Dyneema-Our Secret Weapon?

[AVService]

So Today I am watching the Military Channel and an episode of Future Weapons comes on where they are talking about Bulletproofing methods and construction and they start talking about this new space age material being used for all kinds of protection......Dyneema Fabric!

I looked into this online for a while and sure enough Dyneema has some magical qualities it seems when layered and laminated and among other things they are building bulletproof rubber rafts for Special Forces that have Dyneema panels that can be deployed to provide protection when in hostile encounters.

Of course I would have never even known this name had I not been an insane Groupie active right here!

Coincidence? I think Not!

I guess I am torn,on one hand I should probably look into a few more selections here made from Dyneema for obvious reasons I think?

On the other hand will more Dyneema bags make me more attractive to Shooters?

This site really can help foster an alternative outlook on things!

Serendipity perhaps?

Ed

Oh and I really did see this Today of all days but I understand if you don't believe me,in fact I will respect it if you don't believe me!

[moriond]

So Today I am watching the Military Channel and an episode of Future Weapons comes on where they are talking about Bulletproofing methods and construction and they start talking about this new space age material being used for all kinds of protection......Dyneema Fabric!
[snip]
Oh and I really did see this Today of all days but I understand if you don't believe me,in fact I will respect it if you don't believe me!

Hi Ed,

No, this is all quite true. Here's a link to one of my old forum posts that points to the Wikipedia entries for Dyneema. You can also read a brief history of Dyneema fibers at this Australian web site -- also cited in that linked post. The actual Dyneema are the white fibers that criss-cross the material.

moriond

[autolycus]

The actual Dyneema are the white fibers that criss-cross the material.

Interesting. I didn't know that. What fiber type is the colored part of the fabric? And are the diagonals caused "hidden" dyneema as well, or just caused by the particular weave pattern of the other fiber?

[Lani]

Yeah... my understanding is that the criss-cross white threads are Dyneema and that's what keeps the fabric so strong and slashproof.

[conejo23]

Well that answers my question about whether the Dyneema could ever be offered in a solid color instead of the current versions. Love the material, just don't care for that look. I know some folks love it, but I could never wear a packing cube backpack, for example. I don't know what it is, just something about that pattern bugs me.

That said, knowing that at least one part of my body would be mildly more protected from an assassin's bullet has a certain charm all its own.

[WhiteStar]

I was sort of "iffy" about the Dyneema too, but since it was the only way to get a purple Synapse (since Plum is no longer made) I was willing to give it a try. I love my Synapse so much I bought a Co-Pilot in Iberian! And I love the shop bag too. I can't wait for the day Tom makes a garment bag/sleeve in Dyneema.... I'll be first in line to buy it!

(Of course if the Synapse, Co-Pilot, Aeronaut, mythical garment bag were ever made in Azaelea (with Wasabi or Solar lining)... well that's all she wrote...)

[darbs]

I got a Solar and Iberian OP today and I am LOVING the Dyneema! I'm a huge fan of red so now I'm plotting what else I can get in Iberian. I'm also thinking that I need first aid kits in the Solar OPs (or something solar) in all my bags and cars. It is a amazing. Oh, and seeing the solar in person also really makes me sad that I missed out on solar PCSBs.

[Lani]

WLove the material, just don't care for that look.

Psst. With a Sharpie marker and some patience, you can literally "erase" the white threads! Check out my PCSB (http://forums.tombihn.com/customer-p...ulder-bag.html):

[conejo23]

Lani, what a great idea! I like that look a LOT more than the stock dyneema. Do you find you have to reapply the sharpie, or does it last?

[Lani]

My Sharpied PCSB has held up great! I haven't even needed to do any touch-up work on it. I think it's mostly because the threads are absorbent and just sucked the ink right in.

I was also a little worried that the ink might rub off, but as long as you give it time to dry (I was careful and waited overnight), nothing rubbed off, even when I tried.

It does take a bit of time, but I think I did it while watching TV one evening. Almost like knitting. Hehe.

[daisy]

Well that answers my question about whether the Dyneema could ever be offered in a solid color instead of the current versions. Love the material, just don't care for that look. I know some folks love it, but I could never wear a packing cube backpack, for example. I don't know what it is, just something about that pattern bugs me.

I would have said the same thing a while back.. but we have a PCBP in Iberian and a shop bag in Steel (which is more black than grey in the Dyneema imo) and they both get used a lot. (I would soooooo buy another (small) shop bag in Iberian.... ummmm I can't find the shop bags on the site at all.. oh nooes... where have they gone????)

S'ok ... I found them!

[conejo23]

I've got a couple of the clear quarter packing cubes with the dyneema fabric. Honestly? Incredibly functional bags but I can't stand the look of that fabric. My wife? She likes it.

I'd be interested to know how people view the pattern of these things, male vs female. My guess is it doesn't matter and that most people like it. Like I said, not sure why I don't, but it's just a visceral thing, I don't like that look. At all.

[marbenais]

I'd be interested to know how people view the pattern of these things, male vs female. My guess is it doesn't matter and that most people like it. Like I said, not sure why I don't, but it's just a visceral thing, I don't like that look. At all.

From the two of us, both female : We definitely prefer the solid fabrics aesthetically, but the Dyneema's stuffability & weight are hard to beat. So . . . we don't love the pattern but it's useful. But we don't hate it.

[JLE]

I've got a couple of the clear quarter packing cubes with the dyneema fabric. Honestly? Incredibly functional bags but I can't stand the look of that fabric. My wife? She likes it.

I'd be interested to know how people view the pattern of these things, male vs female. My guess is it doesn't matter and that most people like it. Like I said, not sure why I don't, but it's just a visceral thing, I don't like that look. At all.

The Dyneema wouldn't be my choice for an exterior fabric without a very good functional reason (eg minimal weight requirement) that outweighed the aesthetics. I have no problem with it as a lining fabric (not seen). I much prefer the solid colours for bag exteriors. Actually, really I am a leather and suede girl, but unsurprisingly I consider these materials too heavy/impractical for travel bags. Love them in a handbag though!

[conejo23]

Totally agree with the above posts. The Dyneema's weight and strength make it perfect for things like packing cubes, linings, etc...

Leather? I love good leather stuff, but it was funny. On another forum (flyertalk) there was a thread talking about laptop bags and someone touted a Saddleback model. I checked it out. Aesthetically beautiful, but it weighed like 7 pounds by itself, and you had to undo 2 buckles to get into the main compartment. That would drive me insane. But their stuff IS absolutely beautiful.