Tyvek versus Epilay Synthetic roofing material

[MikekiM]

I don't have any experience with Tyvek. I live about 200 feet from the open water on the south shore of Long Island. Builders tend to use heavier material than Tyvek.

I have a few pieces of Epilay Synthetic Roofing Material that I use as my ground cover under my hammock and under my sit pad. This stuff is pretty robust and not the lightest stuff around. Curious how it compares to Tyvek. It isn't soft by any stretch of the imagination. I haven't tried washing it.

Does anyone use this material??

[catastrophedude]

I've never used it, but I come across synthetic roofing felt in my job. I do have tyvek and I know this stuff is probably 2-3x the weight of tyvek depending on the thickness you have. Even if you wash it I don't think it'll get any softer due to the nature of the material but you could always buy a couple linear feet of tyvek online and see what you like better.

In the end though they will serve about the same function and as a plus, this stuff may be quieter than tyvek.

[curlymaple42]

If you get tyvek fabric from Into The Wind kite company, they sell by the yard I think, you can wash it and it softens. I need to order some and try it. I bought some cheap heavy water proof cordura fabric and bound the edges with Gorilla tape and installed grommets to stake it down if needed. Way heavier than Tyvek but so far it's awesome. Noisy in winter, should be better in summer.

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[blackbishop351]

I don't have any experience with the roofing material you mention, but... if you're looking to go lighter, Tyvek is almost certainly the better bet.

However.

A couple things about Tyvek.

First, without washing, Tyvek is slick as heck. If you're using it as a ground cloth to lay on, you'd better find a VERY flat spot, or you'll be sliding off it all night. I suppose it's the same with any plastic type material, though.

Second, Tyvek isn't waterproof, it's water resistant and breathable. This means it's not really the ideal material for a ground cloth, since you should be planning for a flood.

Third, when you wash Tyvek, it loses water resistance. It also gets softer, making it usable for garments and such. Since there's plenty raingear out there made from its washed form, I assume its water resistance is fine for that application even after washing. But we're not talking about garments, we're talking about a ground cloth. Whole different prospect.

Anyway, just my .02

[MikekiM]

Thanks all..

I have an order for Dutch, so I'll add a little Tyvek to compare to what I have. I have a few small pieces of this Epilay material and I am going to throw it in the washing machine and then work on softening it up. Not that this stuff doesn't work.. it does.. it's just a little too stiff.

[scbicycle]

Go to the USPS and grab a first class mailer envelope. It is made of Tyvek and you can have a hands on comparison to the stuff you are currently using.

[xrayextra]

I just find a construction site and ask for scraps. One window or door sized piece is plenty big enough for a tent footprint. They're usually very accommodating, but from my experiences of working up in the northeast, people in general aren't very friendly or helpful to people they don't know, but it's still worth a shot.

Btw, I don't recommend washing it because as was already stated, it loses its ability to resist water. When you get tyvek, it's very crinkly and noisy but after a few uses that goes away.

Good luck.

[MikekiM]

Worksite scraps..that's how I got the Epilay material... I went dumpster diving.


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[BigE94]

Go to the USPS and grab a first class mailer envelope. It is made of Tyvek and you can have a hands on comparison to the stuff you are currently using.

+1on the usps envelopes. Great for no sew stuff sacks.

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[Esohes]

I had a neighbor that decide to go down that road. His roof after 4 years started showing signs of tear and wear.