Flaming Ventile

[topknot]

I'm having prob's with my PC at the moment and using my son notepad to keep up with this thread, i've took some more photo of trying to burn through the off cuts Ventile. Like John said the sparks from a firesteel just dances off .
When the PC working i'll put up the pic's

Topknot

 

[topknot]

The photo's of trying to catch a spark on Ventile

Trying to burn through with char cloth.

Topknot

 

[bigandy]

INTERESTING THREAD AND JUST REALISED Ventile Materials (Talbot Weaving) of Chorley IS ONLY A COUPLE OF MILES DOWN THE ROAD FROM ME!!

 

[Hangman]

Here is the long term update, I've had my smock for the best part of a year with several good soakings under it's belt - it's performed exactly as Ventile should do, and no longer has the impregnation in it and it acts as good old untreated Ventile. It's been near several fires with a few embers landing on it but no ignition happening - so in that rsepect it's behaving like the Ventile I know and love.

The build quality of the smock has been great, in that I cannot fault Snowsled, I just hope that in future they are a bit more open when a customer contacts them with a query.

 

[Toddy]

Thanks for the update

I meant to comment at the time and I forgot; there's a bit missing in the trials folks have been doing. The ventile you were wearing near the fire was presumably already quite hot itself 'before' the ember landed on it.
That basic heat would help the ember keep it's own, and might have contributed to the level of damage.
I know the only time I have managed to scorch a wax jacket was when the bit of the chest that was nearest the fire was sparked.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Tjekker]

Doing research into a new smock (Keela Ventile) , I came across this article about Ventile:
http://welldresseddad.com/2017/05/20/ventile-ugly-facts-they-dont-tell-you/
Interesting and of concern...

 

[C_Claycomb]

I don't see it as being of concern. What do you find concerning?

While I think it shows rather low integrity to label things as "originally made in..." when it is currently made somewhere else, this is hardly a unique example of misleading labelling in the retail world. If it was being made in the Far East I might be more concerned, in that often production that moves out there then suffers quality issues, but "made in Switzerland" is probably still pretty good. Hardly an ugly revelation, not like its being knitted by child labour in Laos.

As for the use of DWR and long chain PFCs, well, that would be the same for all high end waterproof, shower proof and Polartec fleece garments up until fairly recently (with a few exceptions, like Paramo). So the "ugly truth" is that they use the same technique to keep their fabric breathable when wet as everyone else, while claiming the fabric is waterproof due to fibre swelling...which it is once the DWR wears off. Being economical with the truth, but not lying about it, and not doing anything unique. WLGore make a lot of noise about their garments being waterproof and breathable because of their membranes, and rather less about the breathability being dependent upon maintaining DWR surface coating that beads water.

If you want to be concerned about something, try weighing up the environmental impact of a cotton Ventile garment, that will probably wear out and need replacing faster than synthetic, vs synthetic that sheds micro particles when washed...and isn't biodegradable at end of life.

Personally, I have one of the old BCUK Ventile jackets. I like it, but it isn't all that nice wear in winter rains. It stiffens, will allow water to wick through if in contact with an absorbent base or mid layer, is cold when wet, and takes a long while to dry. None of that is exactly news though for cotton

 

[Billy-o]

... will allow water to wick through if in contact with an absorbent base or mid layer, is cold when wet, and takes a long while to dry. None of that is exactly news though for cotton

True enough, not news for cotton. The cold part, that is. The wicking part is news to me, though. My ventiles are double layer, so I have never seen that effect. I did have a single layer smock a long time back, but used it mainly as a windcheater - found it kept the rain out just fine ... up to a certain value of rain.

Is your BCUK jacket single layer, C_Claycomb? I was about to press 'Pay Now' on a single layer coat, so my interest is sharp at the moment

 

[John Fenna]

I use a lot of Ventile and find that single is great for most usage but for day long downpours then I like double.
I have not worn double for over a year - but then if it realy starts hammering down I throw a waterproof poncho over the top of my Ventile and life is good
For most of the conditions I am out in single Ventile is plenty on its own.

 

[C_Claycomb]

My BCUK Ventile has double on the shoulders and upper chest, and single everywhere else. The wet through has happened on the arms, and hood, but I can't recall actually getting wet through the double layer. Cold, yes, wet, ummmm, don't think so. If I wear fleece, or good wool, it isn't too bad, but long sleeve cotton shirts, not good. Yeah, I know "cotton kills on the hills" but I don't wear this thing on the hills. I wear it to work, and around town, and for day trip outings.

I have worn it for walking in winter weather and it is great when it is cold and dry, very comfortable. The two experiences that have put me off wearing it somewhat were cold, wet, winter days when I was doing a fair bit of walking in the weather. There was no happy medium, I either wore a pull-over to separate me from the cold Ventile, and sweated up a storm, or I went with just base layer and had to put up with feeling cold and damp. Also, I found that having the damp fabric zipped up around my face got cold too.

I once wore a cotton coat (not ventile) over a worn Polartec 200 fleece at a hammerin, so not out in the wild, just wet and breezy, and near on froze my nuts off, it was like wearing a refrigerator!

 

[Tjekker]

I don't see it as being of concern. What do you find concerning?

The use of PFC and DWR in general concerns me. I never gave it much thought, until now. Looking into woolen garments now.

 

[Klenchblaize]

I know I may come across as thicker than a TV weather-girl with this, but I really don't know what ventile is.
Well, I know it's a cotton-based fabric, but I don't know what makes it 'ventile' as opposed to 'cotton'. When I hear the word 'ventile' it makes me think 'man-made'. But it's not? So what is the difference between cotton and ventile?

Nothing wrong with the intelligence of TV Weather Girls. At least those on the channel that for the most part spends my licence fee wisely. I would however question the prudence of exposing a $300 smock, of any composition, to an agitated camp fire!

K