Superfly seam seal ?

[stowe18]

Thanks for the replies everyone, that's reassured me tbh

@Stowe18, how you find the 20d silpoly in comparison ?

I just got it.. but when I set it up in the backyard, you can immediately tell the poly is less stretch and that water will repel off much easier than the sil-nylon. Has more of a plastic feeling than sil-nylon- and I don't mean that to sound cheap- it feels very high quality- as is everything warbonnet touches. I will be using this on a 45 mile hike on the Long Trail next weekend with my wife and using the Double Chameleon setup, so I'll definitely have a better answer after that "field test." My last trip with my sil-nylon Superfly, we had frost all over it in the morning, I tried wiping as much off as possible, but the moisture had set in, and the tarp easily weighed 10oz more than when dry. I also hate packing up the tarps wet, so the less moisture the tarp retains overnight, the better. I also highly recommend a mesh single piece snake skin to go along with this.

Also, if you like camo - in my humble opinion -- this is the best camo pattern out there.IMG_3841.jpgIMG_3845.jpgIMG_3846.jpgIMG_3840.jpgIMG_3839.jpg


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[stowe18]

To answer your question TxAggie -- I'd imagine it to be the same as the sil-nylon.. someone correct me if I'm wrong. I watched Rob's video from Backpacking Adventures on YouTube and followed his process on seam-sealing my Superfly. (WE MISS YOU ROB!)

[OneClick]

I go against the instructions and still put the sealant on the outside. Just the thinnest bead to cover the thread. Been holding strong on all my warbonnet tarps, two of them being 5+ years old. Just makes sense to me to stop the water before it even gets past the tarp, instead of "holding it back" once thru the tarp and into the thread/grosgrain or whatever it is.

[stowe18]

I go against the instructions and still put the sealant on the outside. Just the thinnest bead to cover the thread. Been holding strong on all my warbonnet tarps, two of them being 5+ years old. Just makes sense to be to stop the water before it even gets past the tarp, instead of "holding it back" once thru the tarp and into the thread/grosgrain or whatever it is.

Yup - I did the same thing.

[hutzelbein]

I have never seam-sealed any of my WB tarps and never had any leaks. However, I rarely use the porch-mode, so any water runs off fast. If you plan on setting up your tarp in porch-mode in the rain, you would probably be better off seam-sealing the pull-outs.

[Dippa]

Thanks Stowe18

@Hutz, what tarp would you recommend out of the ones you use from warbonnet ? Where did you purchase yours also ?

[hutzelbein]

@Hutz, what tarp would you recommend out of the ones you use from warbonnet ?

That really depends on the type of camping you're doing and your needs. The Superfly is easily the most popular tarp because it works in any weather. However, if you are a 3-season camper and rarely see really bad weather, it's overkill unless you want the doors for privacy. I like the idea of doors, and in the beginning I thought I needed them. But in all the years I never had situations where I needed or wanted doors. My main problem is usually that I carry too much stuff and my backpack is often (too) heavy. That's why I usually take the Mamajamba or the Edge. If I had to pick one, I would keep the MJ because it offers a bit more space in bad weather.

If you see a lot of wind and/or often will winter camp, I'd go with the SF. It depends on how often you think you will need the doors, and how often they will just be unused weight in your pack.

[QUOTE=Dippa;1784469Where did you purchase yours also ?[/QUOTE]

I did buy from Warbonnet directly during one of the Black Friday Sales. But the Dutch Bushcraft Shop offers the Superfly for a competitve price. You can expect to pay 20€ to 30€ more when you order directly from Warbonnet unless they have a sale going on.

[OneClick]

But in all the years I never had situations where I needed or wanted doors. My main problem is usually that I carry too much stuff and my backpack is often (too) heavy. That's why I usually take the Mamajamba or the Edge. If I had to pick one, I would keep the MJ because it offers a bit more space in bad weather.

If you see a lot of wind and/or often will winter camp, I'd go with the SF. It depends on how often you think you will need the doors, and how often they will just be unused weight in your pack.

I also like the Mamajamba. It's a good all-around tarp and I've been using mine for about 5 years. I just recently upgraded to the 20D silpoly version and like it the same.

The Superfly is pretty much mandatory in winter - need those doors to block COLD wind, blowing snow, etc. It's also nice if you get into thunderstorms. But mine doesn't see as much use since I apparently have some invisible forcefield around me keeping things dry and comfortable on every trip (still knocking on wood!)

[GreatBigDave]

I go against the instructions and still put the sealant on the outside. Just the thinnest bead to cover the thread. Been holding strong on all my warbonnet tarps, two of them being 5+ years old. Just makes sense to me to stop the water before it even gets past the tarp, instead of "holding it back" once thru the tarp and into the thread/grosgrain or whatever it is.

I agree with markr6 on this. I followed Warbonnet's instruction on my first Superfly and went back and sealed the outside after camping in a two-day rain revealed a tiny track of water from the panel pulls to the edge of the tarp. This was while using external pole mod which puts some tension on the pulls.

[Hike Monkey]

I agree that it is more practical. They probably recommend the backside for aesthetic reasons, to hide the shinny smear lines.