i am so close to getting a cuben tarp from zpacks and just like some input from the members who own or have experience with tarps made from this material. I own stuff sacks made of cuben fiber but not a tarp. so if you have an opinion please do tell.
i had zpack make me a custom one. 11' by 8'8" w/5 tieouts on the 11' side and 2 center pullouts. with zing-it lines, mini s, mini fig. 9 (no stakes) 8.05 oz.
quailitys good. only had it out twice. will test again at pine barren winter hang.
the only complaint i have is the cuben stuff sack is too small to put it in in the field. im using a 1 gal. zip-lock.
"Tenting is equivalent to a bum crawling into a cardboard box, hammocking is an art" KK
I bought a zpacks cuben tarp sometime before thanksgiving. I have used it on two trips, it only rained on one. It served my needs very well. It is llight 5.3 oz and it packs up so small. I used it in the backyard several nights around Christmas when we had rain, ice and high winds. No problems. I left it pitched for over a week during some bad weather and it held up perfectly. Joe does great work and stands behind his products.
I'm liking cuben more and more, esp. after finding holes in a spinnUL tarp...at this point I'd venture that cuben is just as prone to punctures as spinnUL so why carry the extra weight? The incredible weights of these tarps are something you can't ignore if backpacking and watching the grams.
Well honestly I like cuben so much I've ordered a cuben tent from Liteheart or Heartfire-can't quite remember her name or is it the company or tent name??? Anyway, double walled tent with two doors/two vestibules at less than 16 ounces.
I have used a diy cuben tarp for a couple years with no problems. I am waiting on one of the vendors to get the color of cuben I want and I will get another one.
the video he has on his site of him tearing 1.3 oz sil nylon 0.51 oz cuben and 1.43 oz cuben. check it out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gfcu...eature=channel
I had a MLD cuben hex hammock tarp. Very well made and wonderfully light. Nice coverage for a hammock. I have since sold it as as I went back to ground and my needs have changed. Now need a large cheap tarp for kitchen activities and it would be easier to tolerate spark holes from the fire in a $60 heavier tarp vs. a $290 UL tarp. Had I stayed hanging, I'm sure I would have gotten years of light weight service from the tarp. The material, despite seeming flimsy, is tougher than it looks and feels.
MM-- did you get the LH Solo or the LH Awning? They look like pretty sweet tents. I'm partial to the awning tent.
after seeing both on display at SORUCK I chose the awning model, two zippered entrees and the zipper on the fly. Some say it is the Wanderlust reborn...I agree with others that is is the Wanderlust only much better.
Studied how the poles go into the PEX at the top and studied the pole for the awning (could save 1.5 ounces there)....its just a wonderful design. I"m not a tentor, but when you see something this ingenius.
MedicineMan, her name is Judy Gross and that awning tent is awesome. It has so much room for such a light weight tent. I'm thinking it would be perfect for my JMT hike next August
tj, glad you started this thread. I have really been thinking of grabbing one especially for summer.
KK its great to know that zpacks will do a custom size!
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