Quote Originally Posted by finskie View Post
Wags got a cuben upper 0* UQ from HG and it was 21oz on my scale, same as listed weight basically for a non cuben. My personal preference is not to use cuben in an UQ. I had one briefly and found that it did not feel that it worked as well as a non cuben inner. Not that I really had a cold spot or something, but just cold in general, not the reflected back heat feeling I get with other quilts. YMMV but it was enough that I returned it. It was cool looking though, and others have had a better go of it.

As tarps go, I have a cuben tarp and I love that I get more coverage for less weight. I have yet to test long term durability, but some data I see out there makes me concerned in that department. I wouldn't trade my cuben away now, but if I had it to do over, I would probably spend that money elsewhere and stuck with my sil tarp. The weight difference I could compensate for by doing a little heavier leg workout in the gym


While I'm a fan, I'm also worried about the durability of it as far as a tarp application. While at the ohio hang there were stories about acorns falling and putting holes in a cuben tarp.. I immediately thought, what's the point of shelter if it's so delicate it can't deflect an acorn? I need lightweight DURABILITY for most of my gear that's not sleep gear. While I'm very impressed with the weight of it and the waterproofness (and I actually like the transluscence) I've also heard the mylar (the cuben fiber is bonded by mylar as I understand it, so it's really a bunch of fibers on/part of a sheet of mylar) breaks down over time.. How long is what I'm itching to find out. $400 is a lot for a piece of gear that'll only last a few seasons.

But as of now, they're getting good marks. Fella's did an overnight here in ohio and got some good winds and reports were all good so as far as right now, it's a pinnacle fabric for backpackers.