Pertex Quantum Vest -31 grams / 1.09 ounces - Part 2

Pertex Quantum Vest -31 grams / 1.09 ounces - part 2

I received the following questions about the Pertex Quantun Vest:

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1.
"I'll be interested to hear about some field testing. How does PQ feel when it gets wet against your skin? My windshirt is just 1.1 oz nylon and it does ok with nothing under it, but is definitely a lot more comfortable when I have another shirt under it. Have you tested the difference in breathability vs. 1.1oz? How about moisture mngt.? "

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I wore the Pertex Quantum (PQ) vest, without anything under it, this afternoon (Friday) for a 2 mile walk. I seldom do that but I wanted to see how it would react next to my skin. It was 72 degrees out and slightly overcast. I was in a light breeze for part of my walk. The PQ did a good job blocking the wind except when I turned my side into it and let the breeze blow in the arm pit openings. I don't think that would happen with a pack on. I also think the The Black color picked up a bit of heat that a lighter color may not have. I didn't get hot but my skin was just moist to the touch when I got home. I believe that if the PQ was not such a good Breathable material I would have been wet to the touch and not just a bit moist. I have a Patagonia Dragonfly that I can try to compare it to the PQ with but I think that PQ blocks wind better.

As our temperatures get warmer I will try to determine what the PQ feels like against my skin. I can tell you that I have tested some of my VB gear up to 65 degrees to see what that was like and I would have been wet inside them if I didn't have a bunch of venting options. As it was I was I could control my body heat by the built in vents.

Someday soon I will make a hiking shirt and pants out of light silk. If they work out they would be my normal hiking clothes and should work really well under something made out of PQ.

Pertex Quantum is my material of choice for anything that needs to light and breathable. I have it so I use it. If I didn't have the PQ I expect I would try Momentum 90.

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2.
"Where did you pickup the 0.9 ounce a square yard (UK Mill) Pertex Quantum? I am making a 2 person bivy and want to make the top out of it? Do you think it would hold up or should I go with the thicker verson? "

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I have had the 0.9 ounce per square yard Pertex Quantum since 2004. I was able to buy a 5 yards each of 3 different colors from someone that was making some PQ prototypes for testing and had some left over.

About 2 years ago I again got a bit lucky and was able to buy some more, two different colors. The newer PQ was some made at the Japanese Mill and weighs 1.03 ounces per square yard.

Pertex dose not allow their material to be sold at retail but it does show up from time to time in small amounts.

I have a Bivy made out of some of my 0.9 ounce PQ and have been using it several years. It has a Cuben Fiber bottom and a Pertex Quantum top. The total weight of the Bivy is 4 ounces and it is holding up great. I do use a ground cloth with it.

Momentum 90 should make a Bivy if you can't find PQ but I have never used it.