Boot insulation stats

[Intruder]

Does anyone have a source for any detailed information pertaining to the insulating quality of boots w/ Thinsulate?  I know they generally come in 200, 400, 600, 800, etc gram Thinsulate amounts.  But, is there some kind of scale that gives some perspective on effectiveness of each.  I know every boot retailer/manufacturer I've talked to indicates that just because you double the weight you don't double the warmth.  So unfortunately its not any easy thing to decipher.  I'd really like to get some idea how much better each 200 gram increment is at insulating.   

[Coasthunterjay]

Yes this is what i have understood......so take that the higher the weight the more fiberous amounts of tissue or what they call thinsulate you will have per square inch or whatever and will allow less amounts of heat to escape.....the more you have, the less heat that will be able to escape....Which means the more you will naturally heat and warm yourself......because thinsulate is a smaller fiber and can put more in which makes it denser in size.

I copied this from the 3M maufacturer who actualy makes the thinsulate.....here is some info on it......

                       
                                         
THINSULATE ON THE LEFT   VS. OTHER SYNTHETIC BRANDS ON THE RIGHT.
Thinsulate insulation works by trapping air molecules between you and the outside. The more air a material traps in a given space, the greater its insulating value. Because the microfibers in Thinsulate insulation are far finer than other fibers, they trap more air in less space, which naturally makes it a better insulator. So we haven't repealed the laws of nature with our thin insulation; we've simply obeyed them better...to your advantage.


breathable
moisture-resistant
both machine washable and dry-cleanable

[Coasthunterjay]

HERES IS SOME MORE TECHNICAL INFO ON THINSULATE......

Thinsulate is a synthetic fibre used for thermal insulation in clothing. The word is a portmanteau of thin and insulate, and is a trademark of the 3M Corporation. The material was first sold in about 1980.

Thinsulate fibres are about 15 micrometres in diameter, which is thinner than the polyester fibres normally used in insulation for clothing such as gloves or winter jackets. Advertising material for thinsulate [[1]] suggests that thinsulate is more effective due to the increased density of fibres with decreased size of fibres compared with more traditional insulation. Like most insulation materials, the gaps between fibres not only reduce heat flow, but also allow moisture to escape. The insulation properties are benficial for retaining some of the heat produced by the body for comfortable warmth while the moisture produced, e.g. by sweating, is supposed to evaporate.

The manufacturer claims that, for a given thickness of material, Thinsulate provides 1 to 1.5 times the insulation of duck down, while being much less water-absorbent and much more resistant to crushing. Based on an insulating value for down of 4.8 Clo per 1.1-inch (28 mm) [2], that would mean Thinsulate provides about 6.5 Clo per inch (i.e., an imperial R-value of 5.75 per inch).

In 1978 Thinsulate insulation was introduced, marketed as providing "warmth without bulk". Marketing material suggests it retains its insulating ability even in damp conditions.

Materials Safety Data Sheets from the manufacturer show that different varieties of Thinsulate are made from different mixtures of polymers, but most are primarily Polyethylene terephthalate or a mixture of Polyethylene terephthalate and polypropylene. Other ingredients in some include polyethylene terephthalate–Polyethylene isophthalate copolymer and acrylic.