More props to cuben!

**heyyou** · 01-23-2012, 21:58

I believe the cuben surface will be smoother than a woven surface but after long term usage (lots of folding) that might change. The slicker surface should shed the snow, sooner. That is true for metal roofs, so maybe on tarps too.

Z packs is now selling tape for cuben. The primer is flammable so shipping it costs extra, and it probably shouldn't travel in the same box as expensive gear, which are two reasons to not sell primer.

**USMCStang** · 01-23-2012, 22:45

I can tell you this Luke, I was only about 20 feet from you, and I didn't hear so much as a "crinkle" coming from your tarp. It was plenty quiet. The snow we had was very fine. Someone described it as "someone pouring sand on your tarp", which I have to agree with.

I'm more interested in its "slickness" as well. I don't really have doubts about it's strength. Tear/ puncture resistance seems iffy to me. I had my Sil BMJ pitched at darn near 45 degrees exactly, and there was never more than a dusting on my tarp. All the snow slid off on its own. I wonder if there's an easy way to measure snow's adherence to "used" cuben (meaning stuffed and unstuffed at least 5 times to give it some wrinkles) in relation to sil when all other variables such as pitch angle, tautness, snowfall rate and type, and temperature are the same. Perhaps pitch an equal sized scrap of each at 45 degrees on a snowy night, and measure the pileup at the bottom.

**Bannerstone** · 01-25-2012, 18:34

Well the icy mix is headed our way here in Central Ohio, so I just had to pitch the cuben in the back yard to see how it deals with it. More to follow...

David

**Jcavenagh** · 01-25-2012, 23:16

Originally Posted by Bannerstone

Well the icy mix is headed our way here in Central Ohio, so I just had to pitch the cuben in the back yard to see how it deals with it. More to follow...

David

Looking forward to your report.

**Bannerstone** · 01-26-2012, 05:46

It started to freeze for an hour or so last night but it warmed up before morning. From what I saw it was sticking to the tarp and freezing even before other surfaces like automobiles and it wasn't just wiping off easily like I'd hoped. I did go with the ridgeline under the tarp for this set with the sides fairly steep.

Guess I'll have to wait on the next freezing rain for a better test.

David