Help with fabric selection for DIY handwarmer

[ezmorningrebel]

I'm looking into making a handwarmer with some help from my mother-in-law and am looking at fabrics right now. I was leaning towards 500d cordura for the outer with something like a berber fleece liner. She pointed me to a website she orders from all the time and they sell something called Rhino Canvas which is a 600d polyester. I was thinking cordura was nylon so not sure of the difference.

I have an old Gen1 Kifaru handwarmer that will be the basis for design so we have a good start for sizing and how it will connect to a belt or the pack. Just want something that doesn't use fleece as an outer material and without all the velcro.

She said she hasn't sewn cordura before but i showed her the material and she didn't feel it would be any harder than multiple layers of denim which she's done.

 

[WoodBow]

Cordura is overkill in my opinion. If it were me, id go with something more like ripstop nylon. Any synthetic fleece will work fine. Are you going to add insulation? I made one a few years ago for whitetail hunting and just added stuffing out of a pillow. It is crazy warm.

 

[flyinsquirel]

^^^Yep

30D ripstop and some climashield/primaloft would be my suggestion. If you are really hard on gear go with 70D fabric.

 

[WoodBow]

Apex is another insulation option that doesnt require quilting.

 

[LBFowler]

I bought some 20oz polartec at the Rainshed in Oregon (they do mail order), longer pile then almost anything you would find in a fleece jacket, feels like faux sheepskin.
Also Rose City Textiles has some Polartec High Loft, which has the best warmth/weight ratio of any fleece.

Climasheild/primaloft will be warmer, fleece might feel warm a little faster.

 

[ezmorningrebel]

i had not thought of ripstop nylon. do you see any advantage other than the weight savings? probably would be easier to sew.

i also hadn't thought of insulating it because i was picturing loose fill and didn't know how to hold it in place. i didn't realize it came in rolls like that. seems like it would make sense to put a layer between the outer and inner. how thick is 2.5 oz climashield?

 

[WoodBow]

2.5 oz has .6 inches of loft. 5 oz has 1.2 inches and so on.

Mainly just weight savings and packability. I actually prefer to sew cordura. Very easy fabric to work with.

 

[larryschwartz]

If you want it to be QUIET I would stay away from ripstop nylon.

You might also want to add a pocket on each end for inserting those air activated hand warmers. Maybe a storage pocket for them as well to keep some handy.

 

[LBFowler]

something like 210d pack cloth might be a decent compromise, cheap and lightish. agreed on cordura being easier to sew then most ripstops. Hand warmer is small enough the weight of the shell isn't going to be a huge factor in overall weight.

 

[cvandervort]

Just made one from leftovers from my quilt build....

1.1 and apex

Should be good for chilly mornings, and it's just plain fun to build this stuff!!

 

[Willow]

If you want it to be QUIET I would stay away from ripstop nylon.

You might also want to add a pocket on each end for inserting those air activated hand warmers. Maybe a storage pocket for them as well to keep some handy.

I use pockets in mine for the Zippo hand warmers or the instant hand warmers.

If you want to make your own reusable hand warmer use some cotton material and fill it with rice. You can reheat it in the microwave on low, on a wood stove, or on a rock by your fire. Don't use a synthetic material for your reusable hand warmer or it will melt in the microwave when the rice gets hot.

Sent from my LG-V495 using Tapatalk

 

[larryschwartz]

Whatever you use for the outer layer, make sure that it will cut the wind.