What’s the Difference Between: Cordura Vs. Ballistic Nylon?

Cordura and ballistic nylon both have been in use for over 50 years. But when it’s time to choose one over the other, you really need to ask yourself- which one is better?

And then the next question pops up in your head is, what are the differences?

Don’t worry; we are here to help you out. We’ll talk about all you want to know about both the fabrics.

But first, let’s know about the Cordura fabric and the Ballistic Nylon.

Cordura Fabric

Cordura fabric is mostly made of nylon but blended with cotton or other natural fiber.

The fabric was first introduced as a type of rayon. During WWII, this fabric was developed and used by the military in the tire.

Later, researchers discovered the process of dyeing Cordura and from then on, the fabric grasps the wide variety of commercial applications. Products including luggage, backpacks, trousers, shoes, jackets, military wear, and performance appearance are now made of this fabric.

Due to its high abrasion resistance, Cordura is now used in high-end textile motorcycle jackets and pants.

Ballistic Nylon

Nylon fabric is made with a ballistic weave which is typically a basket weave usually made with 840, 1050 or 1680 denier.

However, 1050D and 1680D are similar in strength but later is light in weight.

Basically, Ballistic nylon is thick and tough and used to make several things such as military shoes, military belt, straps, luggage, motorcycle jackets, military backpacks, and sheaths.

During WWII the flak jacket used by the airmen was made of Ballistic nylon. Till today, Ballistic fabric serves the military in several purposes without a single disappointment.

You may think I am just beating around the bush. But before getting to the differences, it was necessary to describe the similarities.

So, what’s the difference? Hang on folks. You are just a few lines away from your answers!

The Differences Cordura vs. Ballistic Nylon

Below are the key differences that count.

Fabric Formation

The key difference between these two fabrics is their formation structure. Cardura is texturized which means its yarns are slightly fuzzy; actually discontinuous like a natural fiber.

That provides Cardura somewhat higher abrasion resistance. On the other hand, Ballistic is a filament yard meaning its yarns are smooth and slick that gives Ballistic fabrics a great tear and tensile strength.

Weight

Because of the formation dissimilarity, Ballistic is a bit heavier. However, the difference between weight isn’t very significant.

Color

Another factor that distinguishes Cordura from Ballistic is the color. While cordura can be dyed in various colors, that’s not the case with the Ballistic. That’s why in most cases, Ballistic is either black or something dark close to navy blue.

Cordura or Ballistic Nylon?

Knowing the functional similarities and the formation differences of these two fabrics, you are now ready to make an informed decision about the two.

Yeah, that’s right! There is nothing called “best” when the options are Cordura and Ballistic Nylon.

Both fabrics have their own sets of pros and cons. And in the end, it all comes down to your requirements and preferences.

Now, one is better at providing you great tensile and tear strength, while the other offers better abrasiveness.

Definitely, in a lot of applications in the military, both fabrics are preferred. But if the situation demands a lot of crawling and surfing on the field in training, better choose Cordura. And if you need to carry something heavy for hours, then go for Ballistic!