon. I have some Pertex Quantum that I have had for some time and I don't think I can get any more. I have two really nice WPB fabrics that are sold by Thru-Hiker.com. One is Epic Malibu at 1.7 oz a sq yard ($12.95 a yard) and the other one is Momentum 90 at 1 oz per sq yard ($11.95 a yard). I will be using the Momentum 90 on one of my next Bivy's. The Momentum 90 is a really nice material and if I didn't have a little Pertex Quantum I would use it for about everything that takes a good/light WPB material.

I would also think about using Climashield XP vs primaloft. You can read about it also on the Thru-Hiker.com site.

As for the question "which fabrics handle condensation the best" I am not sure there is a good answer for that. I have no idea and don't worry much about condensation. For my tarp I use a very light weight material called Cuben Fiber at about 0.35 oz a sq yard and just live with any condensation I might get. My Bivy shell is WPB so it has never been a big problem.

Way back in September Carlos asked about my use of the Cuben Fiber for the hood of the Bivy and about condensation.

I have had a chance to use the bivy for 6 nights on my Georgia Hike. Most nights were a little windy and I kept my head inside the hood area. When I thought about it I tried to keep the hood open a little. It never got bad enough to try the balloon idea. I did get a few condensation drops one night when I was real close to a river but never enough to worry about. I think the breeze blowing through my tarp set-up most nights may have helped. The weather which was cool and dry might also have helped. I slept on the ground with just a ground cloth two nights - no pads just the soft leaves - stuff - etc.

Hi Bill,
I've been admiring your work on your many posts and wonderful pictures.
This bivy project was of interest to me, as I had a last minute invite for a weekender (high winds, rain/snow, 40's-20's in Mass), but no bivy to match my poncho/tarp. Took me about two hours to design and sew one. I purchased some Pertex Quantum from Scottland (last year or so?), and used the silnylon from an unmade Ray-Way tarp. It came out better than I hoped. Even though the trip was cancelled, I went out for an overnighter (30's, 50+ MPH gusts, poured hard rain and snow) and am pleased to annouce I stayed snug-as-a-bug-in-a-rug for about 8 ounces. Thanx for the inspiration!
I sized the hood area to hold all my gear, so I could sleep with my feet on my empty pack. The hood opening runs across at about nose/mouth level, and closes down with an Aircore cinch line held with a tiny spring-loaded-thingie off to one side (so it wouldn't tickle my nose). On each corner is a small grossgrain loop for stake-down points. To make the corners, I just sewed everything else first, then tucked the corners inside while playing with the angles and stake loops, pinned the whole works together and BINGO!
Also, I did try including a loop over the face area of the hood, but placed it too far back. In the field, I found a pebble on the inside with a loop of Aircore on the outside tied up to my poncho/tarp guy worked great. I'm thinking that might be easier and lighter than a balloon.
Also, also, a new friend makes sails for racing yatchs. He saw me making my bivy, and offered me "scraps" of cuben fibre for my next set of projects. I have no way of knowing how large or thick a "scrap" would be, or how many he's talking about, but if anyone is interested then please email me at ericeaton@optonline.net and I'd be happy to share for free.
Thanx again Bill.
--Eric

Bill I didn't see a sorce listed for the Pertex Quantum you used. I'd like to use some for another project as I've heard great things about it.

JFF

POSTED BY
Joe,

I have no current source for Pertex Quantum. What I have I got over 2 years ago and that source is gone.

When my Pertex Quantum is gone I will switch over to Momentum90 which is sold by Thru-Hiker.com.

how ,where to buy quantum,cubin-fiber?

I just found out from a sales guy at Pertex.com that they do sell it at 5.50 a Sq yard. So what is the catch? You can only buy it from them at this time AND it is available in 500 yds per color minimums.

Maybe we can all go in together on a roll eh?

Johnathan,

Did you get any other details such as colors available, shipping costs, etc?






SUBJECT Re: Source for Pertex Quantum ON 11/10/2006 08:31:22 MST
Maybe we can all go in together on a roll eh?

Here is the original email from Pertex.com.

"Hi Jonathan,

This is Barry Garlick US Sales Manager for Pertex.

Pertex Quantum fabric is available in 500 yds per color minimums. The fabric is $5.50/yd

Please contact me if you have questions.

Barry Garlick
b.garlick@pertex.com
801 768-3883"

So they indicate it comes in various colors but did not tell me which ones.

Johnathan

The fabric is FOB Japan and you can have them die it any color you want or buy the basic colors in stock if any at the time.

500 yards is a lot though. I spoke with Barry about shorts or remnants but never heard back from him.

I would be interested in some although with momentum90 around it's not as pressing anymore.

Pertex Quantum / Cuben Fiber Bivy - New Black Bivy

I needed to make another Pertex Quantum / Cuben Fiber Bivy. I discovered that when you go several years between making the same thing you can forget a lot of how you did it.

I made my first Pertex Quantum / Cuben Fiber Bivy back in Sept. 2006. When I went to look for my old pattern I discovered I had recycled it into something else. OK, just make a new one. After cutting the material I realized that I could not remember how I had made the hood and how I had closed off the foot end. It took three tries practicing on some of my $1 a yard WalMart stuff to figured it out.

The new Bivy has a few extra features on it such as loops at each corner and a loop in the center of the hood.

The Black Pertex Quantum / Cuben Fiber Bivy weighs 3.128 ounces. The loops count for 0.176 of an ounce and put the Bivy just over the 3 ounce mark.

The first Bivy I make weighs 2.82 ounces but that is without the extra 5 loops like I put on the Black Bivy.

1. Cut the Pertex Quantum material. I use a hot knife for the PQ.



2. Trying to remember how I made the hood.



3. Getting ready to cut the Cuben Fiber. I am using some of the 0.33 ounce per square yard Cuben Fiber. I use a #11 blade in an X-acto knife to cut my Cuben Fiber.



4. Everything cut and ready to start sewing. I sew all my Cuben Fiber.



5. Black Bivy finished. You can see three of the loops I put on this Bivy. The other two loops are at the foot end. Total weight is 3.128 ounces or 88.7 grams.



6. My two Pertex Quantum and Cuben Bivys.

Edited by bfornshell on 05/19/2009 15:01:29 MDT.

Bill,
As usual, it looks great.

Questions for you... how come you didn't make the staking loops out of Cuben ? Super strong and easy to make?

Does this one use the balloon for support for the hood section?


Kevin

Bill, nice work...where did you get your PQ? I contacted them a while back but they wouldn't sell it to me.

Kevin,

Since I was sewing across a 1" wide piece of material I didn't think that would work with Cuben. I used some light webbing for strength.

Steven,

All the Pertex Quantum I have I bought several years ago. Some was available in 5 yard pieces and the other was two colors but 90 yards. Part of my PQ is from when it was made in the UK (0.89 ounces a sq yard) and the rest is from the Mill in Japan (1.03 ounce a sq yard).

I was just lucky at the time to get that. If or when I run out I would use Momentum 90 from Thru-hiker.com.

If your wanted to buy 500 meters I think you could buy direct from Pertex.

i got this idea from a pack raft inflation system and the fact my mom is making a cake.

you have made it verry clear that you cant blow up your baloons and have to bring a pump.

alli can do for you is give you a lighter pump here it is...
you take a zoplock bag and push a pen tip(the cone that surroungs the tip that puts out ink)through a corner and then you can use it to blow air through into you baloons.

the picture shows how it can be used for frosting so simply imagine froating is air and cup cakes are baloons.

Hi,

Thanks for the idea, however, I can't blow up the really thin balloons and I would be surprised if your idea would work on them. Try it and let use know how you come out.

I know very well what you are talking about, the bag and the cake icing thing, as I watch my mother use something like that.

I can blow up the next larger size balloon by mouth and they work OK.

Edited by bfornshell on 05/28/2009 12:52:40 MDT.