We are all too busy to spend much time learning about the products we buy. Generally we have just enough time to get a clue about important characteristics and then try to comparison shop for the features we understand.

In order for us at BlanketNet to develop a product that would sell well, we had to take a good look at the properties you, the customer, are asking for. That's fair – it's your money!

This is what we learned from you:

• You want a waterproof breathable turn-out sheet or blanket because you work and cannot always get your horse inside when it rains.

• When you are from Canada, you want it warm enough. When you are from Florida, you do not want it too warm.

• When you are from Washington (and Texas), it must NOT leak.

• You want a price that is in line with the other products that are waterproof and breathable.

• You appreciate our fast delivery. (Thank you)

This is what we learned from the fabric folks:

There are primarily two state-of-the-art methods to waterproofing fabrics:

1. Coat the underside of the outer fabric with Polyurethane or

2. Laminate a high-tech film to the underside of the outer fabric.

Polyeurethane coating is a matter of thickness. The more thick, the more waterproof..but less breathable. The less thick, the less waterproof..but more breathable. Quite simple, except for "how waterproof?" "How breathable?" should we produce. The good news is that it is a lot less expensive than films, but the bad news is that coated fabrics typically lose much of their waterproof/breathable features after prolonged use and washing (based on both customer reports and laboratory tests).

It did not take much research to discover that the laminated high-tech films outperform coatings in sportswear where body temperatures affect competitive performace. While our horses do not have to win races in their blankets, there are additional features that make a film laminate more endearing. First of all, they are consistent performers. They remain consistent performers for years and that's what we really wanted. The only catch to laminates was the higher cost of production.

When we reviewed the performance of blankets using the Hug Closure, we concluded that the elastic strap closure system must be relieving a lot of strain on the fabrics. We have had VERY FEW reports of blankets tearing... even the low Denier products.

So, here is what we decided: We will have a top, durable performer with the Sympatex laminate. We will go one step further by treating our ripstop nylon liner with Hydrotex which will assist the breathable process by drawing moisture away from the horse. In light of the performance of the Hug Closure System in relieving strain on fabric and to keep our costs down, we decided to use a 600x600 Denier Polyester and to back up our customers with a guarantee (as with all our products). The winter blanket will have a 13-ounce polyfil which has already worked well for our customers.

Finally – in conclusion – yes, we have a waterproof breathable horse blanket using the Hug Closure system!

Cordura: DuPont's Nylon high-tenacity, fine-filament yarns create a durable, lightweight, abrasion-resistant fabric with a soft feel. It is used in active apparel and performance casual wear.

Nylon: Generic term for a man-made fibre made of a long chain of synthetic polyamides extracted from coal and petroleum. High strength, abrasion- and crease-resistance, quick drying, washable; resistance to mildrew, moths, and chemicals.

Polyester: A man-made fiber of long-chain, synthetic polymer; quick-drying, crease-resistant, high-strength, abrasion-resistant, minimum care. Often used in blends with cotton, rayon or other synthetics.

Denier: The international system for the numbering of silk and man-made filament yarns and fibers. Low numbers typically represent finer sizes; higher numbers, heavier yarns.

Water Repellent/Water Resistant: The ability to resist penetration by water. Most water repellent fabrics are finished with coatings that give various degrees of resistance; the pores of the fabric are not closed, as in waterproofing finishing.(see DWR below)

Waterproof: The ability to prevent penetration by water. Most waterproof fabrics are tightly woven and coated with a substance to close the pores of the fabric.

Breathability: The ease with which moisture vapor is transmitted through a fabric.

DWR: (Used on the outer surface of the blanket material.) Durable Water-Repellent, generally a silicone or fluorocarbon-based treatment applied to outerwear fabrics to help keep them from becoming saturated. DWRs need periodic touch-ups; reactivate by medium-heat machine drying, careful ironing, or with spray-on treatments.

Polyurethane Coating: (Used on the underneath surface of the outer fabric of the blanket.) An elastic waterproof polyurethane coating that breathes through microscopic pores left during application. The trade off between waterproofness and breathability depends on coating thickness; more coating equals more waterproofing, less breathability.

Sympatex: (Used on the underneath surface of the outer fabric of the blanket.) Ultra-thin, solid transparent, nonporous membrane. Laminated to the underside of a fabric, makes garment waterproof, windproof and breathable. Although solid, it allows perspiration to pass to outside of the garment through a combination of chemistry and physics.

Gore-Tex: (Used on the underneath surface of the outer fabric of the blanket.) Extremely thin, microporous PTFE (more commonly called Teflon) membrane. Laminated to the underside of a fabric, it makes the fabric waterproof, windproof and breathable. The membrane has pores larger than a molecule of water vapor and smaller than a water droplet to keep snow and rain out, but allowing perspiration to escape.

Seam Sealing: The process of applying tape or glue to seams or stitches to render them leak proof.

References: Outdoor Retailer, September 1994