What do you pay for when you buy a tent, sleeping bag, backpack?
Currently, stores selling camping equipment have a huge selection of tents, sleeping bags, and backpacks. Prices for different models may differ several times. Let's try to figure out what prices depend on. What are we buying?
In this review, we will not compare various product designs, as well as differences inherent in brands. Of course, a well-known company sells its products more expensive than a little-known one. But we must not forget that a serious company (brand) always values its name and cannot afford to offer the buyer products of poor quality. So, by buying a little more expensive, you are insured against troubles that may arise during operation. And the more complex and intense the operating conditions are, the more the safety of the person using the equipment depends on the quality of the equipment.
All other things being equal, different models use different fabrics, accessories, insulation, threads, etc. It is these most important components of any product, on which the cost of the equipment and its functional properties mainly depend, that let me draw your attention in this article.
It is important to consider the properties of components for one more reason: equipment produced in different countries by different manufacturers is labeled completely differently. Moreover, you will not find two companies that would designate fabrics in the same way. Complete confusion is observed in the numbers describing such properties as waterproofness, “breathing” properties of membrane materials, strength, thermal characteristics of insulation, weight. This is due to the use of data obtained from different tests conducted under different conditions. Many companies “forget” to indicate accurate data or consider it unnecessary - often this is dictated by competition.
So:
Tent
1. When choosing a tent, you should pay attention to the designation canopy fabric. Here's what you can find in various descriptions:
Rip Stop Nylon 190T
210T Rip Stop Nylon PU 3000
185T Polyester Taffeta PU/Si
210T Rip Stop Nylon PU
70D Polyester Ripstop W/R
75D Polyester Ripstop PU/SI
70D Nylon Taffeta 210T PU
75D Nylon Taffeta W/R
75D Poly Taffeta PU
How to figure all this out? The description may contain information about the following fabric properties:
1. Density (strength). There are different ways to mark fabric density:
Thread Count is the total number of threads per square inch in the longitudinal and transverse directions (for example: 210T means 210 threads). The higher the number, the denser the fabric.
Den (Denie) - the thickness of the threads involved in the weave (for example: 75D)
2. Chemical composition of threads:
Polyester, Poly - polyester
Nylon - nylon (polyamide)
3. Type of fabric weave (for example: Rip Stop).
4. Tactel - a type of special threads (sometimes: Nylon 66, Dupon Nylon 66, Tactel, etc.); usually a proper name.
5. Type of fabric treatment (for example: PU 3000):
PU - polyurethane coating (usually applied to the inside of the fabric).
3000 - indicator of the waterproofness of the fabric in millimeters of water column (up to 1500mm - the fabric cannot be considered waterproof; when it rains it will begin to leak; 3000mm or more - the awning fabric will withstand almost any weather conditions)
PU/SI - polyurethane coating plus silicone, which can be applied to the inside or outside of the fabric
W/R - water-repellent coating on top of fabric
An example of a complete description of the tent awning material:
70D/75D Nylon Taffeta 210T PU 3000 W/R
- fabric made of special polyamide threads with a Taffeta weave, 70D thick in the longitudinal and 75D in the transverse directions, density 210T, with a polyurethane coating that “holds” 3000mm of water column. The fabric has a water-repellent top treatment.
Brief comments:
1. The thickness of the threads is responsible for strength. Thicker threads also give more weight to the fabric.
2. The density of the thread weave (Thread Count) is an equally important parameter. Loose fabric warps, stretches a lot and, as a rule, is not durable.
3. Polyester is more resistant to ultraviolet radiation than Nylon, which is very important for awnings. In addition, Nylon fiber fabric stretches when wet and contracts when dry (i.e., you will have to re-stretch the Nylon awning each time the humidity and temperature changes)
4. Water resistance (water resistance - measured in mm of water column), a very important indicator. Awning fabric with a rating of 3000mm will withstand almost any rain. It is important that the water resistance value indicated in the tent’s characteristics corresponds to reality (for many companies this is not the case). Water resistance of 3000mm is achieved by double application of polyurethane impregnation, 5000mm by triple application. It is clear that each application means additional weight and price. PU impregnation is applied to the inside of the material. At the “correct” factories, it is applied in such a way that it does not crumble, does not crack, and lasts a long time.
5. Silicone treatment is usually applied to the top or bottom layer of the material (can also be applied over PU impregnation, but in this case it is not possible to seal the seams).
6. Most companies that produce tents now use fabric with silicone applied on the outside. This impregnation is very durable and functional: silicone prevents moisture from accumulating in the fabric fibers. At the same time, the silicone coating significantly increases the tensile strength of the fabric.
7. If Rip Stop weaving is used, then such a fabric will be more durable with a slight increase in weight.
8. All tent manufacturers shorten the descriptive part when indicating the characteristics of materials.
2. If the awning of the tent is designed to protect you from the rain, then you will live in the inner tent. Just like your favorite room, an inner tent should be comfortable (extra pockets, durable seams, large living space). Pay attention to the color of the inner tent: it should be light and match the color of the awning. Otherwise, the morning will seem joyless to you. Light passing through two obstacles can change the complexion of the inhabitants of the tent beyond recognition. It’s not very pleasant to see your neighbor’s blue or green face every morning.
The fabric from which the inner tent is made must have the following properties:
1.Be light and durable (preferably Rip Stop weave), because The inner tent takes on a significant load during operation.
1. Have good “breathing” properties, but at the same time block the wind.
2. It is advisable that the inner tent has a water-repellent W/R treatment. This impregnation will protect you from drops of condensation that, under certain weather conditions, appear on the inside of the awning. The drops will roll off without penetrating into the living space. The W/R treatment does not impair the breathability of the inner tent.
4. For inner tent, Nylon is better. It is softer and more tensile than polyester. UV resistance is not important for an inner tent.
3. The material tent bottom can be made of fabric or structural polyethylene (as on the bags of the “shuttles” in which they transport their loads). Polyethylene is typically used in cheap tents; fabric is good. When choosing a tent, pay attention to the following features:
1. The fabric on the bottom of the tent should be more waterproof than the tent flysheet. 5000 - 10000mm is enough to prevent water from penetrating inside the tent under strong pressure. (Floor fabric with water resistance of 3000mm can withstand body pressure; 5000mm - foot pressure; 10000mm - elbow pressure).
2. Check whether the seams of the tent bottom are welded; Pay special attention to the corner seams. It is not easy to glue them correctly; many companies save on this operation. Even if the fabric is sufficiently waterproof, water can penetrate through the holes from the sewing needles. In a good tent you can sleep in a puddle.
4. An important component of tents is arcs. Poles on tents are made of fiberglass and epoxy resins (indicated in descriptions as fiberglass or fiberglass) or aluminum alloys of various qualities. The most common brands are: 7075, 7001 made of AMG (aluminum-magnesium alloy) made in Korea, they are used in high-quality tents; 7178, 6061 - require anodizing; Russian grades D16T and V95 cannot withstand competition and are gradually being replaced by other alloys. In addition to the grade of the alloy, serious companies indicate its “hardness”. The designations 7075-T9 and 7075-T6 differ in that in the first case a more durable alloy is used: poles made from such an alloy are used by the most famous tent companies. Fiberglass is approximately 1.5 times heavier than aluminum alloys. In addition, it does not tolerate large temperature changes and cannot be repaired. If such an arc breaks, you need to look for a new one. Aluminum arches can be repaired while traveling.
The joints of the arcs are also different. The inner sleeve of a smaller diameter can be attached to the arch using punching or glue. Sometimes the articulation of the arches is carried out by flaring. Minimum play and maximum connection strength for arches with a glued adapter.
5. But the most important thing in tents is the little things! Imagine your tent falling apart at the seams at night in heavy rain. Or the pegs were torn out and the tent was carried into the abyss. Or you died from insect bites. That's why:
1. Threads must be stronger than fabric, not rot or collapse under the influence of sunlight
2. Eyelets should be brass, not iron (this place in the tent is always wet)
3. Zippers - extremely reliable (trust the Japanese brand YKK)
4. Mosquito net - with small cells
5. Power plastic fittings - reliable (trust Duraflex or Nexus)
6. Slings - light and durable. They should fit easily through the adjustment buckles.
7. Cords for storm guy ropes - strong and thin, as well as visible in the dark and during the day
8. Pegs - light and durable, not bending. It is advisable that they do not rotate in the ground, i.e. would not have a round profile
9. The seams on the awning and the bottom of the tent must be well welded (taped). This can only be done with expensive equipment, choosing the right temperature, pressure and sizing speed. Trust famous brands
10. Buy a tent with a scale. The weight stated on the packaging may be incorrect.
Sleeping bag.
The properties of a sleeping bag are determined by its design, fabric and insulation. We will not discuss design features, because... This is a separate difficult topic. You can evaluate the quality of the fabric using the approach discussed in detail above. The difference in this case is only in the larger number of fabrics that bear proper names. So, in sleeping bags you can find: Gore Tex Dry Loft, Pertex, Tactel, Nylon66, etc.
Let's focus on insulation. Here the author will have to limit himself to listing and some comments that are subjective in nature. The fact is that the advertising struggle of leading manufacturers in the insulation market has led to such a confusing situation that it is difficult to figure out: who is better and in what? - only a few specialists who conduct comparative tests of insulation in laboratories can. It is also impossible to compare cheap insulation materials due to the lack of any technical data (even of an advertising nature) and the instability of quality in different batches. Which is better: Solnechnogorsk padding polyester or Belarusian padding polyester produced in Mogilev, or Belarusian synthetic padding polyester produced in Orsha? What is warmer: High Loft Hollofiber, Micro-loft, Thermo-6, Dura Loft, Aerofibre 1, Izoterm (all names taken from open sources)? Yes, God knows! And you don't need to know! In this case, I suggest looking at the price and the name of the manufacturer. Plus intuition, and the opinions of people who have used such sleeping bags. All these names were invented for better promotion of products - this is a “marketing ploy”. Often the same insulation has different names from different companies.
Let's consider only the best insulation materials suitable for the production of sleeping bags:
1. Down. Currently, there is no convincing evidence that a synthetic insulation has been developed that is superior to high-quality goose down in the complex of properties: warmth + weight + transport volume. In advertising materials, the properties of synthetic insulation are always compared with down, which has F.P. = 550 (the elastic properties of down, expressed in special units). But now they produce fluff with F.P.=800! It is not without reason that all self-respecting companies continue to produce down sleeping bags, the prices of which are several times higher than the cost of synthetic analogues. Good down loses to synthetic insulation only in wet conditions!
You can read more about down in the article about down or find numerous versions of this article on other sites.
2. Synthetics:
2.1. DuPont offers a number of insulation materials suitable for use in sleeping bags (they are listed from top to bottom in order of increasing thermal properties):
Hollofil - thick fiber
Hollofil-II - thick fiber with 4 longitudinal holes
Quallofil - medium fiber with 7 longitudinal holes
Thermolite plus - a mixture of fine fibers and medium fibers with one longitudinal hole
Thermolite extra is an ordered spiral-shaped medium fiber, hollow inside.
Thermolite extreme consists of a mixture of three different types of microfibers, each of which is responsible for specific properties: strength, elasticity, ability to retain heat.
2.2. 3M produces good insulation for sleeping bags under the Thinsulate LiteLoft brand. Due to the very thin fibers, this insulation is characterized by minimal convective heat loss. Very soft and light, its parameters are close to natural fluff. Thinsulate LiteLoft requires very careful handling because... already at a temperature of +50C one component (polyolefil) included in the insulation begins to melt.
2.3. Polarguard is a very common insulation in sleeping bags from well-known companies - durable, voluminous, and quite warm. Its main drawback is that the transport volume is too large. The best in the manufacturer's line, Polarguard Delta, is made of thinner fibers, and this drawback is less pronounced. True, Delta is not very widespread yet due to the small volume of production.
Polarguard HV - thick hollow fibers
Polarguard 3D - thick hollow fibers
Polarguard Delta - medium hollow fibers
2.4. Albany International produces PrimaLoft insulation in 2 series:
PrimaLoft PL1
PrimaLoft Sport
Of the world's brands, only PrimaLoft has the property of not retaining moisture due to the silicone treatment of the fibers. As can be seen from the table, the greater the number of fibers, the more the insulation absorbs moisture:
PrimaLoft PL1 - 75%
PrimaLoft Sport - 400%
Polarguard 3D - 500%
Thinsulate LiteLoft - 995%
MicroLoft (DuPont)-1730%
However, the fibers of none of these insulation materials absorb moisture! This means that water drains from them at a greater or lesser speed.
Sleeping bags with any of these five types of insulation are worth purchasing. However, you need to understand that those additional properties for which there is a struggle (reduce weight, reduce volume, increase thermal properties) are not proportional to the cost. If a sleeping bag weighing 2000g is lightened by 200g (using good insulation), this does not mean that the price will increase by 10%. It can rise 2 times! It is necessary to compare the advantages that the use of high technology provides with the real conditions in which the sleeping bag will be used. If you're going on a road trip, you don't need an expensive sleeping bag. You can always find a backup option for spending the night, and you don’t need a minimum weight. In this case, buy an inexpensive sleeping bag with simple insulation. If you are going to the mountains or on another serious trip and you have to carry a backpack yourself (in which there is always not enough space), look for a sleeping bag with one of the above insulation materials.
Backpack.
In a good backpack, what is important, first of all, is the design and quality of workmanship, so the recommendations for choosing will be minimal:
1. The fabric must be durable and water-repellent. Cordura is perhaps the ideal material for a backpack, but quite expensive. If you are not buying a backpack for life, then you can choose the model you like from another decent fabric.
2. Pay attention to plastic fittings. It is advisable that your backpack have Duraflex or Nexus fittings. The use of such accessories does not provide a large increase in the price of the product, but significantly increases its reliability.
3. Zippers in a good backpack - only YKK!
4. Take a closer look at the material that is in contact with your back. It should be strong but soft. It is advisable to have a special volumetric mesh on the back for ventilation.
5. The slings should pass easily through the adjustment buckles.
6. Threads must be especially strong, stronger than fabric.
All of the above knowledge was acquired thanks to endless questions and discussions on the forum of our website http://www.bask.ru/forum/. Many thanks to our opponents, friendly and not so friendly! In addition to the need to answer questions from forum participants, we have (for 14 years now) to think about what fabric and accessories to use in the next series of BASK equipment.
The situation is changing very quickly: new materials and technologies are appearing. Equipment is becoming more and more reliable and safe. And it makes me happy!
"Don't be afraid of anything!"
Best regards, Vladimir Bogdanov
Company BASK