Experiment 256 - Nexhigh Flatness

Nexhigh is an Outlier custom developed fabric designed to replace the Ultrahigh Dyneema Composite we previously used. Like the Ultrahigh it is a composite fabric built around a mylar film. With the Nexhigh we use a thicker and stiffer film than the Ultrahigh and we bond it to a polyester face fabric and white nylon interior fabric to protect it.

The result is an extremely stable yet flexible bag fabric. It bends and folds but does not stretch, making it a hybrid of a soft-shell and hard-shell luggage material. The lack of stretch allows for superior weight distribution and when packed full objects will stay more securely in place. But the ability to bend and fold means it can be compacted and stashed away easily when not full. The white interior means it’s easier to see things inside of bags.

The key realization that allowed for creating this fabric was that the thing that made our old Ultrahigh Dyneema Composite great was NOT the incredible Dyneema strength, that was bonus stuff. What made it great was the stiff yet pliable nature of the mylar. By removing the ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene from the composite mix we were able to build a much more stable and robust fabric that was far easier to work with. The face fabric in particular can be bonded much smoother, dramatically reducing the wrinkle characteristics that would emerge in the Ultrahigh over time. We also were able to dial in the mylar thickness more, creating a more robust and rugged feel, that distributes weight incredibly well.