I have plans for a set of lightweight hard-shells for winter use, and i have been looking around at what wpb fabrics one can buy online. I have an eVent jacket, and I love the material...but the jacket itself is heavy. So ideally I want eVent, but apart from some 2-layer stuff at goosefeet, and i don't want the pain/weight of a liner, i can't find any. What is the next best thing that is available online? I know rocky woods and owfinc both have some GTX proshell, and rocky woods also has some paclite. Is that as good as it gets?


Adie

quest has some 2.5 layer WPB

they said it was waterproof, but maybe not as breathable as eVent

You could use 2 layer eVent from Goosefeet and don't worry about lining it. It might not last as long. If you're wearing a shirt, that should prevent body oil contamination. If you're using it for the winter it won't get too dusty? The 2 layer is lighter than 2.5.

So you would trust the generic 2.5 layer from quest? More so than the 2.5 layer paclite i can get from rocky woods? trouble with paclite is it is less breathable than normal goretex, forget about eVent.

As to the 2 layer eVent, it just seems like a lot of work for a garment i know will not last as long. But how long is long? This would be mostly for winter use, and mostly over a soft-shell for extreme weather.

And what material could i use for a lining? most are mesh, right, so some .8osy no see um mesh wouldn't add too much weight.

Adie

No personal knowledge about Quest WPB

I made a jacket from some Pertex WPB 2 layer and it lasted quite a while, maybe a couple months of continuous use (over a couple year period)

One thing about the 2 layer eVent is the DWR coating that's on all eVent. And that doesn't make any difference that it's 2 layer. It is white which may be a problem.

For lining, get some of that 0.65 ounce fabric from goosefeet. You'de have to talk to him directly. It's not on website. May be gone aleady.

or 0.9 ounce nylon from owfinc or thru-hiker.

mesh may be more difficult, not as much protection.

I made a jacket with lining. owfinc 2 layer WPB and 1.1 ounce nylon lining. Kind of heavy. Not that much more difficult. The lining adds a little warmth.

I posted a pic of the black and dark grey 2.5 layer WPB from quest (different face fabrics) here:
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=55143&skip_to_post=465049

I haven't made anything from it yet but it seems pretty nice. I'd say it's worth using rather than messing with a liner for 2 layer. The black (or any of the ripstop face) fabrics are a little lighter.

Jerry,
The white color doesn't bother me, but by the time you have paid for your eVent and your nylon, you are talking nearly $30 a yard. and although my heart yearns for eVent, it doesn't yearn for linings. Does any know the weight of the 2 layer eVent? maybe I will email about that. plus adding 1.1oz per yard to the eVent, it's not going to be as light as the 2.5 layer. What I don't want is to go to the effort of sewing this thing, then have it weigh nearly as much as my commercially made eVent shell, but with the added hassle of the liner.
Several month's worth of use is not too bad either. my shell doesn't get used much during winter, and if i used my old jacket for resort skiing/other times when weight doesn't matter, it could last me many years.

Brendan,
the diamond pattern on that fabric reminds me of my old 2.5 layer north face hy-vent jacket. particularly of all the swampy times i spent in it!

I think if i went for a 2.5 layer I would go for the paclite, because although I know it's not great, at least its a known quantity. Unless anyone has had actual experience with both, that is.

Adie

I got some of the white, 2 layer eVent. Haven't made anything out of it yet.

56" x 184"

1.7 oz/yd2

maybe 2 yd2 for a jacket

3.4 oz total for just eVent, 4.8 oz if you use 0.7 oz liner, 5.2 oz if you use 0.9 oz liner

plus zipper (1 oz?), pockets (1 oz depending),...

I got some 2.5 layer eVent that was 2.2 oz/yd2. I think Quest's is 2.5 oz/yd2.

I made a jacket that was 2.5 yd2, but it's extra baggy and long

Thats some good stuff right there. I have plenty of options to mull over now. 5 odd oz including liner. sternum length zip, one zippered pocket. could i get away without pit zips with eVent, considering its mostly for winter use? plus a hood, may add an ounce or two. certainly under 10oz. a cool 14 oz lighter than my westcomb ski shell. what fabric would you use for liner? presumably nylon with no dwr would be lightest and most breathable. what is this .7 osy stuff you are talking about?

If i got 5yd i could get a pair of pants out of it too. maybe some mitten shells out of the scrap.
Adie

0.65 oz stuff - http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=51752&skip_to_post=469004#469004

the 0.9 oz stuff from owfinc or thru-hiker is almost as lightweight

I am a pit zip sceptic. I have a jacket with pit zips and I've never thought they were of much value. Not enough ventilation to prevent sweating. If you want to have a chance at minimizing sweating, unzip the front. Of course that doesn't work in heavy rain/wind. I always put in full length front zippers.

Other people love pit zips : )

I talked to Ben at goosefeet, he is (ridiculously) prompt with responding to emails.
He confirmed that fabric weight, and also pointed to the no-liner option. part of his reason is that you are compromising the breathability by adding a liner.
looks like I'm gonna go that direction. I won't have time to sew the pieces until after christmas most likely, but i will buy the fabric sooner because it would be awful if after all of this it sold out.

Thanks for everyone's input, and i will for sure post pics of the process/final product when I am done.

Adie

*edit

Also, an idea i have been thinking about for a while is having an underarm patch made of a water resistant but very breathable fabric. two options are a soft-shell fabric (heavy) or a dwr nylon like m90 (which i will have scraps of). In m90 the extra weight of seams would be cancelled out by the lighter fabric. but then it isn't completely waterproof. what does everyone think?

Edited by adie.mitchell on 11/07/2011 16:47:04 MST.