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  1. #1
    Senior Member GaHammockGuy's Avatar
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    Parachute Material for an UnderQuilt

    Okay gang, I got a question for ya...

    First off, My hiking buddy and his wife made a couple of UQs for us. here is what they did:

    • He got a down comforter off of e-bay and split it down the middle.
    • sewed up the open edges.
    • sewed some ripstop on tome pf the existing comforter material.


    I feel that this adds too much unwanted weight, so this is what I am thinking:

    • Split the UQ open and try to catch all the feathers as they fly around the room.
    • Using Parachute material, make another UQ and use that.


    Do you think that Parachute material will be good for an underquilt?

    Here are my concerns:
    • thinner than Ripstop (which should make it lighter) but the cold air may still reach my backside.
    • Thinner so moisture may be an issue.
    • I have never worked with parachute before so how easy is it to work with?


    I look forward to your thoughts

  2. #2
    Senior Member rjcress's Avatar
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    Good question.
    I have been reluctant to unpack the parachute/parasail that a friend gave me. but making stuff out of the old parachute is on my list for the winter.

    My parachute material doesn't look any lighter/thinner than 1.1 RipStop, but it may be thinner than the 1.9 oz siz I have.
    Actually, come to think of it, when I ordered 1.9oz sil from Noah Lampart they said it was fabric that they got from a parachute manufacturer that either didn't meet parachute specs, was dirty, or was just left over from a project.

    Folks make all sorts of tarps, quilts, hammocks, etc. from 1.1 and 1.9 oz fabric, so I would hazard a guess that it would be strong enough.
    No idea if it would be "down proof" or if you'd find that down works through the tiny holes and escapes.

    Moisture will likely be more dependent on how it is coated.
    If it is silnylon expect it to be slicker and harder to work with than regular nylon.
    "I keep telling myself that if I make perfect seams, nobody will believe that I made it... " -JohnSawyer

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  3. #3
    Senior Member Alamosa's Avatar
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    I used some parachute patch material I purchased for an UQ with climashield. Used it last month when temperatures dropped to mid-teens. I had my tarp tied down pretty tight and heard the wind blowing hard at times, but didn't feel it through the UQ.

    I don't know if it is down proof, but that would probably be the bigger issue.
    We must, indeed, all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately. - Ben Franklin
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  4. #4
    Senior Member gargoyle's Avatar
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    Most parachute material is silnylon, that's what gives the parachute the wind stopping power. Hot air balloons use the same stuff.
    Check your fabric for breathability and water resistance. You don't want your quilt air tight, you'll wake up in a puddle of sweat.
    Ambulo tua ambulo.

  5. #5
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    I think a simple way to remove the feathers without making a huge mess would be by using a vacuum.

    You would need:
    Shop Vac style vacuum
    Extra vacuum hose
    Storage container/ plastic
    tape, or glue to hold stuff together
    some type of filter material, such as panty hose, or dryer sheets.

    Simply take a shop vac, or similar, place a plastic storage container between the vacuum and whatever you want to pull the feathers from.

    Cut two holes in the top of the storage container, and hook a hose from the vacuum to the container, and then from the container to whatever you want to remove the feathers from.

    You can also make a "slide" of sorts on the top of the container to regulate the suction, don't forget to put something over the vacuum side hose so that feathers stay in the container, and re-usable.

    Fats

  6. #6
    Senior Member wildcrafter's Avatar
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    that gives me an idea. Here is a simpler way use a shop vac attach a dry lint sock to the hose with a rubber band around the outside. suck the down out when done pull the lint sock out of the hose you have a bag of down now.

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