UKC

I am starting a company making no-faff belay jackets...they will close with velcro and poppers, have huge pockets, be bombproof and weigh a reasonable amount.

Basically, wha fabrics are similar in properties to pertex 5 and primaloft?

CharlesE

In reply to CharlesE: IIRC Pertex is available at a fairly reasonable price as is, but a look on shelby.fi and point north will show other windproof fabrics that are available.... I don't know about primaloft though I believe that the USP of branded synthetic fills is that they are substantially better weight for weight than generic competitors.

In reply to CharlesE: So you're starting a company making a product but you don't know what you're going to make it out of! Good luck with that!

In reply to CharlesE: Poppers=faff.

In reply to CharlesE: Also, no need for big pockets on a belay jacket since its going on and off regulary. Anything im going to need access to us going to be in a more permanent layer.

In reply to CharlesE: Poppers + Gloves is an awkward couple.

Also do not underestimate the importance of design for a belay jacket. There is a local company here that does the most amazing, perfectly stitched, custom sized, choice of fabrics (etc etc) down sleeping bags. Decent prices as well (two months minimum waiting list though). They also sell two types of (again, excellent quality) down jackets. Nobody buys them. Why ? "They do not look good" is everybody's answer.

Now, you might ask, why would everybody from the lowly trekker to the hardcore mountaineer care for design ? First, at least 50% of the time the belay jacket is worn around town. Second, nobody likes looking like a deformed barrel in their Facebook pictures.

Also do not underestimate the importance of a decent stuff sack. One that can be attached to the harness and does not need an industrial press to get the jacket into.