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  1. #1

    Anyone tried the 2015 run M50 fabric or the new ZPacks ventum fabric?

    Hi all, I'm wondering if anyone has used the above fabrics and can offer an opinion on them. I've used both the Argon 67 and 90 fabrics extensively and I love those fabrics and will continue to use them but I'm after a fabric in the 0.7 oz/sq. yd. range which has a bit more wind and water resistance, and perhaps even a slightly stiffer feel than the Argon 67. I've also used the nobul2 fabric and it's good but only in black and I'd rather avoid another black quilt, I suppose I should throw the Pertex quantum GL in the mix too if anyone can offer comparisons.

    So if anyone has used these fabrics and can offer thoughts or comparisons on wind/water resistance, feel and breathability then I'd be grateful to hear them.

    Cheers.

  2. #2
    Senior Member FLRider's Avatar
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    I have not used the 2015 run...however, every time I've gotten M50 (2012, 2013, and I think 2014), it's been significantly more wind/water resistant than ARGON. I love ARGON for the price point, availability, and hand; but it's not as wind/water resistant as M50.

    I would definitely use ARGON for top quilts. I would definitely use it for underquilts--if I know that the person who's going to be using the underquilts knows how to break wind and keep the underquilt dry. If not, then M50 would be a better bet for that. I would use ARGON for the inner lining on puffy clothing and--if the desire was to make it as breathable as possible--the exterior as well. I would definitely not use ARGON for a windshirt--M50 would be my choice there.

    Hope it helps!
    "Just prepare what you can and enjoy the rest."
    --Floridahanger

  3. #3
    Senior Member MAD777's Avatar
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    I agree with FLRider. I used M50 for my deep winter underquilt due to the lightweight combined with good wind/water resistance.
    Mike
    "Life is a Project!"

  4. #4
    Thanks for sharing your experience, I've emailed Thru-Hiker to ask if there is any difference between the 2015 run M50 and previous runs. I'm tempted to just order some of the ventum fabric and see what it's like as there are a few other things on the zpacks website I wouldn't mind ordering but it's a pretty big cost on an unknown fabric once I get it to me in Australia considering that I'm after fairly specific properties.

  5. #5
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    New M50

    Quote Originally Posted by Michael_qrt View Post
    Thanks for sharing your experience, I've emailed Thru-Hiker to ask if there is any difference between the 2015 run M50 and previous runs. I'm tempted to just order some of the ventum fabric and see what it's like as there are a few other things on the zpacks website I wouldn't mind ordering but it's a pretty big cost on an unknown fabric once I get it to me in Australia considering that I'm after fairly specific properties.
    I'm going to go out on a limb and say the newest M50 is:

    slightly lighter,
    15% stronger and
    more breathable than the 2014 M50.

    Ryan

  6. #6
    I wouldn't be surprised if it's a bit different from past runs as you have to work hard to maintain consistency and with a gap of a year or so between runs you'd have to expect variation. How did you come to those conclusions about the fabric? If true it might be very nice.

  7. #7
    I just got confirmation from Paul at Thru-Hiker that the 2015 M50 MR fabric is more breathable than previous runs of the fabric. It sounds like this will be a better balance between wind/water resistance and breathability for most users and it is no doubt a very nice fabric. I'm still not sure how it compares to Argon 67 though, at a guess it's probably still more wind/water resistant and less breathable.

  8. #8
    Senior Member dirtwheels's Avatar
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    Given the water/wind resistance of M50 would that make it a good choice for an UQP?
    Give me more darkness said the blind man,
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  9. #9
    Senior Member FLRider's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by dirtwheels View Post
    Given the water/wind resistance of M50 would that make it a good choice for an UQP?
    Yes. Yes, it would.
    "Just prepare what you can and enjoy the rest."
    --Floridahanger

  10. #10
    Senior Member sr1355's Avatar
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    You could ask for specifics from vendors on weight, air perm, and down test results. As long as they are prepared by a proper testing lab it should give you some idea on fabric performance. M50 has always been VERY tight and provided exceptional wind resistance but in my opinion it was at the expense of breath-ability. ARGON67 is exceptionally breathable but at the expense of wind resistance and DP. PertexGL when compared to both M50 and AR67 is somewhere in between but closer to a M50 fabric than an AR67 fabric. These are just my impression of working with all three fabrics....
    Happy Hangin'

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