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  1. #1
    Senior Member XSrcing's Avatar
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    70D Urethane coated vs. 30D Silnylon

    First, this isn't about the weight of the stuff. I'm well aware that the 70D is twice as heavy as 30D silnylon.

    But does it also pack twice as big? Is there any other glaring reason as to why someone who is very budget conscious should spend the extra money on silnylon over 70D urethane coated nylon when making a DIY tarp? More specifically, the winter tarp as laid out on backwoodsdaydreamer.com?

    Time is is something I can easily free up more of.

    Money...not so much.

    Well, not if I want to keep my better half happy!

  2. #2
    Senior Member lustreking's Avatar
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    I'm not sure if it packs twice as big, but it will pack bigger.

    Have you done the math yet? This is just for the fabric, not any of the webbing, d rings, and reinforcement material.

    Sil 21.7 oz
    Coated 46.5 oz

    cost increase for silnylon $22.95 (but it costs $1.75 less to ship 9 yards of sil to my zip code which I guess shows the difference in packing size between the two.)

    I totally understand being on a budget (I've read a couple of Dave Ramsey's books and try to follow as best as I can), but I'd personally save up for another month and go with the sil.

    There are not many ways that you can lose over an ounce per dollar when it comes to backpacking.

  3. #3
    Senior Member MAD777's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by lustreking View Post

    There are not many ways that you can lose over an ounce per dollar when it comes to backpacking.
    The quote above is so true. That is reason enough to pick the silnylon tarp. (I'm assuming you backpack - not car camp).

    Another reason is the I've seen poly coated tarps delaminate over time.
    Mike
    "Life is a Project!"

  4. #4
    Senior Member FLRider's Avatar
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    The 70d won't pack twice as large. A good bet (with a bit of fudge factor built in) is about 1.5x the size. Which is still not huge when bundled with an hammock compared to a full-sized 1-man tent with a PVA footprint.

    However, it won't last quite as long (as MAD777 notes) due to delamination of the coating. Now, that won't likely happen for years, so feel free to use one if you choose.

    Another thing to consider is the sunk cost of gear upgrading when you do finally get more cash. Is it worth buying cheaper gear now and then not being able to sell it down the road, thus losing some of its value, when you decide to upgrade to lighter, more expensive gear?

    For me, it was worth that; it got me out there and made it possible for me to learn the basics of backpacking. For you? I dunno; only you can answer that.

  5. #5
    Senior Member GrayDog's Avatar
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    Another reason is the I've seen poly coated tarps delaminate over time.
    I found this out the hard way during a "rare" Florida rain storm.
    hammock [ham-uhk] noun
    Man's successful attempt to sleep on a cloud

  6. #6
    Senior Member lustreking's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MAD777 View Post
    Another reason is the I've seen poly coated tarps delaminate over time.
    It took a number of years, but I had a PU coated poncho that developed a wonderful vomit smell, too.

    Quote Originally Posted by FLRider View Post
    Another thing to consider is the sunk cost of gear upgrading when you do finally get more cash. Is it worth buying cheaper gear now and then not being able to sell it down the road, thus losing some of its value, when you decide to upgrade to lighter, more expensive gear?
    A good point, the resale value of the silnylon tarp will be much higher than that of the PU coated tarp, much more than the initial investment of $22.95.

  7. #7
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    Another point to add: I saved some money on my tarp by getting the fabric at a discount fabric store near me. By the time I finished the tarp I wished that I had just spent the extra few dollars for the nicer and lighter fabric because it took so much effort to make the tarp. If your going to make your own gear and invest the time in doing it, you may as well go with the best materials available to you (within reason of course). If its only $20-30, I would wait until I saved up the extra cash the make the tarp with sil-nylon. I don't think you'll regret it.

  8. #8
    Senior Member XSrcing's Avatar
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    I didn't know about the delamination of the urethane coating before. That's enough of a reason not to use it.

  9. #9
    richtorfla's Avatar
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    I have a HH hex urethane tarp and a sil tarp from AHE. The sil packs down a little smaller than the hex and is a lot lighter. The hex is 11 ft long and the sil is 12 ft. Like them both. If I am backpacking I take the sil. The HH hex was my first tarp. If the urethane delams, you can buy urethane from places like campmor to recoat it. I rehabbed many a tent flies with that product to get more life out of the tents for a boy scout troop. Here is the stuff,
    http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___80950

    Posted that so if you are worried about delam. Good luck on your choice!

  10. #10
    Senior Member Rolloff's Avatar
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    Pretty much the same as pads and quilts. Just because you can't afford that sweet down UQ, don't let the pad keep you out into the big piney.

    Same for tarps. Take what you have that will keep you dry. When you step up to Sil or CF, you might well be astonished, how small, how light you've just become.

    Remember, most of us use to carry tents and way too much, way to heavy gear. You'll still probably going to be lighter than ever before. In most cases considerably so, unless you already come from an UL or SUL background.

    In the meantime, if you are that worried about saving weight, there are lots of other ways to save ounces and grams, at the start anyway, for little more than time and some fairly easy DIY projects.
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