Ventile vs. Gabardine

[Strider]

Which do you prefer for a smock/shirt etc..etc...??-And why?

Cheers.

 

[leon-1]

I have used both,

Gaberdine I found was highly susceptible to damage from barbed wire fences, blackthorn bushes, acacia trees and other thorned foliage. Gaberdine also doesn't shed water in the same way as ventile. I don't think that Gaberdine is quite as hard wearing as Ventile either.

I currently have a short parka, a windshirt, two shirts and a pair of trousers made in ventile. They have had a lot of use in the last year and I would not go back to using Gaberdine now.

Obvious downside to Ventile is its cost, but I would say that it is well worth the extra money because the quality of the materials are so much better.

Leon.

 

[RAPPLEBY2000]

i find gaberdine really comfortable, then i haven't tried ventile.

cottons as found in US BDU's i like, but would like a diferent design without the camo, i find nikwax works well to repell water.

is it true due to the fact ventile soaks up water to water proof itself that it gets quite heavy and stiff? :?:

 

[Ed]

is it true due to the fact ventile soaks up water to water proof itself that it gets quite heavy and stiff?

Yes.... it does have a habbit of doing this. Not as heavy as a swanni after a good drenching though......


Ed

 

[leon-1]

I have just come back from an overnighter where it has rained a bit, the ventile held out very well, but as previously mentioned it does become like a piece of cardboard (you can actually stand a ventile jacket up in a corner when it has had a soaking). :-D

However it should be noted that my jacket is due a reproofing, it has not had a reproofing in about two years.

When they are new it takes an age for anything to soak into ventile because they shed most everything at least to start with. Gaberdine also gets heavier and stiffer when it gets soaked, the difference is that gaberdine gets soaked a lot quicker than ventile.

 

[Strider]

So you proof your ventile with nikwax or something??
obviously this makes sence, but ventile when wet swells closing the gaps and making it more water resiliant... do you think the proofing affects this action(stops the cotton swelling???) or is proofing a deffinate improovement?
seems to be a silly question :roll:

 

[steven andrews]

I have a Snowsled Ventile Smock.
Snowsled recommed Grangers Extreme Naturals for their Ventile clothing.
If only I could find someone who sells it!!

 

[Ed]

You mean like here
http://www.fieldandtrek.com/ft1/product.asp?currency=GBP&pf_id=31550
They do both for synthetics and naturals..... lots of places sell it.

;-)
Ed

 

[Gary]

Just to put the cat among the pigeons Gaberdine and Ventile are both cottons and as such cotton on its own isnt really recommended for serious outdoor wear owing to cottons moisture hugging properties has anyone considered poly/cotton jackets?

 

[steven andrews]

You mean like here
http://www.fieldandtrek.com/ft1/product.asp?currency=GBP&pf_id=31550
They do both for synthetics and naturals..... lots of places sell it.

;-)
Ed

Thanks Ed,
Shame they want to charge me £15 to send it to Jersey.

 

[Adi007]

Just to put the cat among the pigeons Gaberdine and Ventile are both cottons and as such cotton on its own isnt really recommended for serious outdoor wear owing to cottons moisture hugging properties has anyone considered poly/cotton jackets?

I have to say that I prefer ripstop polycotton, both for its better moisture handling and ripstop properties!

 

[JFW]

What about spark/fire resistance in the poly cotton material?

Is there a material out there that is lightweight, waterproof, windproof, breathable, warm,and spark resistant? If there is do any of you guys know what it is as I want to make my own smock.

Cheers

JFW

 

[leon-1]

So you proof your ventile with nikwax or something??
obviously this makes sence, but ventile when wet swells closing the gaps and making it more water resiliant... do you think the proofing affects this action(stops the cotton swelling???) or is proofing a deffinate improovement?
seems to be a silly question :roll:

Yep most definitely treat any cotton jacket, my kit is currently West-Winds stuff, they recommend TX10 cotton proof (I just picked up a litre of it for £12 / £13 in Moorland Rambler in Exeter. All ventile is normally treated by the time it reaches the consumer anyway.

Just to put the cat among the pigeons Gaberdine and Ventile are both cottons and as such cotton on its own isnt really recommended for serious outdoor wear owing to cottons moisture hugging properties has anyone considered poly/cotton jackets?

Coo-Coo,
I have used an S.A.S smock made out of polycotton, it dried a little quicker than the Gaberdine, a lot quicker than ventile, was comfortable to use, but got soaked very quickly, I would recommend one for a very hot or/and humid enviroment where its properties would be ideal in a lot of ways. Not so sure about most of europe especially in the winter.

Generally cotton isn't recommended for serious outdoor wear, but Ventile has been used for Arctic / Antarctic expeditions, by the the BAS in general usage, commonly used in the scandanavian countries for clothing and tents that withstand all sorts of weather conditions and has been used for survival suits.

On top of the above, before we had all the current technological nightmare clothing such as Goretex we had to of had something and that would lead us to believe that it would of been either cotton or wool based. :-D