Published: July 14, 2025
Dyneema® composites have been the material of choice in high-performance backpacks for almost two decades. In that time, they have garnered a reputation as the premium material of choice for outdoor gear. But could the material be even better? The market said it had to be.
“We knew that wear and abrasion resistance were top priorities, so how could we create an even more ultra-durable composite while keeping it incredibly lightweight?” Dyneema® engineers Peto Verdaasdonk (Application Development Specialist), Chris Adams (Technology Manager, Fabrics & Composites), and countless others spent two years in search of the answer.
Layer upon layer of the world's strongest fiber™
Dyneema® Woven Composites are multi-layer materials, with each layer providing specific performance attributes. “The outer layer is made from a 100% Dyneema® woven face fabric, which provides unparalleled abrasion and cut resistance,” says Peto. “We’d never used this kind of pure Dyneema® woven material before, and it really took abrasion resistance to a whole new level.”
At the heart of the materials is the mainstay of all Dyneema® composites – the Dyneema® core. “The core layer is our trademark, and it delivers a level of dimensional stability that’s essential for backpacks,” Peto continues. “In a backpack made just with woven fabric, the yarns in the weave pass over and under each other, forming a structure with thousands of crossovers. When tension is applied to this kind of fabric, the fibers shift, resulting in stretch. In our construction, however, we use a woven fabric on the outside. This is then combined with a Dyneema® core where the fibers are bonded on top of each other without interlacing.”
The result? No crossovers, no added slack, and consistent length for every fiber. “Because Dyneema® is extremely strong and exhibits virtually no stretch, this fiber arrangement gives the material exception dimensional stability,” explains Peto.
Finally, beneath the Dyneema® woven face fabric and core layers, a thin film layer serves another crucial purpose. “That’s for water permeability,” concludes Peto. “It means the material can be 100% waterproof – an essential attribute in any backpack.”
The best of both worlds
The construction of Dyneema® Woven Composites was the result of an exhaustive R&D process and multiple iterations tested extensively in both the lab and the field. “It took a lot of trial and error,” admits Chris. “Experimenting with an open mind, we even considered omitting the Dyneema® core entirely. Some early prototypes only consisted of a woven Dyneema® face layer and a layer of film.”
“We focused on finding the optimum strength-to-weight ratio, because the goal was always to increase durability while creating an even more ultra-lightweight composite suitable for backpacks.”
None of the early prototypes achieved the required levels and so a crucial conclusion was reached. “In the end, we realized the Dyneema® core was essential and unbeatable, and that pairing it with a single 100% woven Dyneema® face fabric delivered the best of both worlds – excellent abrasion resistance and ultra-low weight,” explains Chris. "Our fiber spreading technology is what sets us apart and it remains our core performance advantage.
Dyneema® global testing facilities prove pivotal
Testing Dyneema® Woven Composites demonstrated the strength of Dyneema®’s global reach. The Dyneema® lab in Mesa, Arizona, conducted puncture, tear, and tensile analysis. Dyneema® technicians in the Netherlands deployed specialist Gelbo flex and abrasion testing to simulate the composite’s performance over multiple years of use. And Dyneema®’s lab in Singapore carried our rigorous tests of the material’s slash resistance.
“Coordinating all these tests and gathering the relevant data wasn’t simple,” concedes Chris. “But it gave us a level of technical insight and specialist knowledge that was irreplaceable. Every location brought something critical to the table, and that’s what made the final product so robust.”
Dyneema® Woven Composites demonstrate significantly improved abrasion resistance, superior tear and cut protection, and enhanced dimensional stability.
Further validating performance with Hyperlite Mountain Gear
But testing in the lab wasn't enough. Dyneema® worked closely with trusted partner, Hyperlite Mountain Gear, to validate performance. Their team helped evaluate various prototypes and iterations in real-world conditions, providing access to candid feedback that helped shape the final material construction. The result is a composite that's not only technically advanced but proven where it matters most - in the wild.
The Hyperlite partnership resulted in an updated series of its Windrider, Southwest, and Junction backpacks, the range’s first major refresh since its landmark 2010 launch. This is the first time Dyneema® Woven Composites have been used in a commercial product.
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