Why does woven (as opposed to knitted) nylon have such an annoying sound?

I’m reading the book “A walk in the woods” by Bill Bryson. This is a book that reminds me again that compared to American animals, and plants for that matter, the Australian Tasmanian devil is cute and cuddly.

Anyway, at one point in the book he talks about how miserable it is walking carrying a heavy backpack in the rain. That nylon rain gear doesn’t keep you dry because the combination of high humidity and exercise makes you sweat profusely.

He also mentions how irritating the sound of nylon rain gear is. The swish swish as it brushes together. Which made me remember from my youth. Nylon rain gear does sound awful, there’s something about it that sets the teeth on edge. Not so much in small doses, a few seconds, but over a timespan of many minutes. This also applies to other woven nylon products. But not knitted nylon such as in stockings. I’ve noticed the same sound from a nylon hang-glider canopy and fishing line, but not from nylon rope.

Rain gear began as rubber, but that was heavy, hot and expensive so was replaced by thin nylon. Hence the problem. Few if any people wear lightweight rain gear any more, except for disposable sheet plastic that is lucky to survive undamaged for half an hour.

Nylon is one of the strongest plastics, and is far cheaper than any plastic that is stronger.

But why is the sound so annoying?

mollwollfumble said:

Why does woven (as opposed to knitted) nylon have such an annoying sound?

I’m reading the book “A walk in the woods” by Bill Bryson. This is a book that reminds me again that compared to American animals, and plants for that matter, the Australian Tasmanian devil is cute and cuddly.

Anyway, at one point in the book he talks about how miserable it is walking carrying a heavy backpack in the rain. That nylon rain gear doesn’t keep you dry because the combination of high humidity and exercise makes you sweat profusely.

He also mentions how irritating the sound of nylon rain gear is. The swish swish as it brushes together. Which made me remember from my youth. Nylon rain gear does sound awful, there’s something about it that sets the teeth on edge. Not so much in small doses, a few seconds, but over a timespan of many minutes. This also applies to other woven nylon products. But not knitted nylon such as in stockings. I’ve noticed the same sound from a nylon hang-glider canopy and fishing line, but not from nylon rope.

Rain gear began as rubber, but that was heavy, hot and expensive so was replaced by thin nylon. Hence the problem. Few if any people wear lightweight rain gear any more, except for disposable sheet plastic that is lucky to survive undamaged for half an hour.

Nylon is one of the strongest plastics, and is far cheaper than any plastic that is stronger.

But why is the sound so annoying?

It’s OK compared to corduroy trousers.

>>Few if any people wear lightweight rain gear any more, except for disposable sheet plastic that is lucky to survive undamaged for half an hour.<<

I have one of those which I have now used three times (for wandering in the bush to pick flowers for Mum’s funeral, and a couple of other times). It worked extremely well to go over me and my backpack. It’s been dried out for further use. It was not pouring rain, but it was wet, and I was walking in the heathland. The wind was the biggest problem and even that’s not too bad in the bush anyway.

buffy said:

>>Few if any people wear lightweight rain gear any more, except for disposable sheet plastic that is lucky to survive undamaged for half an hour.<<

I have one of those which I have now used three times (for wandering in the bush to pick flowers for Mum’s funeral, and a couple of other times). It worked extremely well to go over me and my backpack. It’s been dried out for further use. It was not pouring rain, but it was wet, and I was walking in the heathland. The wind was the biggest problem and even that’s not too bad in the bush anyway.

I’ve got proper souwester +20 degrees gear.

Peak Warming Man said:

buffy said:

>>Few if any people wear lightweight rain gear any more, except for disposable sheet plastic that is lucky to survive undamaged for half an hour.<<

I have one of those which I have now used three times (for wandering in the bush to pick flowers for Mum’s funeral, and a couple of other times). It worked extremely well to go over me and my backpack. It’s been dried out for further use. It was not pouring rain, but it was wet, and I was walking in the heathland. The wind was the biggest problem and even that’s not too bad in the bush anyway.

I’ve got proper souwester +20 degrees gear.

I’ve also got an Ultraflex fluoro yellow workwear raincoat. It’s good, light, breathes. But the backpack doesn’t know where to go because the coat is sort of boofy.

mollwollfumble said:

Why does woven (as opposed to knitted) nylon have such an annoying sound?

I’m reading the book “A walk in the woods” by Bill Bryson. This is a book that reminds me again that compared to American animals, and plants for that matter, the Australian Tasmanian devil is cute and cuddly.

Anyway, at one point in the book he talks about how miserable it is walking carrying a heavy backpack in the rain. That nylon rain gear doesn’t keep you dry because the combination of high humidity and exercise makes you sweat profusely.

He also mentions how irritating the sound of nylon rain gear is. The swish swish as it brushes together. Which made me remember from my youth. Nylon rain gear does sound awful, there’s something about it that sets the teeth on edge. Not so much in small doses, a few seconds, but over a timespan of many minutes. This also applies to other woven nylon products. But not knitted nylon such as in stockings. I’ve noticed the same sound from a nylon hang-glider canopy and fishing line, but not from nylon rope.

Rain gear began as rubber, but that was heavy, hot and expensive so was replaced by thin nylon. Hence the problem. Few if any people wear lightweight rain gear any more, except for disposable sheet plastic that is lucky to survive undamaged for half an hour.

Nylon is one of the strongest plastics, and is far cheaper than any plastic that is stronger.

But why is the sound so annoying?

Do you wear hearing aids?

Peak Warming Man said:

buffy said:

>>Few if any people wear lightweight rain gear any more, except for disposable sheet plastic that is lucky to survive undamaged for half an hour.<<

I have one of those which I have now used three times (for wandering in the bush to pick flowers for Mum’s funeral, and a couple of other times). It worked extremely well to go over me and my backpack. It’s been dried out for further use. It was not pouring rain, but it was wet, and I was walking in the heathland. The wind was the biggest problem and even that’s not too bad in the bush anyway.

I’ve got proper souwester +20 degrees gear.

Lightweight?

Wikipedia says it’s made of “oilskin”. Need to look that up.
“Modern oilskins made of flexible PVC-coated synthetic fabric.”
PVC coating to muffle the irritating noise?

> I’ve also got an Ultraflex fluoro yellow workwear raincoat. It’s good, light, breathes.

What’s it made from? Have the rain pants, too? Can you hear it breathing?

Hello rayon, my old friend
I’ve come to talk with you again
Because acrylic softly creeping
Left its seeds while I was sleeping
The polyester that was planted in my brain
Still remains
Within the sound of nylon

Bubblecar said:

Hello rayon, my old friend
I’ve come to talk with you again
Because acrylic softly creeping
Left its seeds while I was sleeping
The polyester that was planted in my brain
Still remains
Within the sound of nylon

:)

Most of the nylon jackets I’ve seen have the plastic made so it has the appearance of fabric. The small ridges help stop tears from propagating but as a side-effect it also makes the surface noisy when rubbing on itself.
My best guess anyway.

mollwollfumble said:

Peak Warming Man said:

buffy said:

>>Few if any people wear lightweight rain gear any more, except for disposable sheet plastic that is lucky to survive undamaged for half an hour.<<

I have one of those which I have now used three times (for wandering in the bush to pick flowers for Mum’s funeral, and a couple of other times). It worked extremely well to go over me and my backpack. It’s been dried out for further use. It was not pouring rain, but it was wet, and I was walking in the heathland. The wind was the biggest problem and even that’s not too bad in the bush anyway.

I’ve got proper souwester +20 degrees gear.

Lightweight?

Wikipedia says it’s made of “oilskin”. Need to look that up.
“Modern oilskins made of flexible PVC-coated synthetic fabric.”
PVC coating to muffle the irritating noise?

> I’ve also got an Ultraflex fluoro yellow workwear raincoat. It’s good, light, breathes.

What’s it made from? Have the rain pants, too? Can you hear it breathing?

I didn’t get pants. Mr buffy has some of the pants as well as a coat. We got them from the local rural suppliers some years ago. The little tag doesn’t say what it is made from, just “high grade materials”. (Made in China).

Rayon is a semi-synthetic fiber, made from natural sources of regenerated cellulose, such as wood and related agricultural products. It has the same molecular structure as cellulose. It is also called viscose. Many types and grades of viscose fibers and films exist. – Wikipedia

Rayon is sort of different from nylon etc. I like rayon. It drapes well in a garment. But it is hotter to wear than cotton.

buffy said:

Rayon is a semi-synthetic fiber, made from natural sources of regenerated cellulose, such as wood and related agricultural products. It has the same molecular structure as cellulose. It is also called viscose. Many types and grades of viscose fibers and films exist. – Wikipedia

Rayon is sort of different from nylon etc. I like rayon. It drapes well in a garment. But it is hotter to wear than cotton.

Thanks. I haven’t tried the acoustic properties of rayon / viscose.

I can probably now add nylon to my table of the acoustic properties of plastics.

Ranking from 0 to 5. Five is a loud pleasant sound. Zero is either no sound or a loud unpleasant sound.

Polyester – 5
PETE & ABS – 4 (clarinets are now being made from ABS)
Latex – 4 (the bronze from bronze bells and cymbals would probably rate a 4)
HDPE & PVC – 3
Polystyrene – 2
Acrylic, Nylon, Silicone & PTFE – 0

Epoxy – not good

Bear in mind that nylon has long been used for classical guitar strings and harp strings, for which it is well suited.