The description of the fabric is generally not very detailed, saying only whether it is CORDURA or HD, and it is talking about just one weaving method. A more detailed description would be material + fibre degree + weaving method. For example: N. 1000D CORDURA means 1000D nylon CORDURA material.
Many people think that the "D" in
Backpack material stands for density, or weight. The "D" is short for denier. Denier is the unit of measurement for fibres. So the smaller the number in front of the D, the finer the thread and the less dense it is. For example, 210D is a very fine thread and is usually used as a lining or compartment for bags. The 900D or 1000D material has a thick grain and a thick thread, which is very hard-wearing and is generally used as the bottom of the bag.
Nylon is nylon and Poly is polyethylene, both of which are extracted from petroleum, but Nylon is a little better than Poly, which makes it a little more expensive. In terms of fabric, Nylon has a softer feel.
Here is a brief description of some of the fabrics often found in backpacks.
1. CORDURA
A fabric invented by DuPont, it is light, quick-drying, soft and durable, and does not change colour over time. The fabric is said to appear in two colours when viewed from different angles, and no one else knows how to produce it except DuPont. It is usually made from Nylon and is available in 160D, 210D, 330D, 420D, 600D, 900D, 1000D, etc. The higher the number, the stronger the fabric and the thicker the grain. Generally 160D to 210D is used for clothing or as a lining for general outdoor bags. This material has a coating on the reverse side and will not get wet in normal rain.
2. KODRA
KODRA is a fabric made in Korea. It is said that the inventor of this fabric originally wanted to find out how CORDURA was spun, but failed to do so and invented a new fabric, which is KODRA. The reverse side is coated, similar to CORDURA.
3. OXFORD
The warp threads of Oxford spinning are made of two strands, and the weft threads are also relatively thick. The weaving method is one up and one down, which is a very common method of weaving. It is usually 210D or 420D. The reverse side is coated. Used as a lining or compartment for bags.
4. HD
HD is short for High Density, meaning high density. The fabric is similar to OXFORD. Usually 210D, 420D, usually used as a bag lining or compartment. The reverse side has a coating.
5. R/S
R/S is short for Rip stop. This fabric is a nylon with small squares. It is tougher than normal nylon and the squares are made with a thicker thread on the outside of the fabric. The squares are woven with a very fine thread in the middle. It is usually available in 300D, 330D and 450D and can be used as the main material for backpacks, such as the large face and outer pockets. The reverse side is coated.
6. Dobby
The Dobby fabric seems to be made up of a number of very small checks, but if you look closely you will see that it is made of two types of thread, one thick and one thin, with a different pattern on the front and the other on the back. It is rarely coated. It is much less strong than CORDURA and is generally only used on leisure bags or short-distance travel bags. Not used on hiking bags.
7. VELOCITY
VELOCITY is also a nylon fabric. The strength is very high. Generally also used in mountaineering bags. The reverse side has a coating. Available in 420D or higher strength. The front of the fabric looks very much like Dobby. 8.
8. TAFFETA
TAFFETA is a very thin, coated fabric, some of which are coated more than once, so it is more waterproof. It is not usually used as the main fabric of a rucksack, only as a mackintosh, or as a rain cover for a rucksack.
9.Poly PU
Generally used instead of Poly, Poly density is generally 64t (low), 74t (medium) and 82t (high). The fabric is increasingly strong from 150D to 1800D. Generally 600D can be used as the base of a mountain bag, but it is not as strong as CORDURA.
10. AIR MESH
Generally known as space mesh in Chinese, it is different from the usual mesh. There is a gap between the mesh surface and the material underneath, usually 3mm or more. It is this gap that gives it good ventilation properties, so it is usually used for straps or on the back or other areas close to the body.
11. Mesh
There are many sizes of mesh in general, so I won't go into them all. Nylon mesh is generally used on the sides of the bag as a grocery pocket or water pocket.
