Cordura Aeronaut

[toni]

Given that 1000 denier Cordura is hard wearing, and comes in a larger range of colors than the specifically dyed US 1050 ballistic nylon used for the Aeronaut...any chance that the Aeronaut might be manufactured in cordura and in a larger range of colors?

Toni
(hoping for a chocolate or plum colored Aeronaut)

[backpack]

1050 Ballistic Nylon is a lot stronger, to me the word ballistic is a clue on how strong it is.

With the abuse bags takes, I am really happy that 1050 Ballistic Nylon is used for bags that might get a chance to be checked.

But, I am all for lobbying for Plum and I am not opposed to Chocolate either.

[GaryS]

From Onebag.com:

"Cordura is more abrasion resistant, while ballistic offers higher tear strength."

[ex machina]

From Onebag.com:

"Cordura is more abrasion resistant, while ballistic offers higher tear strength."

Hi GaryS, that is a broad statement from OneBag.Com (a site I like, btw) and they cover more than bags by Tom Bihn. Lots of manufacturers use the much less durable 1680 nylon. Tom Bihn uses the much more hardy 1050. The Stoll Abrasion Test is the bell weather on abrasion matters. Tom ran such a test which clearly demonstrated the superiority of 1050 over 1680 (basically, 1050 is twice as tough.)

I am curious as to what a Stoll Test would show as regards Cordura. Tom Bihn materials are selected quite carefully, and they are superior to most (if not all) of what the marketplace offers. I have three cafe bags in Cordura, and I can say it is a very durable fabric. I also have an Imago in 1050 and it is quite hardy. All bags still look great, even after heavy use. I would like to hear from Tom on the properties and varieties of Cordura.

Tom spoke on the difference between nylons here, and posted his test results here. As to the Aeronaut being offered in more colors, my feeling is the more colors the merrier.

[GaryS]

Hi GaryS, that is a broad statement from OneBag.Com (a site I like, btw) and they cover more than bags by Tom Bihn. Lots of manufacturers use the much less durable 1680 nylon. Tom Bihn uses the much more hardy 1050. The Stoll Abrasion Test is the bell weather on abrasion matters. Tom ran such a test which clearly demonstrated the superiority of 1050 over 1680 (basically, 1050 is twice as tough.)

I thought we were discussing Ballistic vs Cordura.:-)

Actually my comment above was in response to this:

1050 Ballistic Nylon is a lot stronger, to me the word ballistic is a clue on how strong it is.

I guess I should have quoted Tom when he said:

...in both fabrics the tear strength and the abrasion resistance are so much higher than necessary, the end-user will seldom if ever experience any difference between cordura and ballistic.

[ex machina]

Thanks for clarifying, GaryS. I was trying to convey that the ballistic nylon used by Tom Bihn was superior to the stuff used by others, and that it may be tougher than Cordura, but as Tom points out, his materials are so tough, the difference would be indiscernible to the user. An 8 foot thick wall of lead or a 12 foot thick wall of lead, if your stuck on one side of it, the 4 foot difference really doesn't mean much, practically speaking.

[moriond]

I thought we were discussing Ballistic vs Cordura.

I guess I should have quoted Tom when he said…:

Or, you could have given the link to Tom's forum post in the discussion thread about Cordura and Ballistic nylon. I'd like to point out that Tom also takes the different material properties into account in the design of these bags. One feature that I like about Ballistic Nylon is its ability to hold its shape. In bags like the Aeronaut, that translates (in combination with the "U' shaped zipper design) into a better ability to stay open when empty for easier packing. And in bags like the Swift, this makes it easier for the bag to hold its shape and remain upright when you put it on the ground, even when it is empty. Also, my ballistic Imago will sag less if I carry small, heavy items (like cameras) than my cordura Imago will, although that's not a factor if I'm carrying papers or other items that distribute weight evenly across the length of the bag.

[ex machina]

Or, you could have given the link to Tom's forum post in the discussion thread about Cordura and Ballistic nylon.

Moriond, your eidetic like ability to recall and link relevant posts in the archives is as usual, a delight. Thanks for adding them.