Printable View
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.
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!
just got a zpacks cuben skirt (i bet it too has an official name but cant remember)....first thing I did was compare it to the sil-nyl RainWrap....I ordered the cuben short because the RainWrap goes to my ankles! I like the shorter zpack model much better, i just want it to cover a pair of hiking shorts-seems like it will stride better too.
Not to take away from zpacks customizing but MLD will custom you up a tarp too.
A tent???!!! I'm getting concerned about the number of fallen brothers on here!Quote:
Originally Posted by MedicineMan
Good to know as well! I have been super happy with MLD, in fact I just ordered about 8 different cuben stuff/dry sacks from them.Quote:
Originally Posted by MedicineMan
That's a pretty enlightening video. Now I know that if I expect to be attacked by someone wielding an 8" gutter nail, I'd best have a strong tarp!:lol:Quote:
Originally Posted by tonejones
i was really impressed with the strength of the 1.43oz cuben. Joe makes his packs out of this stuff. I put together a custom pack around 4.5oz. but I think I might have to sell some packs to legitimize the purchase.
http://www.lightheartgear.com/LightHeart_Gear/Home.html Judy's company :DQuote:
Originally Posted by MedicineMan
Judy, that's her. thanks Karl.
She gave the full demo/tour of each model at the ruck.
Nobodies fallen brother Wisenber! but you never know when you might need a tent.
Did the Rae Lakes Loop two summers ago and had to use one then...no trees at most
of that altitude. Used a Double Rainbow, but this Lightheart Solo is the best design I've seen.
Judy, that's her. thanks Karl.
She gave the full demo/tour of each model at the ruck.
Not fallen brother Wisenber! but you never know when you might need a tent.
Did the Rae Lakes Loop two summers ago and had to use one then...no trees at most
of that altitude. Used a Double Rainbow, but this Lightheart Solo is the best design I've seen.
Medicine Man,
I too have an MLD Cuben Hex Hammock Tarp which Ron customized, adding 6" to the length to match the length of the Warbonnet tarps. And I also have a Lightheart Cuben Solo Awning Tent on order. After Judy makes my Solo, I will sell most of my other shelters, leaving me with my ideal shelter setups for both hammock and tent camping.
I'm looking at one of those Cuben Solo Awning tents. They look really really cool. I figured with how light it is it would be very easy to bring it along on my trips and it would be perfect for my dog to sleep in...keep her out of the bugs nicely. It would also then become an excellent back up shelter should I have problems with my hammock...
Lol...just looked at the zpack website...his cuben shelters look good too... .
Now I don't know what to get???
I do think that these ultra light cuben shelters would be perfect to protect my dog from bugs/elements and would serve as an excellent back up shelter for myself.
Would anyone care to shed some thoughts on which company would be best? They both look like top notch companies...
I plan on ordering one of Joe's Heximid shelters for the JMT next year.
hahahahah.....Quote:
Originally Posted by Bunk
(laughing at myself)
An incredible amount of my time has been spent reading and drooling over these two shelters (lightheart solo/awning vs. Zpacks Hexamid).
....and I still don't know.
I wish there was a way to get them side by side.
Dogs sometimes blunder around and step on fabric walls of small shelters while turning and settling themselves or while trying to exit quickly to investigate noises outside. They're not as careful as we are to distinguish between an actual doorway and a non-rigid, semi-transparent wall of cuben or bugnet. Be warned. :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Bunk
and they have claws.....just a thought!
Excellent points and dually noted ;)
I've got a sweet little Marmot Aurora that has suffered a few tears from her claws. I have a gore tex throw that I can put down on the floor for protection and a bit more insulation for her...that and a CCF Pad.
Still could use some help on sorting out the two companies ;)
Intentional pun? If so, high marks! :laugh:Quote:
Originally Posted by Bunk
Tj have you settled on any cuben item yet?