Cuban fiber tarps....

[pellet gun]

Anyone simply love these??? I'm looking for a new tarp and a little feed back on Cuban fiber...

[Shug]

Anyone simply love these??? I'm looking for a new tarp and a little feed back on Cuban fiber...
I do....and just did a video on mine.
Might give some insight.
Shug

2sL0FIHQD84

[pellet gun]

haha! Hey Shug! I've seen all your stuff. Thanks and Whoooo Buddy!

[WV]

They're expensive. Who's going to respond, "No, I made a big mistake." But I just love mine ... :D

[Dblcorona]

I just got mine today. Really liking it. I will post a new thread once I get my video uploaded to YouTube.

[stefprez]

I don't have one, so maybe not being on the band wagon means I'm missing out on the awesome cuben fiber party or something, but here's my thought. I have a tarp (WB Edge) made out of Silnylon. It weighs ~10 ounces and cost me $100. Packs down real small, really dang light, and doesn't break the bank. For triple the cost, you can save 4-5 ounces. If you got money to blow, or the absolute lightest gear is critical for you, or both, go for it. For most, I'd say save the $200 and get your basic silnylon. Just my two cents. :)

[Shug]

haha! Hey Shug! I've seen all your stuff. Thanks and Whoooo Buddy!
Ten-four.... a wee bit more))))))

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3652/5778146971_ca5192701e_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/shugsbackpacktrips/5778146971/)
IMG_0011 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/shugsbackpacktrips/5778146971/) by Sean Shug Emery (http://www.flickr.com/people/shugsbackpacktrips/), on Flickr

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3649/5778693640_86cecc07e8_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/shugsbackpacktrips/5778693640/)
IMG_0012 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/shugsbackpacktrips/5778693640/) by Sean Shug Emery (http://www.flickr.com/people/shugsbackpacktrips/), on Flickr

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3362/5777609020_141545131e_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/shugsbackpacktrips/5777609020/)
IMG_0075 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/shugsbackpacktrips/5777609020/) by Sean Shug Emery (http://www.flickr.com/people/shugsbackpacktrips/), on Flickr

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5027/5777174627_90a82083fa_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/shugsbackpacktrips/5777174627/)
HG Cub Tarp 2 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/shugsbackpacktrips/5777174627/) by Sean Shug Emery (http://www.flickr.com/people/shugsbackpacktrips/), on Flickr

[Hawk-eye]

PLUS ONE on what Shug says ... that Hammock Gear Cuben Tarp is mighty well made.

[ChrisH]

I don't have one, so maybe not being on the band wagon means I'm missing out on the awesome cuben fiber party or something, but here's my thought. I have a tarp (WB Edge) made out of Silnylon. It weighs ~10 ounces and cost me $100. Packs down real small, really dang light, and doesn't break the bank. For triple the cost, you can save 4-5 ounces. If you got money to blow, or the absolute lightest gear is critical for you, or both, go for it. For most, I'd say save the $200 and get your basic silnylon. Just my two cents. :)

Very well said!:)

[MAD777]

I don't have one, so maybe not being on the band wagon means I'm missing out on the awesome cuben fiber party or something, but here's my thought. I have a tarp (WB Edge) made out of Silnylon. It weighs ~10 ounces and cost me $100. Packs down real small, really dang light, and doesn't break the bank. For triple the cost, you can save 4-5 ounces. If you got money to blow, or the absolute lightest gear is critical for you, or both, go for it. For most, I'd say save the $200 and get your basic silnylon. Just my two cents. :)

Recognizing that there is no right or wrong answer to this dilemma, I agree with stefprez when it comes to small tarps because it simply doesn't make that much difference. However, I go the other way on huge, winter tarps, complete with doors. That's when I feel the cuben comes into it's own and saves some mind-boggling weight and pack size.

[pellet gun]

I don't have one, so maybe not being on the band wagon means I'm missing out on the awesome cuben fiber party or something, but here's my thought. I have a tarp (WB Edge) made out of Silnylon. It weighs ~10 ounces and cost me $100. Packs down real small, really dang light, and doesn't break the bank. For triple the cost, you can save 4-5 ounces. If you got money to blow, or the absolute lightest gear is critical for you, or both, go for it. For most, I'd say save the $200 and get your basic silnylon. Just my two cents. :)
Thanks man, I'm really considering your thought...

[pellet gun]

Ten-four.... a wee bit more))))))

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3652/5778146971_ca5192701e_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/shugsbackpacktrips/5778146971/)
IMG_0011 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/shugsbackpacktrips/5778146971/) by Sean Shug Emery (http://www.flickr.com/people/shugsbackpacktrips/), on Flickr

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3649/5778693640_86cecc07e8_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/shugsbackpacktrips/5778693640/)
IMG_0012 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/shugsbackpacktrips/5778693640/) by Sean Shug Emery (http://www.flickr.com/people/shugsbackpacktrips/), on Flickr

Thanks for the xtra pics Shug! I wish I could find one in camo for around $250...I'm in Georgia and don't do 4 season, so I don't really need doors....wanna make me one?? :0)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3362/5777609020_141545131e_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/shugsbackpacktrips/5777609020/)
IMG_0075 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/shugsbackpacktrips/5777609020/) by Sean Shug Emery (http://www.flickr.com/people/shugsbackpacktrips/), on Flickr

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5027/5777174627_90a82083fa_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/shugsbackpacktrips/5777174627/)
HG Cub Tarp 2 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/shugsbackpacktrips/5777174627/) by Sean Shug Emery (http://www.flickr.com/people/shugsbackpacktrips/), on Flickr


Thanks for the xtra pics Shug! I wish I could find one in camo for around $250...I'm in Georgia and don't do 4 season, so I don't really need doors....wanna make me one?? :0)

[VAHanger]

Agree wrt silnylon bang for the buck. I love my OES silnylon Mac Cat. A quality silnylon tarp will serve you well. Though i must admit, when my daughter decided she wanted to hammock camp with me, I shamelessly used it as an excuse to get a cuben. :)

[lazy river road]

I love my cuben cause I love big tarps. I went from a 23 oz sil to a 8 oz cuben that's the same size. I like to use a winter size tarp all year round so I really wanted a big ol cuben tarp. To save weight. But a sil tarp kept my just as dry at twice the weight. It really depends on what size tarp u want and if the xtra money is worth the xtra weight savings.

[BER]

I'm actually with Stefprez. I had an MLD cuben hammock tarp and sold it. Perhaps it was my own perception, but it seemed I was always nervous that a branch would fall or I'd trip over a guy line, or a blown spark from the fire would mar my precious cuben tarp. Now I have a larger silnylon tarp for twice the weight but half the cost and a whole lot less anxiety. Perhaps one day if I am hiking more (rather than canoeing), I'll buy one again. But for now, there are plenty of other things I could do to lighten my load of those 8oz if I felt the need.

That being said, the gear head in me does drool a little every time someone posts new pics.

[stefprez]

That being said, the gear head in me does drool a little every time someone posts new pics.

Couldn't agree more. :)

[uneekwahn]

http://tech-tiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/house-do-want1.jpg

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_hXTB6CAgmOY/SWVeQMMsjcI/AAAAAAAAAFE/TQACieBoGtY/S1600-R/ross_trilla+copy.jpg

[SteelerNation]

Recognizing that there is no right or wrong answer to this dilemma, I agree with stefprez when it comes to small tarps because it simply doesn't make that much difference. However, I go the other way on huge, winter tarps, complete with doors. That's when I feel the cuben comes into it's own and saves some mind-boggling weight and pack size.

This is where I come in as well. I really love the coverage of my SuperFly and the doors come in handy in bad wind or sideways rain. That said, I was able to have Joe at ZPacks make me a CF tarp with roughly the same features (just a little bit skinnier) for over a pound less weight.

I'm totally loving my decision.

SN

[stefprez]

This is where I come in as well. I really love the coverage of my SuperFly and the doors come in handy in bad wind or sideways rain. That said, I was able to have Joe at ZPacks make me a CF tarp with roughly the same features (just a little bit skinnier) for over a pound less weight.

I'm totally loving my decision.

SN

I think if I did more cold weather stuff, or preferred the larger size tarp, I'd be totally onboard. A 1lb weight savings is huge, especially if you are already going lightweight. But yeah, with the smaller "3 season" tarps, if you will, the weight savings usually does not justify the price. Looks like I gotta man up and start doing some more winter hiking so I can get some new gear... :D

[PDA]

Fascinating discussion here. Interesting data re cost per ounce etc. SO I looked up a few prices and weights. Obviously, that is not the whole story, as placing, number and type of tie outs can make a big difference in usability, and must be worth part of the price. I used 8x10 as a size for comparison.

Polyethylene:
Tarpaflex camo/green poly, $7.71, 32 oz (6 or 7 mil)
Tarpaflex green, $3.25, 24 oz (5 mil)
REI poly blue, $6.50, 18 oz (claimed, must be 3 mil poly to get that weight)

Then PU coated polyester:
Kelty Noah 9x9 , $60, 29 oz.
Outdoor products 9.5x8 $47 26 oz.

SIlnylon:
Equinox $95, 14 oz.
Warbonnett Edge: $100, 10 oz. (cat cut)
MLD $195, 15 oz.

SpinnUL:
Warbonnett Edge $150, 8.25 oz.

Cuben
MLD $350, 10 oz.
Zpacks $235, 5.2 oz.

Myself, I started with an 8x10 pievce of Tyvek which cost nothing and a couple of dollars for clips and mason line, and weighs about 17 oz.

Now I have the large Hennessy hex, 12x10 23 oz and $60.
and a Hennessy asym scout at 10 oz and $30. (for backpacking)

So for backpacking, I can have 10 oz for $30) or slightly better coverage and 5 oz. for $235.
For car camping or one or two mile level walkins, my $60 Hennessy gives me more coverage than anything else here. For group camping I picked up a Kelty Noah 12x12 for $15 at an REI garage sale, so we can gather arouind to eat as a community without getting soaked.
Maybe I should change my trail name to TT (Trailer Trash)

[R00K]

Love the cuben - review in the sig.

[MAD777]

Good research there PDA!
I made my own silnylon hex tarp that covers my WBBB for less than $30 of materials and it weighs 7.5 ounces with tie-out (but not guyline).

For a winter tarp that goes to the ground, with doors that is significantly larger than a typical backpacking tent, the cost ratio would feel less important as the miles wore on.

Of course, cuben wouldn't even be on the radar if I car camped.

[tiredhiker]

I have a question about the cuben tarp....
when the heavens open up how does the tarp sound? anything like spinn?

[Shug]

I have a question about the cuben tarp....
when the heavens open up how does the tarp sound? anything like spinn?
A bit between spinn and silnylon......
Shug

[Mike_O]

I'm knid of with Mad on this one. I have both a Zpacks winter tarp and a MLD Hex in spin. From my perspective the cuben MLD was 100 more and only going to save me an ounce or so. I have notice what everyone fails to mention about the big winter tarps in the need for more stakes. If you are truly counting grams then the extra 6 or so stakes starts to add up.

My Hex and Cuben weigh almost the same when you factor in the number of stakes to carry but the advantage goes to cuben when looking at total coverage.

[stefprez]

I'm knid of with Mad on this one. I have both a Zpacks winter tarp and a MLD Hex in spin. From my perspective the cuben MLD was 100 more and only going to save me an ounce or so. I have notice what everyone fails to mention about the big winter tarps in the need for more stakes. If you are truly counting grams then the extra 6 or so stakes starts to add up.

My Hex and Cuben weigh almost the same when you factor in the number of stakes to carry but the advantage goes to cuben when looking at total coverage.

I feel like throwing stakes into the equation makes the comparison a bit like apples to oranges. True, you need more stakes for a winter tarp, but we aren't comparing small tarp to big tarp, we are comparing cuben fiber as a tarp material to other available tarp materials.

For smaller tarps (and assuming the same number of stakes) it seems that many would agree that the small weight savings by going with cuben does not justify the cost increase. With larger tarps, however, for some, the much more significant weight savings does justify the cost increase. If we compare two identical, large winter tarps with doors to each other, meaning they require the same number of stakes, but one is cuben, and the other is let's say silnylon, the weight savings would be quite significant.

When you try to compare a small, sil tarp to a large cuben fiber, the only conclusion you can really make is for around the same weight (including the stakes) you can get more coverage with cuben, at a price.

[knottin]

I'll wait until they are 2 oz and cost $500.00.

[MAD777]

If I were looking for maximum weight savings in winter conditions, I would go with a hammock sock. It's less material and a smaller space to heat up inside. And of course, it could be made out of cuben :laugh: along with some breathable panels of nylon.