Mesh or Bands?

There are two options for maintaining the structure of your Tye Crossing vest when the fleece Backoff panel is removed: Polyester mesh or braided elastic bands.  Which to choose?

Choose the elastic bands if, like me, you really wish to eliminate a layer on your back when you’re working hard in the cold.  Compared to mesh, bands allow more cooling airflow and have far less material to become soaked by sweat.

Why choose the mesh?  To me, there is no functional advantage to the mesh, only an aesthetic one: some customers find it more attractive and think it looks more finished.  If these attributes are important enough to you to sacrifice some of the cooling and staying-dry properties of the elastic bands approach, then the mesh option is right for you!

Don’t get me wrong, a mesh back is a huge improvement over a typical fleece back for staying cool and dry. It’s just not as big an improvement as that provided by the elastic bands.

I’ve been wearing Backoff vests and jackets with elastic bands under backpacks for years—whether a fully loaded, well-ventilated backpacking pack or a flat-against-my-back daypack filled with dog toys and water—as well as when biking, skiing, and whitewater kayaking, and I’ve never been uncomfortable with the bands or disappointed by their functioning.