The ability of any given material to withstand wear caused by rubbing against another surface. Abrasion resistance is especially critical for high wear areas on backpacks, tents, and apparel.

Often referenced by backpackers, base weight typically means the weight of everything on a hike not including the human, food, or water. Sometimes people reference base weight specifically relating to pack weight, in which case it would not include anything worn on a hiker, only the weight of their backpack plus its contents (excluding food and water).

A system of solutions for materials industry brands with which companies can increase their sustainability performance. The stringent approval criteria can be achieved by using specifically developed auxiliary materials and chemicals, and with the support of Bluesign® guidelines. As an independent authority, Bluesign® checks the progress of participating companies and ensures ongoing continued development of the criteria and solutions.

Used in most medium/heavy weight backpack applications and has a resin coating to increase tensile strength.

California’s Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement act of 1986. It addresses exposure to toxic chemicals. This law requires businesses to provide warnings to California consumers about exposures to chemicals that can cause cancer, birth defects, or reproductive harm. There are over 850 chemicals registered under Proposition 65 and they are updated yearly.

In relation to outdoor gear and travel bags, clamshell references a main storage compartment, that takes up the majority of the bag’s volume. This compartment opens from the side, and splits the bag in half when opened completely.

Fixed adjustable straps, typically webbing, which usually run along the sides of a backpack and allow the user to cinch down the load. When cinched down compression straps work by pulling the load of the pack closer to the wearer’s center of gravity.

A popular, industry-leading fabric manufacturer. They make numerous different types of fabric for various outdoor, fashion and other practical uses. Many outdoor gear enthusiasts use “Cordura” to refer to any 1000D nylon, or more specifically Cordura’s 1000D nylon. Cordura nylon is used in the constructions of many Matador products, and is an industry standard for quality in manufacturing.

Typically used to refer to a strip of webbing with incremental bartacks, which create individual loops that a user can tether items to, often with a carabiner.

A measure of the weight of the yarns that comprise the fabric. The higher the denier the heavier and typically burlier the fabric. The lower the denier the lighter and typically more delicate the fabric.

Classic, heavy duty 90’s packs were often made of 1000D fabric. 400D-600D is a typical backpack weight, probably what your school backpack was made out of growing up. Ultralight backpacking packs often range from 100D-210D. 70D and below are often tent or jacket weight fabrics. Fabric weight is sometimes used in place of denier on spec sheets. Fabric weight is often quoted in oz/yd2. For reference, 1000D nylon is often around 11oz/yd2, 400D-600D is often about 6-8oz/yd2, 70D is often about 1.9oz/yd2 and 30d is often about 1.1oz/yd2.

Matador’s proprietary TPU coating which passes water vapor, but not liquid water. This allows wet items to dry while inside a bag, without getting items outside the bag wet.

Stands for durable water repellant. It is applied to the outer “face” fabric and causes water to bead up and slough off the fabric instead of getting absorbed.

DWR is composed of microscopic “hairs” that stand off the fabric and create a hydrophobic effect. This coating will degrade over time with regular use as these hairs become matted down. DWR can be reapplied by the consumer at home, or often partially revived with a quick cycle in the dryer at low heat. It doesn’t do the hard work of waterproofing—that is the job of the PU, Silicone or WP/B Membrane—but rather DWR works as a secondary mechanism that can help the face fabric from getting saturated.

If your DWR fails, your garment will feel waterlogged, though the primary waterproofing mechanism (if there is one) should still keep liquid water from passing through the fabric.

Historically DWRs were comprised of long-chain (8 carbon molecules) perfluorochemicals (PFCs). The C8 PFC coating was popular until the mid-2000’s and uses the same chemical that makes Teflon non-stick. A lawsuit in 1998 brought to light some of negative side-effects of C8 PFC manufacturing (including birth defects in humans), which led to it eventually being banned from use in 2016. Since then the outdoor industry has switched to C6, and more recently to PFC-free (commonly called C0) DWRs. These C8 DWR replacements aren’t as effective at shedding liquid water, but they aren’t believed to cause birth defects in the same way that C8 DWRs did.

A commonly used acronym that stands for “Everyday Carry”. This descriptor has been growing in popularity in recent years to refer to items which a user typically carries on them during normal, day-to-day life. EDC products often have a tactical yet professional attitude.

Typically nylon, polyester or polypropylene woven into long strips. It is used in many applications throughout many industries. In outdoor gear it is typically used on backpack shoulder straps, carry handles, daisy chains, etc.

Engineered webbing is woven to have non-standard properties, typically repeating throughout the entire woven length; some examples are webbing with attached cord loops, webbing that goes from wide to thin, or webbing that is split down the center.

Attachment points on the outside of a backpack. Can be made of fixed webbing, adjustable webbing, static cord, shock cord etc.

Products which are solid, and in the outdoor gear context, usually constructed of plastic or metal.

In the context of outdoor gear, “hardware” is a catch-all term for the small plastic or metal pieces which are present on an item and are typically used to close pockets, secure webbing, or attach one component to another. Things like buckles, tensioners, snaps, toggles, cord locks and similar items are considered “hardware”.

Often used to refer to the shoulder strap/hip belt system on a framed backpacks.

A backpack securement system which goes around the user’s waist. There are two types, which aren’t mutually exclusive:

The first “light duty” style hip belt is often present on smaller, frameless packs and sometimes consists of just a single piece of webbing. This type is used mainly to control the pack’s momentum and keep the pack close to the wearer.

The second “heavy duty” style hip belt it used in conjunction with a back panel frame system and serves to transfer the weight of the pack to the wearer’s hips. This style of hip belt typically has padding for comfort.

Now a generic term to refer to a specific type of synthetic rubber (CSPE). Hypalon was originally a Dupont branded product, though it has since been discontinued by the company. Hypalon is a stiff, and extremely tough fabric, which is heat resistant, chemical resistant, and UV resistant.

Functionally designed to transfer the weight of the pack to the hip belt and the user’s hips. Internal frames are completely encapsulated inside a backpack and are usually not visible on the outside of the pack. This type of frame system is the successor to the original “external” frame, which was typically made of aluminum tube and was mounted on the outside of a pack, between the backpack and the harness system.

Refers to the IP Code, or Ingress Protection Code. IP Codes classify protection from both water and dust. In order to certify an IP rating, a product must be tested under specific parameters to prove that it meets the criteria.

Example:
I - Ingress
P - Protection
X - not tested for protection from solid particles (such as dust)
6 - tested up to level 6 for protection from liquids (such as water)


IP Rating definitions:
IPX1: Dripping water. Test lasts 10 minutes. Water volume measures 0.039 inches (1 mm) in rainfall per minute.
IPX2: Dripping water with device tilted at 15° from normal position. Texted in 4 different positions. Water volume equals 0.12 inches (3 mm) per minute.
IPX3: Spraying water. 5 minute spray test of 10 liters per minute.
IPX4: Splashing water from any direction, using an oscillating tube or spray nozzle. 10 minute duration.
IPX5: Water jets. Water sprayed for 3 minutes at 4.4 psi (30 kPa), with 12.5 liters per minute.
IPX6: Powerful water jets. Water sprayed for 3 minutes at 15 psi (100 kPa), with 100 liters per minute.
IPX6K: Powerful water jets (increased pressure). Water sprayed for 3 minutes at 150 psi (1000 kPa), with 100 liters per minute.
IPX7: Immersion (1 meter or less). Up to 3 ft 3 in (1 meter). Test lasts 30 minutes, with depth of 39 inches (1000 mm)
IPX8: Immersion (1 meter or deeper). 3 ft 3 in (1 meter) or deeper. Test length and depth specified by manufacturer. Commonly, this test is up to 9.8 ft (3 meters). Actual test depth noted on each device spec sheet.

A name and also an abbreviated descriptor (LNT) of a philosophy which underpins behavioral guidelines regarding human impact in natural environments. Specifically “leave no trace” references an ethic by which a person will make every reasonable effort to minimize their impact on the land and natural habitat in which they recreate.

Included on many larger, framed packs. An additional set of webbing tensioner straps are attached at the top of the shoulder straps, and sometimes at the sides of the hip belt as well. These serve to pull the pack in closer to the user’s body for a more comfortable carry. These straps should be tightened only after the hip belt and shoulder straps are adjusted properly to the user.

Sn acronym for Modular Lightweight Loadbearing Equipment. MOLLE is a system used by NATO forces for quickly attaching softgoods to one another using a PALS grid. MOLLE attachment has grown in popularity in the civilian outdoor industry.

Short for monofilament mesh. This mesh has a stiff hand feel and does not stretch. As the name implies each “yarn” is actually a single fiber. Matador uses this mesh to add structure to the shoulder straps of packable backpacks.

One of the first types of plastic invented by DuPont in the early 1900s. Nylon can be made with slightly differing molecular compositions, which give the fabrics different properties. The most commonly used is Nylon; while still stronger than polyester, has a relatively low tear strength. Nylon 6 is considered the cream of the crop, with the highest tensile strength of all commonly used nylons.

A descriptor that has been growing in popularity recently. “One Bag Travel” is a self-explanatory term meaning for travel (usually on a plane) with only a single piece of luggage. Often the main drive to travel with only one bag is the avoidance of hassle and fees that come along with checking a bag. The One Bag Travel philosophy ties into minimalism, simple living, and multi-use concepts.

An acronym for Pouch Attachment Ladder System. PALS is the easily identifiable grid which is the primary component of the MOLLE system. A PALS grid is typically constructed with strips of 1” webbing oriented horizontally and spaced 1” apart. The webbing strips have vertical stitching every 1.5” securing them to the backer fabric and also creating vertical slots. A user can attach one item with a PALS grid to another item with a PALS grid by weaving a special toggle back-and-forth between each slot on each item to create a secure attachment.

Short for “paratrooper cord”. Paracord was originally the string used to connect a parachutist to his/her parachute. It is thin cord, only a few MM in diameter with a core/sheath design. It is also referred to as 550 cord, a reference to its breaking strength of around 550lbs. Paracord has been adopted by the outdoor industry in a number of applications, primarily as a contingency or preparedness product; many folks carry paracord in their emergency kit.

Second to nylon, polyester is the most common plastic used to manufacture outdoor fabric. It is weaker and less expensive than nylon, though it has better UV resistance and performs much better than nylon when wet.

A blend of nylon or polyester, and spandex. It’s lightweight, stretchy, and see-through, and is used in many applications from apparel to backpack pockets.

A spray-on coating applied to the backside of the fabric at the mill and is the most popular way to waterproof a fabric. PU coatings are often tacky and have a rubbery feel. These types of coatings can eventually fail by delamination due to excessive exposure to moisture or heat. Most PU coatings weaken the fabric, creating a give-and-take between waterproofing and tear strength.

These zippers have an added polyurethane coating on the outside of a zipper that causes liquid water to bead up and slough off instead of getting absorbed into the zipper tape and ultimately making its way into the bag. PU coated zippers are “reverse coil” meaning the hard coil faces inward and isn’t visible when the zipper is closed. PU coated zippers are identifiable by their matte or gloss plastic look.

A type of weave often used in outdoor fabrics which increases the tear strength of a given fabric, but often decreases its waterproofness. A ripstop weave is created by interspersing thicker yarns every so often within the thinner yarns, which can then act as stopping points for tears. A ripstop weave is easily identifiable by its gridded visual appearance.

Fabric woven from yarns that are made from melted and reprocessed waste of the same type of plastic. These materials can be sourced pre-consumer from the factory level, or post-consumer after the lifecycle of a product. As it applies to the outdoor industry, the most commonly used recycled fibers include rPET, which is a recycled polyester, and recycled nylon.

A proprietary formulation of Nylon which has a higher tenacity (resistance to breakage) than normal Nylon 6, but not as high at Nylon 6,6. Robic® fabric means that the yarns which make up the weave are made out of Robic nylon. This gives the fabric a higher tensile strength, but more importantly gives the fabric better tear strength and abrasion resistance than a fabric made of Nylon 6.

A method for closing a backpack, stuff sack, or drybag; which requires the user to pull the top opening taught and then roll it over on itself a number of times before securing. Typically the rolltop is secured with buckles attached to each end of the opening, that prevent the closure from unrolling. Rolltop construction is often used to increase a product’s waterproofness.

Sewn seams that have a plastic, heat activated tape applied on the inside of each seam. Seam sealing increases a product’s water resistant properties.

Frequently used on backpacks to secure hip belts, sternum straps, compression straps and roll-tops. The name of this ubiquitous piece of hardware is an allusion to the mechanism used to operate the buckle. A user squeezes two tabs on either side of the buckle to separate the two ends of the hardware.

A spray on coating that is a popular way to make a fabric waterproof. Some fabrics have both PU and Silicone coatings.

To tell PU coating from silicone, pinch the fabric between your fingers and rub together...a PU coating is often so tacky that the fabric won’t slide as you move your fingers, but will instead stick to itself, a silicone coated fabric will be very slippery and feel almost frictionless.

A silicone treated nylon fabric. Silnylon feels slick and almost oily to the touch. Silicone coatings are typically used on lighter weight fabrics and while they actually increase the tear strength of a fabric, some silnylons are known for “misting” through in heavy downpours.

Refers to a snap button that is either plastic or metal. Plastic snaps are often Camsnaps®, which are a brand name plastic snap that are common in apparel. Metal snaps require more closure force and perform through higher cycle counts—meaning they do not wear out as quickly.

Textile products composed primarily of fabric, or are constructed by sewing.

Often soft and supple, and any stretch is imparted mechanically, since spacer mesh doesn’t usually contain any spandex. This mesh is often used to give a backpack’s back panel additional padding. Spacer mesh has fibers oriented perpendicular to the yarns of a woven fabric, which give this mesh it’s dimensional properties.

Functionally interchangeable terms and are added to yarns to make the resulting fabric stretchy. Lycra is in everything from base layers, to water bottle pockets. In outdoor fabrics, Lycra typically makes up only a small percentage of the fabric composition. As a general rule, the higher the percentage of Lycra in a fabric, the more stretchy the fabric.

Often used in conjunction with elastic cord. These plastic hooks prioritize quick on/off and don’t have any sort of gate for an affirmative closure; rather, speed hooks rely on tension provided from the elastic cord to remain secure. These are typically used to tether an item to a backpack.

Also called a “shove-it” pocket, "stash pocket" typically refers to an open topped stretchy pocket which prioritizes quick access over security. Great for temporarily storing things like jackets or other layers when not in use.

The securement point on a backpack that connects the shoulder straps together across a wearer’s chest. Typically the sternum strap is constructed from webbing and a side squeeze buckle. The sternum strap helps to keep backpack straps in the correct position on the wearer’s shoulders and back.

In the context of describing outdoor gear, submersion is typically used to indicate the highest level of waterproofness, meaning that an item is designed to be waterproof even when forcibly submerged underwater.