Talkback: Lowe Alpine's Super Tough New Pack Fabric

David James 1

15/05/2012 at 14:34

Nice packs but the material on the underside of shoulder straps rucks up and forms ridges when curved over the shoulders which rubs and causes irritation.

fatty tim

15/05/2012 at 18:00

Sorry sounds like fud to me. Seeing that most so called dyneema fabrics are something like 90% nylon. You would expect, all other things being equal (weave, coatings, thread weight, type of nylon) that the nylon fibres (ignoring the super strong dyneema ones) would break with the same force.

Hell I can't even rip plain old PU coated 6oz nylon like that.

It's interesting that the dyneema fabric tested here isn't the X-grid one they are replacing on their older lowe alpine packs.

Mr Fuller

15/05/2012 at 20:21

Yes, the terminology is a bit tricky with Dyneema. 100% Dyneema fabrics can't be made very easily at all, and Dyneema alone would be a bit rubbish anyway: its toughness is poor, it has very little elongation, and it cannot be dyed so every pack would be white. More accurately they're composite fabrics containing Dyneema, and it looks like they may have beaten it with this new stuff. Good on them.

Peter Clinch

15/05/2012 at 20:39

A good example of recycling old product names... my old Kantega (bought in '88, still going strong) is a rather different "Tri-Shield".

Pete.

Parky Again

15/05/2012 at 21:59

Mm. I had something like that. Couldn't tear it but...wore pinholes in it in no time at all.

fatty tim

15/05/2012 at 22:23

"Dyneema alone would be a bit rubbish anyway: its toughness is poor"

I think you might be misunderstanding the toughness (scientific definition) and what you need for a good tough (normal sense) rucksack fabric which is cut/abrasion resistance vs weight.

In fact if it wasn't for the price (which is the killer) loads packs would be made out of it other then the handfull that are made out of 100% woven Dyneema fabrics.

Spiritburner

15/05/2012 at 22:25

Peter Clinch wrote (see)

A good example of recycling old product names... my old Kantega (bought in '88, still going strong) is a rather different "Tri-Shield".
Pete.

Aye - when I read it I thought if they just made sacs like they did in the 80's they be plenty tough enough. My Fitzroy is a bit older & the main fabric is called Packcloth & that & the stuff on the harness & hipbelt is in great condition outside of some fading & abuse damage.

Mr Fuller

15/05/2012 at 23:03

fatty tim wrote (see)

I think you might be misunderstanding the toughness (scientific definition) and what you need for a good tough (normal sense) rucksack fabric which is cut/abrasion resistance vs weight.

You might well be right, fatty tim. I'm not sure that 100% dyneema packs would ever be that popular, though, regardless of cost, just because most people don't want to buy white rucksacks!

fatty tim

15/05/2012 at 23:29

You wouldn't to put it down in the snow But when performance matters more then looks it would great.

Btw it is possible to put coloured coatings on it. But again adds to the killer cost issue.

Alex Jackson 2

16/05/2012 at 10:39

That test proves very little IMHO. How often does fabric encounter that type of force in the real world? It is like ripping a phone book in half when it has already been cut. More useful would be endurance abrasion testing. I agree with the above comment that Dyneema isn't supposed to be tough.