Our partnership with DSM, the inventor and manufacturer of Dyneema®, is as much a part of our origin story as founder Mike St. Pierre’s quest to create ultralight, reliable backpacking gear that didn’t exist at the time. That was over a decade ago, and as we innovated, so too did DSM with their Dyneema® fiber and Composite Fabric offerings.
We’ve experimented with them and utilized them along the way to chase the always moving target of creating the best backcountry equipment in the world. Still, we’ve never wavered from our belief that there is simply no better material available to achieve our goals for light weight, weather-resistance, and durability.
BIO-BASED DYNEEMA® FIBER
MASS BALANCE APPROACH: SUSTAINABLY SOURCED,
SAME INCREDIBLE PERFORMANCE.
Our mission at Hyperlite Mountain Gear–now and into the future–is to not only build the best backcountry gear in the world, but also to adopt methods that allow us to build it in the best way possible. We’re excited to announce that we’ve continued our decade-long partnership with Dyneema® to integrate their new bio-based Dyneema® fiber into our line of outdoor gear.
Technically classified as Ultra-High-Molecular-Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE), Dyneema® fibers are produced by extruding a UV-resistant polyethylene gel through a spinneret. In a patented process, the fiber is drawn, heated, stretched, and cooled. The result is a filament with exceptional long-chain molecular alignment and high crystallization that limits density while allowing for uncommon load dispersion. At one-thousandth of an inch in thickness, Dyneema® has a remarkable strength-to-weight ratio that makes it the strongest fiber in the world.
With their development of the world’s first bio-based UHMWPE fiber, DSM can now offer the same legendary characteristics of conventional Dyneema® fiber with a carbon footprint that is nearly 90% lower than generic HMPE. It’s a process that’s been certified according to the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification to ensure compliance and traceability, further demonstrating DSM’s commitment to protecting people and the environment they live in.
DYNEEMA® COMPOSITE FABRIC
PRIMARILY USED IN: TENTS, TARPS, STUFF SACKS, AND PODS
Dyneema® Composite Fabrics are high-performance, non-woven, rip-stop, composite laminates. Dyneema® fiber is laid out in opposing grid orientations, sandwiched between thin outer layers of polyester film, and melded together in a high-pressure autoclave. This process results in a highly durable material that is light enough to float on water.
The material's unique properties allow for continual flex at stress points without compromising strength or structural integrity. Lighter than Silnylon but stronger than Kevlar, Dyneema® Composite Fabrics are 100% waterproof prior to stitching with high chemical and UV resistance.
Originally designed for use in high tech sails for America's Cup racing boats, and formerly known as Cuben Fiber, Dyneema® Composite Fabrics are regarded as the premium material of choice for modern ultralight backpacking tents, tarps, and stuff sacks.
HYBRIDS WITH
DYNEEMA® COMPOSITE FABRICS
PRIMARILY USED IN: BACKPACKS AND ACCESSORIES
Hybrids with Dyneema® Composite Fabrics take the innovation a step further by adding a woven face fabric, resulting in an ultralight and ultra-durable material that is ideal for Backpacks.
We use a lightweight Polyester Face Fabric (of either a 50-Denier or 150-Denier variety) as the foundational material in almost all of our backpacks. For packs that are headed out into the most rugged of environments, we also have a fabric option that utilizes a 375-Denier Woven Dyneema® Face Fabric.
All of these face fabrics have been tested on thousands of miles of trails, peaks, and rivers across the globe – and are truly becoming an industry standard for the balance of weight, durability, and waterproofing.
HARDLINE WITH DYNEEMA®
PRIMARILY USED IN: SHOULDER STRAPS, POCKETS AND HIP BELTS
Our Hardline with Dyneema® fabric is used on the hip belts and shoulder straps of our 2400, 3400, 4400 packs, all exterior pockets on the Southwest pack, and the crampon/tool attachment panels on the Ice Pack. In this material, ultra-high-molecular polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber is actually woven into the nylon fabric base for additional tensile strength. Hardline with Dyneema® is coated with a water-resistant backing but does not offer the same level of impermeability as the Dyneema® Composite Fabrics used elsewhere throughout our packs.
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