Two new accessories to discover the great thrill of techwear

With this capsule, I wanted to treat myself and create my own Christmas gifts, while fully embracing my taste for the urban that mixes with the outdoors.

So these are two accessories that you will discover, in a revolutionary material that is close to my heart: UltraWeave from the supplier Challenge Outdoor.

To put it simply, it is the latest generation of technical fabrics used for backpacks, due to three qualities: lightness, abrasion resistance, and waterproofing.

Depending on the thickness of this textile, the name is different: there is Ultra 100, Ultra 200, Ultra 400 and Ultra 800.

In the case of our two accessories, it is the Ultra 200 X which is used.

To explain to you all the benefits of this fabric, we will go step by step…

Beginner level 1: Ultra, a revolution in progress

Perhaps you know Dyneema®, this material which revolutionized the outdoors around 10 years ago by making it possible to have backpacks and tents with a resistance/lightness/waterproofing ratio never before achieved, far away traditional Cordura used for decades.

Well Ultra goes even further in terms of abrasion resistance than Dyneema: it is its worthy successor. All the high-end ultralight backpack brands that used Dyneema are all switching to Ultra fabrics (the Zpacks brand in the lead).

These are fabrics developed by the supplier Challenge Outdoor, which are very renowned in the outdoor world, and it was important to me to bring this fabulous material into a BonneGueule accessory, especially since there There are extremely few French brands that work with UltraWeave, they can be counted on the fingers of one hand (I'm thinking of Atelier Longue Distance for example, which I mentioned in my article on the size of backpacks ).

It's a shame that this fabric is little known in France outside of connoisseurs, because I love the visual of this material, with its modern and contemporary, almost futuristic appearance.

How is this fabric made?

UltraWeave, however, shares an important common point with Dyneema®: it is made of UHMWPE…

Intermediate level 2: UHMWPE?

“UHMWPE” stands for “Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene” in English, which translates into French as “Very high molar mass polyethylene”.

It is a type of plastic that consists of long molecular chains, hence the term "ultra high molecular weight". This means that these chains are very long compared to regular plastics, making them exceptionally strong.

Pound for weight, Ultra 200 is 15x times stronger than steel!

If we compare Ultra 200 to Cordura 500d (the standard fabric used for backpacks for 30 years):

• the Ultra 200 is twice as light
• Ultra 200 is about twice as tear resistant
• Ultra 200 is twice as resistant to abrasion

And above all, Ultra is completely waterproof unlike Cordura.

Very few textiles can boast such performance at such light weights, which makes Ultra an extraordinary fabric for backpacks or accessories.

A fabric that is setting a new paradigm in terms of requirements.

But that's not over: Ultra 200 is therefore a textile with UHMWPE fibers woven and laminated onto a plastic film to ensure its waterproofness. The plastic film in question is called RUV, it is proprietary to Challenge Outdoor, it is entirely composed of recycled polyester , it blocks UV rays at 97% and it lasts 5 times longer than plastic film used in other textiles.

Advanced level 3: the differences between Ultra 200 and Dyneema

Be careful, this gets a little technical.

First of all, know that between the thicknesses of fabric used and the type of lamination, the performances can vary between Ultra and Dyneema®, but I will try to give an overall answer.

First of all, Dyneema® is a brand of UHMWPE, just like Cordura® is a brand of nylon.

In the case of fabrics used for backpacks, we are talking about DCH for Dyneema Composite Hybrid where, if I summarize, it is a question of having a polyester fabric, more or less thick, on which we will laminate (= paste) a plastic film containing non-woven Dyneema fibers. They are just stuck in the plastic film.

For Ultra, it's a little different. We still have a plastic film which ensures waterproofing, but the UHMWPE is woven AND laminated onto the plastic film, rather than being in the form of non-woven fibers. But there is no longer any need to have a polyester outer fabric, unlike Dyneema contained in DCH.

However, for the same weight, the woven UHPWE present on the outside of the bag is much more resistant than a polyester fabric laminated to the plastic film containing Dyneema®.

Bonus level 4: one more thing…

It is not finished yet ! Our Ultra 200 has a special feature: it has a diamond-shaped grid to make it even more durable and resistant to deformation (a bit like X-Pac). This is Ultra CrossPly® technology.

So, its real name is Ultra 200 X.

The reinforcing threads are very visible if you look at the reverse side of the fabric and will stand out beautifully as you use your accessories, giving a unique texture to the Ultra 200 X.

And with the Ultra 200, we are offering not one, but two accessories with this unique textile in the world.

Instant confession: I have a secret passion for travel kits (“pouch” in English).

When I travel, I have an obsession with compartmentalizing my belongings. It's much easier to navigate your luggage, whether it's a suitcase or a backpack.

When I go on an adventure, I try to put everything away neatly:

It is for this reason that as soon as I had the Ultra 200 in my hands, I immediately thought of offering a case, because it is an accessory that I use all the time, and I very want to let you discover it!

Anatomy of a kit designed for adventure

Its dimensions are 12cm in height, 23cm in length and 8cm in width, which places it more in the category of spacious kits, while remaining an easy volume to slip into a backpack.

The exterior zip is rain-resistant and inside you will find two mesh pockets, one of which is zipped, to finely organize your personal belongings.

On the outside, you will also find MOLLE loops, this very simple fastening system that we come across on tactical or even urban backpacks (I'm thinking of the Goruck or Savotta brand for example, but Cabaia also uses MOLLE for its covers).

You can therefore attach it to your backpacks equipped with MOLLE loops!

Yes, having a pencil case is nice, but what to put inside?

In an urban situation, you can choose:

• use it as a generous toiletry bag, which will easily accommodate a toothbrush, a clipper, and various cosmetics
• put all your cables, chargers, and batteries in it

In an outdoor context, I use it for:

• put all my kit on fire,
• a fire starter, or a lighter
• a water filter
• a knife
• a small care kit

The possibilities are immense, it's up to you to try things out! Here are two hikes where I was able to take it with me, in an outdoor situation:

Now let’s move on to the second Ultra 200 X accessory…

Even if it means fully embracing the futuristic aspect of this textile, we might as well go further and use it for an accessory to wear directly on oneself: a fanny pack, which can also be worn across the shoulder, like a sling bag.

It comprises :

• a small front pocket, perfect for storing flat objects like transport cards or cash
• a large main pocket with another interior zipped pocket, for perfect organization of your personal belongings!

But this fanny pack gave me the opportunity to use for the very first time at BonneGueule a buckle that I had spotted a long time ago, which works almost supernaturally...

Did you know the Cobra loop? It's time to introduce you to another buckle, just as practical and satisfying: the buckle from the supplier Fidlock.

Its principle: it uses two magnets in a very ingenious way. To close it, you just have to bring the two ends together, and it will close by itself. Yes, you read correctly, it literally closes by itself!

Which is very practical for attaching your fanny pack without looking at it, and the buckle makes a very nervous and audible “click” which informs you that it has engaged correctly.

And to open the buckle, simply pull the little cord and it unfastens instantly.

It is therefore a very reliable and pleasant loop to use, almost fun!

We can do lots of things! For example at a festival, you can put in:

• a small external battery, because you don't want to be out of power when you have to meet your friends somewhere,
• your phone and your papers (provided, like me, that you never part with your fanny pack, of course)
• a small hydroalcoholic gel
• hearing protection
• sunglasses if necessary
• cash

It is perfect if you lack pockets in your clothes, or if you want to have your items in the same place, without constantly changing pockets.

It's up to you to show me your EDCs (for Every Day Carry, i.e. personal effects that you carry with you all the time)!

Please note, even though it is a waterproof material, the seams of this pencil case and this fanny pack are not welded. If you are really in a very heavy downpour, lasting several hours, the water will eventually enter slightly.

This is why I cannot say that these accessories are not “waterproof”, but that they have perfectly good resistance to rain.

This is the little icing on the cake, and it’s a feature that I’ve never seen on a French brand, including among the most technical…

The zipper pull on the kit and the fanny pack are “positive locking cords”: it is a cord made in the United States for military requirements, the particularity of which is to be textured, in order to reinforce its grip. The small bumps on the cord also allow the knots to stay in place.

And you see me coming: I love this textured aspect, a nod to our famous taste for relief in materials.