We have made a change to the ScuttleButt for 2022.

Rather than entirely welded PVC laminate construction, the new version with have an air-textured 1000d nylon, branded as “Dynamite”) top section that goes around the harness waistbelt, and a welded PVC laminate lower section over your butt and the harness leg loops.

Why? WHY? (You may ask) —

#1: the price was gonna go up, a lot.

#2: more comfortable - and the waistbelt cover is not the part that wears out.

#3: does allow a bit of color.

But you may be asking, does the new Scuttle, and the old Shuffle, absorb a lot of water and get heavy? Funny you should ask!

TEST  REPORT – Dec 7, 2021

 Water Absorption Comparison, Imlay Scuttle- and Shuffle-Butts

 Objective

 Imlay Canyon Gear offers two butt protector products: 

 IML 723 2020 ScuttleButt, a welded PVC-laminate product (discontinued);

IML 725 2022 ScuttleButt, nylon for the top 1/3 around the waist, and 2/3 welded PVC-laminate. IML 725 replaces IML 723 starting in December 2021;

 IML 734 New ShuffleButt, a sewn product using 2/3 air-textured 1000d nylon (brand name “Dynamite”)  plus 1/3 PVC-laminate around the leg loops; and

 IML 734 Old ShuffleButt, as above, but very well used (and retired).

 Some people have stated they prefer an all-PVC laminate product because it absorbs less water, and is therefore lighter in wet conditions.  The objective of this test is to measure the water absorption of the three different styles and see how they compare.

 Test Samples

 One sample of each product was selected for testing. The test was performed mostly on brand-new, unused product. The Dynamite portion is much more hydrophobic when new in contrast to after it has been used and scuffed up. For this reason, I also tested a very-well-used (recently retired) IML 734 ShuffleButt.

 Test Procedure

 1.     All samples were weighed dry and clean. The postal scale used has an accuracy of about +/- 3 grams.

2.     Samples were placed in a pot of cold water and weighted down. They were soaked for 75 minutes (+/- 10 minutes). Water is nominally room temperature.

3.     Each sample was removed from the water and shaken vigorously to remove surface water, then hung by one leg to drip dry for 5 minutes (+3, -0 minutes). After hanging, they were again shaken vigorously to remove surface water.

4.     Each sample was then weighed wet on the same postal scale.

 Test Data

Analysis

The PVC laminate fabric does not absorb water. The Dynamite material absorbs some water when brand new, though not a lot. After it has been thrashed and trashed, the Dynamite absorbs quite a bit of water.

 The PVC material is considerably heavier than the Dynamite. While the Dynamite absorbs more water, the IML 725 2022 and the IML 734 weigh slightly less than the dry IML 723 2020 even when all three are saturated with water.