Rain passing through the tarp?

[Big Jim Mac]

I've got to tell my experience with an ENO tarp. I have the doublenest hammock, bug net and tarp along with their pro straps so pretty much have the whole kit. After reading many posts here and actually making my own hammock I see this brand has a lot of issues. But that tarp -- first time I pitched it I left it up planning to come out and spend the night. INstead a huge T-storm blew in. Before that we had a lengthy dry spell so the ground was dust. After the storm I couldn't hardly make myself go out in the woods to see what was left of my rig. No issues at all, and the ground under the tarp was still dust. No water at all in the hammock. Elsewhere it was mud...not sure what material this tarp is made from but it sure works. I even had the tarp too high based on pics I've seen from others here. NOt sure if it is material or its unusual design but this is one tarp that does its job.

[nacra533]

Most commercial tarps for the average consumer are pu coated ripstop. Same for tent rain flys. They are good and a little heavier usually. Nothing wrong with them at all for most folks that are not shaving ounces.

I've seen cordura type fabrics laminated with a waterproof film/sheet. I assume the pu nylon tarps are manufactured the same way. It is a very thin pu sheet laminated to the nylon. The pu sheet makes it waterproof and the nylon gives the tarp strength and structure.

[wirerat123]

This is why I don't understand all the hype and rabid attachment to this overpriced crap. A $10.00 polytarp at walmart is waterproof, silnylon isn't, it never was and never will be.

But it's pretty, and light, and expensive, so by all means everyone promote away.

Don't like polytarp? How about some clear plastic, 6 mil is pretty tuff, won't fray the way poly does, and allows some light in. Oh, I hear the cries now, it's to cheap, it'll never work.

Maybe you want something a little tougher, though I don't know why with your perverse attachment to the fragile silnylon, but if you do, there is always properly coated canvas, or heavier properly coated nylon. Yeah it's heavier, but you be dry, and not have to handle it like a newborn baby.

Wow, just wow.... It would appear to me as if someone has no real world knowledge to draw from and is just plain bitter about something.

Poly Tarps will rip apart LONG before any SilNylon tarp. The clear plastic will last about 10 seconds in heavy winds, and will likely get random holes and tears in it from every acorn or pine cone or small stick that falls from the sky.

If you had called upon the ultra awesome Tyvek for a reasonable option, and something to compare durability against Sil or Spinn, then you may have had a little ammo to work with.

Comparing Poly tarps and plastic drop cloths to Sil or Spinn is silly. Sil or Spinn will smoke either of those options every day of he week in every way. Doesn't mean they aren't an option.

Take what you can afford and be happy. You want to preach SAFE and affordable options. A 9x9 sheet of Tyvek is about $20, it weighs about 12oz, it will take one heck of a beating, it's not very UV sensitive at all, you can hang it outside in the sun for an entire season and it will look a little ragged, but will still do it's job. It's light, it's waterproof, it's very very durable, and it's noisy as heck when it rains. But it works, and is safe.

Consider that an education for you. Tyvek is the ONLY "cheap" option I would EVER consider for a long term shelter option where weather can change from good to bad to ugly in short order. When your Poly Tarps and Plastic sheeting are blowing at a blistering pace through the woods to never be seen again because the Grommets tore through, or the sheet ripped into shreds, the folks sheltering under Tyvek,SilNylon, Spinn, and Cuben are still dry and comfy.

You wanna preach cheap options and safety when camping, don't come in here trying to tell VERY experienced woodsmen that Poly Tarps and Plastic sheets will do just as well or better than SilNylon. You will not be taken seriously. And if you are trying to suggest someone depending on Plastic Sheeting while lost in the cold is safer than one using SilNylon, you have lost your mind.

Best way to be safe is NOT be stupid. That's all I have to say about this for now.

[Cannibal]

Just like bears, it's best to not feed the Trolls.

[wirerat123]

Just like bears, it's best to not feed the Trolls.

Oh, but hand feeding the bears is such a rush!

[Roadrunnr72]

WOW,,Just WOW,, Ok back on subject, has anyone that has had the misting from silnylon every tried one of the silicone water proof sprays to see if it improved w/ misting?

[beep]

I've never had "misting" from silnylon...in my tent (Six Moon Designs or Tarptent) or tarp (Backwoods Daydreamer (or OES MacCat Deluxe in SpinnUL)).

I've had some condensation on the underside, mostly in cooler summer temps (50's), but nothing that came through the fabric.

[G.L.P.]

I've never had "misting" from silnylon...in my tent (Six Moon Designs or Tarptent) or tarp (Backwoods Daydreamer (or OES MacCat Deluxe in SpinnUL)).

I've had some condensation on the underside, mostly in cooler summer temps (50's), but nothing that came through the fabric.

i only ever had it happen once...with an old car camping tent i have
but the tent is 8 years old...and seen better days...so i'm sure that had alot to do with it....and it was in a really bad downpour ....i mean BAD
but like you my Maccat has never had misting... not once ...
either did the JRB 11x10 i had......man i miss that tarp

[RichardD]

I have not had my sil Nylon tarp let in spray but I have not been in it in particularly heavy downpours. Not so on my sil nylon tent (Tarptent Rainbow, prior to switching to a hammock). On several occasions the tent let in a fine spray when the rain was very heavy or it was hailing. The concensous of much discussion with other single wall tent users is that condensation forms on the inside of the tent and is shaken free by the heavy rain or hail hitting the outside of the tent. If the heavy rain is particularly cold then the condensation will form rather quckly on the inside of the tent, heavy rain in mountains and hail is of course, cold.
The sil nynon will hold water if you hold a piece of it like a bucket and fill it with water, none leaks through which would suggest that the sil nylon is quite waterproof.
In my tent a tent sponge effectively stopped the problem but of course neccesitated that I wipe the inside surface of the tent frequently during heavy rain. The bug netting on a double wall tent or in a hammock reduces the severity of the problem as I imagine would a steep side profile.
Hope this helps.

[hutzelbein]

After reading a couple of threads on silnylon tarps, I'm now wondering if I maybe damaged it: I was so happy with my hammock, that I slept outside a lot; I would guess around 5 or 6 weeks - with the tarp strung up most of the time (and in the same place over several full days). Could it be that the UV radiation was a bit too much and maybe destroyed the waterproofing to some degree?

I can only repeat: it was not condensation. The underside of the tarp was bone-dry - it always has been whenever I had it up in the rain. This has been pretty surprising to me, because I'm used to the condensation that builds up inside a tent. And I have read it again and again that people here are also talking about the underside of the tarp being wet. Not so with my tarp.

I haven't had the tarp up for a while - it has turned pretty cold, and I was waiting for the delivery of my first down underquilt. Should I observe the same behaviour again, I'll definitely make a video...