Pitching cuben questions

**sophistihip** · 08-27-2015, 11:04

It finally happened, my HG cuben tarp arrived! There are a couple issues with it but overall it looks great and I can't wait to use it. I did a test pitch last night and I ran into some issues and have some questions about pitching cuben.

Is it harder to get a perfectly taught pitch with cuben due to it stretching less or not at all? With silnylon, I was able to get everything taught just by stretching it a bit. No flapping or anything loose whatsoever. With the cuben, it seems like there is always slack somewhere, especially in the side cat cuts. It's not major but sort of a concern. I found it difficult to completely eliminate it. The tarp is certainly solid but I'm wondering if it'll be an issue in high winds. In the photos below, you can see that the ridgeline isn't taught when I pitch it with trekking poles, and when I pitch it to the fence the cat cuts are a little loose (but probably fine).

How hard can I tug on the cuben when I'm pitching it? With silnylon, I got comfortable with yanking it until it was nice and taught, but the cuben doesn't give like that. How much pressure can I put on it while pitching? I'm still uncomfortable with this material because it looks so delicate.

Here are some photos of my pitch:

Screenshot 2015-08-27 12.03.37.png
Screenshot 2015-08-27 12.03.41.png
Screenshot 2015-08-27 12.03.58.png

**Sunndog** · 08-27-2015, 11:58

Can't help with your question mate, iv never used cuben. but can i ask how you have rolled the doors back in the last pic please?
does the tarp come with little ties or is something you've done yourself?......i only ask because i'm considering one myself for next winter

Cheers.....adam

**Dochartaigh** · 08-27-2015, 12:49

They're the option "Door Tie Backs" offered on their site.

And to the OP question, yes, I also have trouble getting the tarp pitched as tight as my silylon tarps would go (and am also worried about hurting the cuben). But the weird thing is it doesn't seem to flap in the wind much when it's not pitched perfect...so I haven't really worried about it

**SilvrSurfr** · 08-27-2015, 13:03

I'm not sure why you would ever "tug" or "yank" on tarp material to get a taut pitch. I've never tugged anything on any tarp. It makes me wonder exactly what you are doing.

I've had a cuben fiber tarp for several years. My first cf tarp was an HG CF standard with no cat cut on the ridgeline. It was very difficult to get a taut pitch. I even tried running the continuous ridgeline under the tarp, but still couldn't get it taut. Then I traded in the HG CF tarp and got a Winter Palace with cat-cut ridgeline. I haven't had an issue since getting the tarp taut.

On the contrary, I find it is much, much easier to always get a taut pitch with cuben fiber, compared to silnylon. Once you hang it, you don't need tarp tensioners, and the tarp doesn't sag when wet like with silnylon. That makes cuben fiber vastly superior to silnylon, in my opinion. If you're trying to eliminate any sag along the side cat cuts, I wouldn't waste my time. Cuben fiber is not silnylon (thank goodness). There will be a tiny amount of sag, but nothing to worry about in high winds. Silnylon gives the appearance of being taut, when it's really not. With cuben fiber, what you see is what you get with regard to tautness.

I always use a continuous ridgeline over the tarp, but it seems you're not doing that (tarp ridgeline is under the tarp or you're using two separate pieces of cord for your ridgeline). It certainly looks like your tarp is taut in pic 3, while it's not taut in the previous two pics using poles. I assume you'll use that as a ground setup? I've never tried it.

While cuben fiber might seem delicate, I haven't found that to be the case. The delicacy of cuben fiber is a concern you find from posts in 2011, when cuben fiber was new. We don't hear much about cuben fiber being delicate anymore. And when there is a puncture, you can repair it with tape so well that nobody can see the tear - cuben fiber repairs extremely well compared to any other tarp material.

Good luck!

**Sunndog** · 08-27-2015, 13:10

Originally Posted by Dochartaigh

They're the option "Door Tie Backs" offered on their site.

Ah, thanks for that.....i'v only ever seen the doors on these tied back to the pull outs so assumed thats what the optional "door tie backs" were

OP, you can have youre thread back now mate

**Roaming Gnome** · 08-27-2015, 13:22

Originally Posted by sophistihip

It finally happened, my HG cuben tarp arrived! There are a couple issues with it but overall it looks great and I can't wait to use it. I did a test pitch last night and I ran into some issues and have some questions about pitching cuben.

Is it harder to get a perfectly taught pitch with cuben due to it stretching less or not at all? With silnylon, I was able to get everything taught just by stretching it a bit. No flapping or anything loose whatsoever. With the cuben, it seems like there is always slack somewhere, especially in the side cat cuts. It's not major but sort of a concern. I found it difficult to completely eliminate it. The tarp is certainly solid but I'm wondering if it'll be an issue in high winds. In the photos below, you can see that the ridgeline isn't taught when I pitch it with trekking poles, and when I pitch it to the fence the cat cuts are a little loose (but probably fine).

How hard can I tug on the cuben when I'm pitching it? With silnylon, I got comfortable with yanking it until it was nice and taught, but the cuben doesn't give like that. How much pressure can I put on it while pitching? I'm still uncomfortable with this material because it looks so delicate.

Here are some photos of my pitch:

Screenshot 2015-08-27 12.03.37.png
Screenshot 2015-08-27 12.03.41.png
Screenshot 2015-08-27 12.03.58.png

I have a cuben from HG and haven't had any issues with getting it taught. As you know the material is very strong and unlike nylon it's not going to stretch. I use Dutchware Zingit and Fleaz for my ridge line pullouts. On the other pullouts I use shock cord attached to Dutchware Tarpworms. The Tarpworms attach to Lawson Glow Wire which then runs to my stake. I prefer using the shock cord for a couple of reasons. The shock cord keeps it taught but also relieves any stress from high winds or possible damage that could be caused by accidentally tripping over the line.

**SilvrSurfr** · 08-27-2015, 13:50

Originally Posted by Dochartaigh

They're the option "Door Tie Backs" offered on their site.

And to the OP question, yes, I also have trouble getting the tarp pitched as tight as my silylon tarps would go (and am also worried about hurting the cuben). But the weird thing is it doesn't seem to flap in the wind much when it's not pitched perfect...so I haven't really worried about it

As I mentioned before, I think silnylon gives the illusion that it's pitched taut, but once it gets wet, you find out different. That's an illusion I really don't need. Cuben fiber always pitches tauter than silnylon. I don't tug or yank on anything - I'm not trying to achieve some visual idea of tautness. I prefer the actual tautness.

As for wind, I've been in a dime-sized hailstorm with my cuben fiber tarp. I really don't have a concern about wind because I think cuben fiber will perform at least as good as silnylon, if not better.

**Roaming Gnome** · 08-27-2015, 14:23

Originally Posted by SilvrSurfr

As I mentioned before, I think silnylon gives the illusion that it's pitched taut, but once it gets wet, you find out different. That's an illusion I really don't need. Cuben fiber always pitches tauter than silnylon. I don't tug or yank on anything - I'm not trying to achieve some visual idea of tautness. I prefer the actual tautness.

As for wind, I've been in a dime-sized hailstorm with my cuben fiber tarp. I really don't have a concern about wind because I think cuben fiber will perform at least as good as silnylon, if not better.

Good point. I had a similar situation not long ago on the AT. A storm rolled in with heavy winds and rain. In the morning the tarp was just as it was prior to the storm. I think the lighter cuben holds up better than the silnylon.

**OutandBack** · 08-27-2015, 14:24

I've never had an issue getting my cuben taught.
As far a pitch goes I typically go with a 45 degree angle when not in porch mode.

**pnyberg** · 08-27-2015, 15:10

I have a standard HG cuban tarp with doors. I too find that usually there will be an edge or two that are a little bit loose. Like OutandBack, I've found that running the guy lines at about 45 degrees to the ridgeline is the best approach. I'm not sure what approach O&B uses when he's in porch mode, but I do the 45 degree thing porch mode or not.

--Peter