cordura nylon verses ballistic nylon?

[Raven]

This would be for a tote bag from Tumbuk2. The price is the same for either material. Can someone tell me what the differences between the two are?

 

[Reptilezs]

cordura is made by dupont and it is more abrasion resistant than regular nylon.

 

[Raven]

Is ballistic nylon just a marketing term?

www.timbuk2.com for anyone interested in what I'm talking about. They give a slight description while you are customizing your bag.

These bags are not cheap, so I want to avoid making a mistake.

 

[nikon]

Ballistic nylon is thicker than either nylon packcloth or Cordura. It's prettier and feels nicer. Cordura will outlast the other types of nylon. As Reptilezs said, it's more abrasion resistant.

 

[Lurker]

Both are very tough. Ballistic has a smooth, slippery, shiny surface. Cordura's finish is more like worn canvas. Not smooth or shiny, it is kind of fuzzy and very slightly abrasive. Cordura will probably look more luxurious and less tactical.

 

[Deanster]

Lurker described it well - Ballistic is tougher, and will in general last longer, but it's also heavier, less flexible, and in general more 'synthetic-feeling' than Cordura. You'll notice that a bag made of ballistic nylon will feel considerably heavier and less supple than a Cordura bag.

Cordura is MUCH better than standard packcloth nylon, but not as 'hard-core' as ballistic. It's very durable, very solid, and is a solid indicator of quality. I'd never feel bad choosing Cordura.

Either is an excellent material for a bag - it really depends on whether you prefer the more canvas-like look and feel of Cordura, or the slicker, thicker Ballistic.

All things equal, I think ballistic is a better fabric, but not enough better to make it anything other than a choice of personal preference.