For what you pay, when buy tent, a sleeping bag, a backpack?

  Now in the shops trading tourist equipment, a huge choice of tents, sleeping bags, backpacks. The prices for different models can differ in some times. Let's try understand on what the prices depend. What do we buy?
In the present(true) survey we shall not compare various designs of products, and also the differences inherent in trade labels. Certainly, the known firm sells the products more dearly(expensively), than little-known. But it is not necessary to forget and that good the firm (brand) always values the name and does not presume to offer itself to the buyer of a product of bad quality. So, buying a little bit more dearly(expensively), you are insured against nuisances which can arise while in service. And the conditions of exploitation are more difficultly, more tensely assumed, the more strongly safety of the person, this equipment depends on quality of equipment using.
With other things being equal, in various models different tissues, an accessories, heaters, a thread, etc. on these major components of any product from which, basically, cost of equipment and its(his) functional properts depends are used, allow to pay your attention in present(true) clause(article).
To survey properts of accessories important and more for one reason: the equipment which has been let out(which has been released) in the different countries, various producers, is labeled absolutely unequally. Moreover, you will not find also two firms which would designate tissues in the identical way. The full disorder is observed in the digits describing such properts, as the water resistance, "breathing" properts of membranous materials, durability, thermal characteristics of heaters, weight. It is bound to utilization of the data received as a result of various tests, spent at different conditions. To specify the exact given many firms "forget" or consider(count) excessive - often it is dictated by competitive extirpation.
So:

Tent

1. At a choice of tent it is necessary to pay attention to a label of a tissue of an awning. Here that it is possible to meet in various descriptions:

Rip Stop Nylon 190T
210Т Rip Stop Nylon PU 3000
185Т Polyester Taffeta PU/Si
210Т Rip Stop Nylon PU
70D Polyester Ripstop W/R
75D Polyester Ripstop PU/SI
70D Nylon Taffeta 210T PU
75D Nylon Taffeta W/R
75D Poly Taffeta PU

How all this to understand? The description can contain data on following properts of a tissue:

1. Density (durability). There are various ways of marks of density of a tissue:
Thread Count is a total(cooperative) quantity(amount) of threads in square inch in longitudinal and cross-section(transversal) directions (for example: 210Т - 210 threads) mean. The more number, the more densely a tissue.
Den (Denie) - thickness of the threads participating in an interlacing (for example: 75D)
2. A chemical compound of threads:
Polyester, Poly - polyester
Nylon - nylon (polyamide)
3. A kind of weaving of a tissue (for example: Rip Stop).
4. Tactel - type of special threads (happens: Nylon 66, Dupon Nylon 66, Tactel and t.d); as a rule, a proper name.
5. A kind of processing of a tissue (for example: PU 3000):
PU - poliuretanovoe a covering (as a rule, it is put(rendered) on an inner part of a tissue).
3000 - a parameter of water resistance of a tissue in millimeters of a water column (up to 1500мм - the tissue cannot be considered water-proof, at a rain she will start to proceed; 3000мм and more - the tissue of an awning will sustain practically any weather environment)
PU/SI - poliuretanovoe a covering plus a silicon which can be put(rendered) with inner or from the external side of a tissue
W/R - a water-repellent covering from above tissues

Example of the full description of a material of an awning of tent:
70D/75D Nylon Taffeta 210T PU 3000 W/R
- A tissue from special polyamide threads with a kind of interlacing Taffeta thickness 70D in longitudinal and 75D in cross-section(transversal) directions, density 210T, with poliuretanovym a covering which "holds" 3000мм a water column. The tissue has the upper water-repellent processing.

Brief comments:

1. Thickness of threads is responsible for durability. Thicker threads give also greater weight of a tissue.
2. Density of an interlacing of threads (Thread Count) - not less important parameter. The quaggy tissue - warps, strongly lasts and, as a rule, is not strong.
3. Polyester is more stable against influence of ultraviolet radiation, than Nylon, that is very important for awnings. Besides the tissue from fibers Nylon is stretched(dragged out) at namokanii and compressed at a desiccation (i.e. to you each time again will have to pull an awning from Nylon at change of humidity and temperatures)
4. Water resistance (water resistance - is measured in mm of a water column), very important parameter. The awning tissue with a parameter 3000мм will practically resist to any rain. It is important, that specified in characteristics of tent value(meaning;importance) of water resistance corresponded(met) to the validity (very much at many firms it not so). Water resistance 3000мм is reached(achieved) by means of double drawing poliuretanovoj impregnations, 5000мм - by means of triad drawing. Clearly, that each drawing is an additional weight and the price. Impregnation PU is put(rendered) from the interior of a material. At "correct" factories it(her) put(render) so that she was not showered, did not decrepitate(fissure) and served longly.
5. Silikonovaja processing is normally put(rendered) on upper or a sublayer of a material (it can be put(rendered) and atop of impregnation PU, but in this case it does not manage to glue seams).
6. The majority of the firms which are letting out(are releasing) tents, now use a tissue with a silicon put(rendered) outside. This impregnation very strong and functional: the silicon does not allow a moisture to collect in fibers of a tissue. Thus the silicon coating essentially enlarges durability of a tissue by break.
7. If weaving Rip Stop such tissue will be stronger at negligible augmentation in weight is used.
8. All producers of tents reduce a descriptive part at the indicating of characteristics of materials.

2. If the awning of tent is called to protect you from a rain in inner tent you should live. As well as the favourite room, inner tent should be convenient (additional pockets, strong seams, the big residential volume). Pay attention and to color of inner tent: he should be light, be combined with color of an awning. Otherwise morning will seem to you sad. Light, passing(taking place) through two obstacles, can decolorize the face of inhabitants of tent up to unrecognizable. It is not very pleasant to see every morning the dark blue or green face of the neighbour.

The tissue of which the inner tent is made, should possess following properts:

1. To be light(mild) and strong (weaving Rip Stop is preferable) since the inner tent takes up an appreciable load at exploitation.
1. To possess good "breathing" properts, but thus to detain a wind.
2. It is desirable, that the inner tent had moisture-repellent processing W/R. Such impregnation will save you from drops of a condensate which at the certain(specific) weather environment arise on the inner side of an awning. Drops will roll down(slide), not getting into residential volume. Processing W/R does not worsen "breathing" properts of inner tent.
4. For inner tent approaches(suits) Nylon is better. He more softly and more strongly on break, than polyester. Stability(resistance) ultraviolet radiation for inner tent is not important.

3. The material of a bottom(fundus) of tent can be executed from a tissue or structural polyethylene (as on bags of "shuttles" in which they transport the loads). Polyethylene, as a rule, is used in cheap tents; a tissue - in good. At a choice of tent pay attention to following features:

1. The tissue at the bottom of tent should be more water-proof, than an awning of tent. 5000 - 10000мм it is enough, that water did not get inside of tent at strong pressure. (the Tissue of a floor with water resistance 3000мм maintains pressure of a body; 5000мм - pressure of legs(foots); 10000мм - pressure of an elbow).
2. Check up, whether seams of a bottom(fundus) of tent are boiled thoroughly; especially pay attention to angle seams. Competently to glue them it is not simple, many firms spare on this operation. Even if the tissue is water-proof enough, water can get through holes from sewing needles. In good tent it is possible to sleep and in a pool.

4. The important component of tents - arches. Arches on tents are made of fiber glass and epoxide resins (are designated in descriptions as fiberglass or fiber glass) or from aluminium alloys of various quality. Following brands are most widespread: 7075, 7001 of AMG (a алюминиево-magnesian alloy) the Korean manufacture, they are used in quality tents; 7178, 6061 - anodizing demand; Russian brands Д16Т and В95 do not maintain a competition and are gradually replaced with other alloys. Except for the brand of an alloy seryoznye firms specify its(his) "hardness". Labels 7075-Т9 and 7075-Т6 differ with that in the first event stronger alloy is used: arches from such alloy apply the most known tent firms. Fiberglass is more serious than aluminium alloys approximately in 1,5 times. Besides he does not transfer(carry) greater(big) differences of temperatures and not a subject to reconditioning. If such arch has broken, it is necessary to search new. Aluminium arches can be repaired in hiking conditions.
Joints of arches also happen different. The inner bush of smaller diameter can fasten to an arch by means of nakernivanija or fining agent. Sometimes joints of arches it is carried out by razvaltsovyvanija. Minimal ljuft and the maximal durability of bond at arches with kleenym an adapter.

5. But the most important in tents, is trifles! Present(Introduce), that your tent raspolzlas on seams at night during a strong rain. Or pegs has pulled out, and tent has carried away in a precipice. Or you have died of stings of insects. Therefore:
1. The tissue should be stronger than a thread, not rot and not be blasted under action of solar beams
2. Ljuversy should be brass, instead of iron (this place in tent always wet)
3. Lightnings - the extremely reliable (trust in Japanese brand YKK)
4. protivomoskitnaja a grid - with small cells
5. A power(force) plastic accessories - reliable (trust Duraflex or Nexus)
6. Brails - light(mild) and strong. They should pass(take place) easily through adjusting prjazhki
7. Cords for storm delays - strong and thin, and also appreciable in darkness and in the afternoon
8. Pegs - light(mild) and strong, not bending. It is desirable, that they were not turned in a ground, i.e. would have not circular a profile
9. Seams on an awning and day(bottom;fundus) of tent should be boiled with quality thoroughly (are glued). It can be made only on dear(expensive) equipment, correctly selecting temperature, pressure and rate prokleivanija. Trust in known brands
10. Buy tent, having at itself balances. The weight specified on packing, can be incorrect

Sleeping bag.

Properts of a sleeping bag are defined(determined) by a design, a tissue and a heater. We shall not discuss design features, since it is a separate uneasy theme. To estimate(appreciate) quality of a tissue it is possible, applying the approach in detail disassembled above. A difference in this case only in a lot of the tissues wearing proper names. So, in sleeping bags it is possible to meet: Gore Tex Dry Loft, Pertex, Tactel, Nylon66, etc.
Let's stop on heaters. Here to the author will have to be limited to transfer and some remarks having subjective character. The matter is that advertising extirpation of leading producers in the market of heaters has led to such confused situation what to understand: who is better and in what? - few experts spending comparative tests of heaters in laboratories can only. To compare cheap heaters too it is impossible because of absence of any specifications (even advertising character) and instability of quality in different lots. That it is better: solnechnogorsky a synthetic winterizer or the Belarus synthetic winterizer proexhausted in Mogilyov, or the Belarus synthetic winterizer proexhausted in Orsha? That is warmer: High Loft Hollofiber, Micro-loft, Thermo-6, Dura Loft, Aerofibre 1, Izoterm (all names are taken from the open sources)? Yes, who knows, goodness knows! And the nobility not it is necessary! In this case, I suggest to look at the price and addressed to the producer. Plus intuition, yes opinions of people which used such sleeping bags. All these names are thought up for the best promotion of products is " a marketing course ". Often the same heater has different names at different firms.

Let's survey only the best heaters, suitable for manufacture of sleeping bags:

1. Down. Now there are no convincing data that the synthetic heater which surpasses superfine(high-grade) goose down in a complex of properts is developed: warm(warmly) + weight + transport volume. In promotional materials of propert of synthetic heaters are always compared to the down having F.P. = 550 (the resilient properts of down expressed in special units). But the down with F.P. = 800 is now made! Not without reason all firms respecting continue to let out(release) down sleeping bags, the prices on which in some times exceed cost of synthetic analogues. The good down loses synthetic heaters only in wet conditions!
More in detail about down it is possible prohonour in clause(article) about down or to find numerous variants of this clause(article) on other sites.

2. Synthetics:

2.1. Firm DuPont offers series of the heaters suitable for utilization in sleeping bags (in the list they are had from top to down by way of augmentation of thermal properts):
Hollofil - a thick fiber
Hollofil-II - a thick fiber with 4-th longitudinal holes
Quallofil - an average fiber with 7-th longitudinal holes
Thermolite plus - an admixture of thin fibers and average fibers with one longitudinal hole
Thermolite extra represents the ordered(regulated) helicoid average fibers, hollow inside.
Thermolite extreme consists of an admixture of microfibers of three various types, each of which is responsible for the certain(specific) properts: durability, elasticity, ability to save heat.

2.2. The firm 3М lets out(releases) a good heater for sleeping bags under brand Thinsulate LiteLoft. Due to very thin fibers this heater is characterized by the minimal convection losses of heat. Very soft and light(mild), on the parameters he approachs natural down. Thinsulate LiteLoft demands very much care since already at temperature +50С one ingredients (poliolefil), a part of a heater, it starts to be smelted.

2.3. Polarguard - very widespread heater in sleeping bags of known firms - strong, volumetric, warm enough. Its(his) basic disadvantage - too big transport volume. The best in a ruler of producer Polarguard Delta is executed from more thin fibers, and this disadvantage at it(him) is less expressed. However, while Delta it is not strongly widespread because of small volume of manufacture.

Polarguard HV - thick hollow fibers
Polarguard 3D - thick hollow fibers
Polarguard Delta - average hollow fibers

2.4. Firm Albany International lets out(releases) a heater of brand PrimaLoft in 2 series:
PrimaLoft PL1
PrimaLoft Sport

From world(global) brands only PrimaLoft possesses propert to not keep in itself a moisture because of silikonovoj processing of fibers. Apparently from the table, the more the number of fibers, the more heater types(collects) in itself a moisture:

PrimaLoft PL1 - 75 %
PrimaLoft Sport - 400 %
Polarguard 3D - 500 %
Thinsulate LiteLoft - 995 %
MicroLoft (DuPont)-1730 %

However fibers of any of the specified heaters do not imbibe a moisture! It means, that water flows down from them with greater or smaller rate.

Sleeping bags with any of these five kinds of heaters are worthy purchases. However it is necessary to understand, that those additional properts for the sake of which there is an extirpation (to reduce weight to reduce volume to enlarge thermal properts) are not proportional to cost. If the sleeping bag in weight 2000гр is facilitated on 200гр (at utilization of a good heater), it does not mean, that the price will grow on 10 %. She can rise in 2 times! It is necessary to correlate those advantages which are given with application of high technologies, to real conditions in which the sleeping bag will be used. If you gather in car travel dear(expensive) sleeping bag is not necessary to you. You can always find a reserve variant of spending the night, and the minimal weight to you is not necessary. In this case, buy(purchase) an inexpensive sleeping bag with a simple heater. If you have gathered in mountains or in other serious travel and to you will have most to carry a backpack (in which always there is no place), look for a sleeping bag with one of the above-stated heaters.

Backpack.

In a good backpack the design and workmanship are important, first of all, therefore references for a choice will be minimal:

1. The tissue should be strong and moisture-repellent. Cordura, perhaps, an ideal material for a backpack, but enough dear(expensive). If you buy a backpack not for all life it is possible to choose the liked model from other decent tissue.
2. Pay attention to a plastic accessories. It is desirable, that on your backpack there was accessories Duraflex or Nexus. Utilization of such accessories does not give the big increase in the price of a product, but considerably raises(increases) its(his) reliability.
3. Lightnings in a good backpack - only YKK!
4. Get accustomed to a material which contacts to a back. He should be strong, but soft. It is desirable, that on a back there was a special volumetric grid for ventilation.
5. Brails should pass(take place) easily through adjusting prjazhki.
6. A thread necessarily should be especially strong, tissues are stronger.


All the set forth above knowledge were got owing to infinite questions and discussions at a forum of our site http://www.bask.ru/forum/. Many thanks to our opponents, benevolent and not so! Except for necessity to answer questions of participants of a forum, to us to have (14 years) to think of to use what tissue and an accessories in the next series of equipment the BASQUE.
The situation varies very quickly: there are new materials and technologies. The equipment becomes all more reliable and safe. And it pleases!

" Be afraid of nothing! "

Yours faithfully, Vladimir Bogdanov
Firm BASK