Techniques for folding a silicon-nylon tarp

[PatT]

Hello,

I just bought a new silicon-nylon tarp, the Guide model from Mountain Equipment Coop (MEC). It's my first silicon tarp and it's a mess to fold because it sticks and traps air.

I have tried searching the forum and YouTube to find various ways people use to properly fold their silicon-nylon tarp. I have not found any results.

I know many simply push it in its bag, but I like my pack clean and organized.

How do you fold your tarp? Any video links?

Thanks !

[Zilla]

I would think using a pair of skins and rolling into them would be easiest

[Bubba]

MEC sells snakeskins that make setting up and take down fairly easy. Vendors here sell them made of no-see-um but if you just want top check them out and if you don't like them you can return them.

[pgibson]

I saw a tarp once that stuck together like that. Silicone impregnated fabric should not stick together like pulling plastic wrap apart. That sort of thing is a issue with the coatings.

[Mrprez]

Well, it could also be an issue with the seam sealant not having been applied right or not have cured fully.

[peanuts]

you do not want to fold tarps, it create creases that eventually will make the tarp less water proof..that is the reason we stuff or use snakeskins ant it sounds that it way be a pu coated tarp?

[craige]

I agree with pgibson, in my experience silnylon is extremely slippery, which is why some diyers have a little trouble sewing it.

Storage wise my diy winter tarp gets stuffed into a doubke ended stuffsack that is about 3 litres in size; it will easily compress to half of that, in my mind, when its in its sack, it is clean and organised... it takes about 20 secs to put away and it doesn't touch the ground so there is no risk of dirtying or damaging it.

[FLRider]

I'm not trying to cast aspersions upon your information, but you're sure that you got the silnylon version of the Guides tarp? The reason I ask is that there's also a polyester version with a polyethylene coating that might be sticky-ish (I've never worked with polyethylene coating on fabrics, so I could be wrong here). Is it possible that they sent you the wrong tarp?

As far as folding, I highly recommend rolling the tarp and using either a set of snakeskins or a continuous ridgeline (if you need info on that, I can help) with Velcro cable ties to hold the rolled tarp in place. This makes it a single longish unit that is quick and easy to deploy in high winds and/or rain. Personally, I'm willing to chance a few raindrops in the evening most nights for the chance to see the stars, since I can set up my tarp across the top of the hammock and have it ready to go in less than two minutes from a sleeping start.

YMMV, of course.

[OneClick]

Stuff that baby in there! I'm OCD about organization but stuffing and cramming is the way to go.

[nacra533]

I use skins and ball it up in my pack.

Sil shouldn't stick together as others have stated. If its sticking, it's coated or your seam sealing is tacky, which mine is. A little talc powder helps a lot if its just the seam.