Hello all!

After much online searching I've decided that the commercially available VB jackets (all two of them) simply won't do it for me. RBH Designs jackets are simply too warm and way too costly. Warmlite's jackets simply don't fit me right.

As such I'm looking to find someone that will make me a sillnylon VB jacket. I'm looking for something very similar to the AGG silnylon rain jacket but with sippered pit and forearm vents.

http://www.antigravitygear.com/antigravitygear-ultralight-rain-jacket.html

I'v already contacted AGG about doing a custom jacket but it looks like they don't do that level of customization.

Anyone out there have resource they could point me to / put me in contact with? I'd be fine with simply sending someone who is good a sewing sillnylon to add some small zippers to my AGG silnylon rain jacket.

Thanks for all your help!

Chad, did you ever find someone to do this for you? I'm looking to have the same done.

Funny that you bring this up. I have been talking with zpacks about their cuben jacket that is no longer available on their website, but which you can still order for $165. You can also try luke's ultra light and their 7d silnylon shell for $150 or the 30d silnylon for $69. You may have to seal the seams in luke's ultra light stuff.

http://lukesultralite.com/content/7d-silnylon-ul-rain-shell
http://lukesultralite.com/content/silnylon-rain-shell
http://www.zpacks.com/accessories/cloudjacket.shtml

That's funny... I just sent an email to Luke to see if he would custom make something for me. I'll let you know how he responds. Ideally I wear a medium tall, wanted the silnylon, without a hood, with full pit zips and and velcro cuff.

You could always cut 3 holes in a trash bag and wear that. It wouldn't block the sweat from your arms, but it would work for the chest.

Doesnt this defeat the very concept of VBL? When I made my VBL jacket I purposely have no zippers to provide a better sealed environment.

Edited by gg-man on 01/16/2013 05:35:08 MST.

I am not sure I understand your need for a VB shirt if you aren't sleeping.

I am not sure I understand your need for a VB shirt if you aren't sleeping.

Try hiking with some vigor without a VB at temps below 0F and windy in clothing adequate to keep you comfortable (very slightly chilled or no more than just barely warm) for a couple hours.

When finished you'll find a lot of frozen water in one of your layers. Merely inconvenient if you have a warm place to stay and dry out overnight. Much worse than inconvenient if you are your own sole source of heat for the night ... and subsequent days&nights

From Andrew Skurka's website

pit zip a good option for medium activity?
> Skurka: Yes, a very good option. Ditto for arm vents. And a two-way zipper. There are many situations where you want some of the warmth and wind protection of a shell, but not all of it. If your VBL layers do not have good venting, you’ll hate them during these times.

I was looking at similar thing a while ago (didnt follow through with the project due to $$$ restraints) but Ben Smith @goosefeet gear was up for the task - making it from SilNyl or cuben.....

Mike

Hi guys -

I was out backpacking with Chad Miller on the SHT last week and he asked me to pass along that he no longer has an account at BPL:

"I was wondering if you could do me a favor. I got a PM from someone about adding zippers to my silnyon jacket. I can't respond to it due to my BPL account being deleted. If possible could you post up my gmail address in this thread."

Anyway, his e-mail is c e m i l l e r 5 1 1 at gmail dot com (take the spaces out, use @ etc). Its too bad he's not around BPL anymore - he knows a lot about winter camping :)

Matt