Single or double layer ventile?

[dtalbot]

Hi all,
Well I'm about to start making my diy ventile but would appreciate some comments on wether to go for single or double layer. I'll be using the mid weight L24 and whichever would use double in places like elbows and shoulders.
My main priority is a wind and waterproof outerlayer, extra warmth can easily be created with other layers but I'm not too worried if it runs a little warmer than most people like as I happily use paramo kit year round.
Cheers
David

 

[johnboy]

Hi,

My Bison Ventile smock is single layer and Is really weather proof. The shoulders and elbows are double layer and you get a bit of added protection on the front from the pockets. So I'd reccomend a single layer.

Ventile is wierd stuff especially if your used to modern waterproof fabrics.
My fabric was treated with a water repellant dressing so drizzle and light rain just run off heavier rain however beats this and as the fabric gets wetted through it swells and becomes highly water resistant, a by product of this is the fabric stiffens quite noticably. So the comfortable flexible jacket you had becomes quite stiff. A double layer would make a really waterproof jacket I guess you would have to offset stitch the seams on each layer?

Cheers

John

 

[dtalbot]

Thanks Johnboy,
Thats just the sort of first hand info I needed, single it will be given the cost of fabric! As to modern V old waterproofs if I'm not in paramo I'm in waxed cotton so know a bit of both!
Cheers
David

 

[johnboy]

Hi,

Yes the fabric is expensive! I bought a couple of meters from Point north to make some windproof trousers. But I still havent got round to it! It's an interesting material. What colour is the jacket going to be? Green???

Cheers

John

 

[Raz]

Does ventile dye well? Being cotton I would imagine so, but thought I'd check!

 

[johnboy]

Hi,

Raz,
Well you tend to find a lot of Ventile fabric sold with dye faults? Also someone mentioned on another thread the otherday that due to ventiles nature ( Ie the fabric swells and becomes water proof) it is very hard to dye as the dye does not penetrate too well! Food for thought!!


David,

Did you sort out a pattern? If so what are you going to make??

cheers

John

 

[Adi007]

That would be one cool jacket! :-D :-D :-D

A double layer would make a really waterproof jacket I guess you would have to offset stitch the seams on each layer?

 

[dtalbot]

Green it will be, I've got a dayglow yellow jacket for when I'm out running the roads but like to be discrete when in the hills and dales.
As to patterns I like the look of the Coast Range Anorak over at http://www.thegreenpepper.com/adults.html, pretty close to what I had in mind and my expert seamstress wife says it should be easy to add the bits I think are missing. I'm a great lover of pullover type designs, less places to leak and let the wind in!
Cheers
David

 

[Adi007]

If I was making my own jacket I'd have all the following:

• Load of pockets ... with fold-over tops to prevent gear loss.
  NATO slotted buttons so i don't lose them!
  D-rings to tie thing to!
  Spacious hood
  More pockets!
  Knitted cuffs
  Reinforced elbows and shoulders

Basically, all the features I have on my Arktis sniper smock!

 

[dtalbot]

less the d rings and knitted cuffs, pretty much what I have in mind!

 

[mmcniven]

On whether to make single or double layer i would go for double if you can, i made a jacket about 4 years ago which i use alot it has double layers on the shoulder and single for the rest but i have found it now lets in water quite bad at the hood, in not that heavy rain. I have reproofed the ventile with cotton proofer but it still lets in water. I suggest making the hood and front double layer, a bit of a pain and you need to be creative with the seams to get it through a standard sewing machine but i think if you are going to the bother of making a jacket it is worth the extra effort. I am planning to make a replacement for my now leaky ventile jacket and will be making it double layer as much as my sewing skills will allow. West wind make their jackets double layer, with most other companies only recommending single layer as a wind stopper or for snowy conditions. For the UK go for double layer.
Regards
Michael

 

[Adi007]

I wouldn't be without D-rings myself. Fold-over pockets are really handy too!

less the d rings and knitted cuffs, pretty much what I have in mind!

 

[dtalbot]

Thanks for the good advice mmcniven,
With the extras I have in mind the front will be pretty much double with pockets and the hood was on the list to double with shoulders and elbows.
Cheers
David