Dyneema is a very popular word these days, while HMPE and UHMWPE are hardly known. Something to remember is that Dyneema is a trade name in the same way as Xerox was to making a copy of a page. Dyneema is a brand name for a chemical fiber. Chemical names for the same thing are UHMWPE, HMPE, UHMW.

Our “Dyneema” cordage is made by Samson Ropes and their name for it is Amsteel, they add a coating to it that they call Samthane that helps to improve it’s working characteristics. Our daisy chain webbing is from two different companies, the blue/black and the green/black with two weave bars are from one company and the dark olive with three weave bars is from another. They are both the same chemically HMPE or UHMWPE. Same strength characteristics. They both are rated at 1500 pounds at each loop, though the dark olive version is 30% thicker and would seem to have a greater strength.

We will be transitioning away from using the term Dyneema except for actual products from DSM. This post will help you understand what we are talking about with terms that may be unfamiliar to you.

Below is some info from a rope supplier about Dyneema vs UHMWPE.

What does UHMWPE stand for?

UHMWPE stands for ultra high molecular weight polyethylene. You may also hear it referred to as HMPE, or by brand names such as Spectra, Dyneema or Stealth Fibre.

UHMWPE is used in high-performance lines across a variety of industries, including marine, commercial fishing, mountaineering, and aquaculture. It has many qualities that make it an excellent choice for wet environments; it is light enough to float, is hydrophobic (repels water) and stays tough at low temperatures. You will also find it used in yachting, particularly with sails and rigging, as its low stretchability lets the sails maintain an optimal shape while still being exceptionally resistant to abrasion.

With its high strength to weight ratio, smooth handling and low stretch properties, it is the rope of choice for ship assist lines, offshore rigs and tankers. It is especially popular for manoeuvring vessels in distress situations.

Our UHMWPE rope exceeds ISO 10325 standards, is competitively priced and comes with free delivery in the UK, so contact us today with your needs.

What are the technical specifications of UHMWPE?

UHMWPE is a polyolefin fibre, consisting of extremely long chains of overlapping polyethylene, aligned in the same direction, which makes it one of the strongest rope options available.

Thanks to its molecular structure, UHMWPE is resistant to most chemicals, including detergents, mineral acids and oils. It can, however, be corroded by strong oxidising agents.

The HMPE fibres have a density of only 0.97 g cm−3 and have a coefficient of friction that is lower than nylon and acetal. Its coefficient is similar to that of polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon or PTFE), but it has much better abrasion resistance.

The fibres that makeup Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene have a melting point of between 144°C and 152°C, which is lower than many other polymer fibres, but they have no brittle point when tested at an extremely low temperature (-150°C). Most ropes will not be able to maintain their performance in temperatures below -50°C. UHMWPE rope is therefore recommended for use between -150 and +70 °C, as it will not lose any of the high molecular weight properties in this range.

UHMWPE is actually classed as a speciality engineering plastic, used for many other functions beyond rope manufacturing. In fact, medical-grade UHMWPE has been used in joint implants for many years, particularly in knee and hip replacements. This is due to its low friction, toughness, high impact strength, resistance to corrosive chemicals and excellent biocompatibility.

You may be surprised to know that UHMW plastic is also a popular choice for body armour by the military and police, again due to its high resistance and low weight.

In addition to its impressive strength qualities, UHMWPE is tasteless, non-toxic and odourless, which is why this plastic can often be used in food production plants and manufacturing. It is safe for both end-users and production workers.

For more information see https://www.accessropes.com/product-category/uhmwpe-rope/

The temperature range of the blanket can vary some depending on your conditioning to cold, i.e. we tolerate more cold by spring than we do in the fall when we have not yet acclimated to the cold. If a person is going to bed clothed it is best that the clothing be relatively dry and I recommend it be synthetic like polyester or poly/cotton i.e. 60/40 or better. With poly clothing I have gone to bed quite damp and been dry by morning. If wearing cotton I advise taking off clothing as it will be warmer without it. Make sure clothing worn is not too constricting either, as blood flow can be impaired, additionally comfort is often reduced. The environmental conditions, like wind, can make a difference, and the surface you are laying on, whether it is warm or cold. I find for myself typically I can be comfortable in the 40’s (4 C) for sure, in the 30’s (1 C) most of the time and 20’s (-6 C) or lower with proper preparations. As an example I did sleep with that original survival blanket (6′ x 6′) in late January one year in a storm that dropped temperatures to -4 F (-20 C), my sleep was rather fitful and not comfortable. I slept 15 to 20 minutes at a time. The positive thing is, I did not go hypothermic, and though I was uncomfortable I did not get dangerously cold.

Can the Personal Survival Blanket be used in a hammock?

Additional Information –

Dressed in HD Poncho w Fleece Liner

Last week we took our Boy Scouts out for a summer camp in the desert, here in Utah. Of course the views were spectacular, the campsite primitive, we had to bring everything needed. I brought along ponchos for everyone, not that we anticipated rain, but for their alternate use, hammocks. As we were getting settled I heard the boys complaining about the heat, the blazing sun, the lack of shade or water, or trees for that matter. They were saying we should pick up camp and head for the mountains where it was cool.

I decided I needed to say something, they were already negative and we just got there. I didn’t want to spend the rest of the week listening to this kind of talk. With the boys together, I assured them we were not leaving this location, this was our planned camp. I wanted to end any speculation that we might pick up camp and go to the mountains. My next focus was to address the comfort issues they had brought up. The boys needed to know that the adult leaders were not entertainment directors or camp construction managers.

My intention with the boys was to try to turn on their creative juices, telling them to think about what they didn’t like and why, then try to figure out how to make it better. I said, “Is it too hot, too sunny, too windy, think of how you can make the situation better.”

I further explained that the camps we go on are for enjoyment, but also for learning and to gain experience. “You cannot truly learn without actual experience,” I said. I talked of the miners and their families who used to live in the area, somehow they learned to manage with the harsh conditions. We’ve become soft, used to easy, cozy living. We can make of camp whatever we decide we want it to be.

Our camp was up next to a north facing cliff that had large holes eroded in its face. These holes became places of refuge during the intense heat and direct sun of the midday. There were trees, but they were sparse and small generally speaking, which meant we didn’t get much shade from them, we had to scatter out to get our hammocks hung. We soon had everything situated. We all napped for a couple hours in the holes in the rocks while we waited for things to cool down a bit.

My little lecture did not solve everything, but it helped to at least direct some attention to being positive and to look for solutions. It’s always easy to give up, to quit and to do something else. But I’ve learned some of my best lessons when challenged by adversity.

In all it was a great camp, we gained experience, explored, and had a fun time. We hiked a fun slot canyon, Little Wild Horse Canyon, we also explored in Goblin Valley one afternoon. Here is a link to a fun video of the camp YouTube

I think every camp should be a learning experience, and not just when with some Boy Scouts, but even when camping by oneself. Adults should help youth to learn the outdoor ways, provide experiences for them and guide them. It is good for them to figure some things out on their own, perhaps with a subtle occasional hint. Boys gain confidence and receive a feeling of achievement through these experiences. In successive encampments youth will learn to be more independent and importantly, they will learn how to help others.

Occasional tough camps are good for all, both youth and adult, they stretch us, they make us learn in a way that really can’t be duplicated in any other way.

Until next time, this is Perry Peacock, for “Simplifying Survival”

Lazy Camp What Do You Do?

What’s a lazy camp anyway, aren’t all camps lazy? Well perhaps they used to be, today the hustle of life is so engrained in folks that they can’t settle into camp life. Dennis is wound up so tight from a demanding job that he sits in his chair fidgeting, looking around, and checking his phone for non-existent service. His phone is like an addiction apparently, it kills him not to know what’s going on. Dan and Barbara visiting from across the country are antsy, Barbara keeps looking at her watch, they have a busy itinerary for this trip, lots to see in the area each day, and they don’t want to waste a minute. Jeff’s kids want to play at the lake, but he had planned to drive down the canyon to a museum. Camp is a flurry of activity, no one is resting but me, and in a way, I’m kind of glad that everyone is leaving camp for the day, so I can have some peace, ha-ha.

I’m not saying camp is free from any form of work or activity, there is always wood to get for the campfire, meals to cook, dishes to wash, but that’s all enjoyable to me. I do try to make a healthy amount of nothin’ time, an example of this from a recent camp goes something like this.

I’m sitting here in my old grey camp chair, seems like I’ve had it forever. The edges are tattered, the arm does not stay secured anymore and every time I have to move it, the arm has to get reattached. There are a fair amount of pea sized burn holes in the seat, which I look at in a positive way, they let rainwater drain out. The fabric is so worn that is soft and cozy, like an old shoe, I like to be in it. My chair is my camp observation post, I find it easy to look around for hours.

A small chipmunk runs down the trunk of a large pine and across a fallen log, stopping every few feet and rearing up on his back legs takes a quick survey of the area, before scurrying on. A good number of little blue birds fly around camp, keeping an eye on things, their distinctive chirps fill my ears with pleasant sound. Turning my eyes towards the fire pit I discover a spider crawling in and out of the crevices in the rocks that make up the pit. I watch patiently for a while to see what he is up to.

Out of the corner of my eye I detect motion in the low brush that surrounds my camp, there, a few deer grazing on the new green grass, undeterred by my presence. I sit as motionless as possible and watch them for a while. They seem to have a rhythm to their activity, eating the grass, then popping their heads up they look around while chewing. Just fifteen feet away I stare at the eyes of one as if trying to peer into her mind so as to figure out what is going inside that head. Twenty minutes pass and they gradually graze away from my camp.

The chair is cozy, the temperature is perfect, a slight breeze blows, all this work observing has made me drowsy, I slide down in my chair till my head rests on the back and fall into a sleep. In about an hour I awake, groggy, I look around trying to get my bearings, a pretty good sleep for sitting in a camp chair! A few things stir in my mind and I recall I was going to work a bit on some camp improvements today. Staring across the fire pit I notice a young pine seedling not quite knee high, it’s location is not ideal for my camp, too close to the fire, too close to where I’m going to set up a bed. I marvel that this little seedling exists, all the old forest around has already given way, disease and insects have taken their toll. I discover a bit of inspiration from the little pine.

The little pine seedling grows quickly, summers are short up on the mountain. As I scan the forest around camp there are two things I could choose to see, the old fallen trees, and lament the great loss, or the new rising seedlings, like the one at camp, defying the odds, growing where the old trees have died. I can look at the fallen and say to myself, “look how tragic, all those majestic trees have died and crashed to the ground,” or I can say, “look how nature is refreshing itself, the old trees will rot and become soil providing new rich mulch for the future forest.” I can look with hope on the new trees, the future is fresh and alive, what beauty awaits in the decades to come.

Is my time wasted, sitting around camp in my chair? I think not, my eyes have seen, my nose has smelled, my ears have heard the sounds of camp. A memory has been created, which can be remembered, and relived at any time I choose. Put away your watch, throw out your schedule, be lazy at camp and enjoy the world.

Until next time, this is Perry Peacock, for “Simplifying Survival.”