greyhound68
A-List Customer
- Messages
- 362
- Location
- Manteca, CA
This is a fantastic thread. I really appreciate you all putting this stuff up. It sure did help with the knowledge of this area. Great job.
gfirob said:It's interesting that Ventile really never seems to have caught on here in the states (where there are actually quite a lot of Gentiles too).
From what I can read about it in the UK, it seems as if some pretty nice jackets are still made from it, but they are not cheap. I guess it would be quieter than a lot of synthetics and just nicer to wear. Is it lighter than waxed cotton (like a Barbour Thornproof)?
Certainly if it's cold enough that wet is not going to be an issue, I guess it would probably be a good choice.
Rob
Dudleydoright said:<SNIP> Although if it's that wet I'd still rather go with goretex under one of my old issue combat smocks.
<SNIP>
Dave
H.Johnson said:...May I add that there are different grades and weights of Ventile(R)? Choosing the right grade for use to which the garment will be put is important and not all makers seem to do this...
gfirob said:Actually, I think the Ventile conversation is quite interesting and it makes me wonder why it is so little known here. I think Willy's (?) in Alaska uses this fabric and Ibex in Vermont uses wool rather than any of the plastic fleece, but overall synthetic fabrics seem to rule the market here.
Thinking of this, I went and looked at a number of Frank Hurley's (photographer for Shackleton's 1914-1917 expedition) just to look at the clothing they were wearing. Its very interesting. First of all, there seems to be a lot of variety. Pea coats, fur, wool, big leather boots and some kind of harness that seems to have no other purpose than to hold on the huge fur mittens they wore. Maybe Dave knows more about these.
The final photographs of the men on Elephant Island show how everyone (and there clothes) are mostly just black and greasy from all that time in a hut heated only by burning seal blubber.
Anyway, I think I'll try to upload some of these pictures if I can. No gortex there...
Rob