Cuben Fiber Tarp - Summer or Winter use?

[Picaro]

Something I've been wondering about the cuban....in the summer will it become like a hothouse? That wouldnt be much concern on the move, but a fixed camp over a couple of days I imagine it would come into play.

[Acer]

Something I've been wondering about the cuban....in the summer will it become like a hothouse? That wouldnt be much concern on the move, but a fixed camp over a couple of days I imagine it would come into play.

No more than silnylon. Just pitch it open like you would any other tarp or not even hang it in the summer if you know its not going to rain. Tarps are tarps no matter how you hang them, what their made of, and what time of the season your hanging.

Cuben tarps will also still block the sun and the heat of it even tho they're more transparant.

Next time your around a cuben tarp,,check it out..just don't stare at it too long or touch it. You will contract the "cuben disease and additiction". And can cost you alot of money in trying to regain your health!

[Hawk-eye]

Something I've been wondering about the cuban....in the summer will it become like a hothouse? That wouldnt be much concern on the move, but a fixed camp over a couple of days I imagine it would come into play.

Well the good thing is most places you pitch your tarp in the summer will have these green things call ... hmmm ... LEAVES!! ha ... well at least it's a working theory.

I've not had mine in the direct sunshine except this winter. Now what I can tell you that in cooler weather it does give you that warming "greenhouse" effect. What I'm more concerned about than that in the summer is my German/English ancestory getting me sun burnt! You can keep it in porch mode for cooling but unless that stuff has UV protective abilities ... this old fart stands a chance of becoming lobster boy! Like Shug ... Hawk-eye and sunlight don't dance well together!

But then we mostly use our tarps when it rains or at night right? So it's manageable!

Dang I'm rambling again ... need coffee ....

[nothermark]

I would bet that cuben is attacked by UV light (someone please confirm or deny this belief) so years of life might depend on how much you use it=I wouldn't leave it set up unused outside for lengthy amounts of time.
Wind passing through? There is a test that tells at what p.s.i. water will penetrate a given subrate. Again I'd like a professional answer but cuben by its nature has got to be far better at water (or wind) penetration than nylon even when coated with silicon.
Seasons to use? I use cuben (in sock form) year around now. It is the go-to fabric; but I used to say that about other materials over the years, materials that are now in the history books.

Inherently UV resistant.

http://yarchive.net/chem/pet.html

Or search for it as there are some technical papers on line. As Cuben was developed for sails I expect that was a major factor. I also think the origin of Mylar was the space program using metalized Mylar as a UV barrier.

[Dogbone]

Here is a bit on Cuban and some history for it, pretty interisting read.

http://shoresails.com/shore%20intern...en%20Fiber.htm

[QiWiz]

I've just taken delivery of my new ZPacks CF Tarp, without doors. It seems to have great coverage, great workmanship, spectacular weight and it should serve me well for years to come. I hung it this evening in about 35 deg with a light breeze. It seems to be draftier than my Mamajamba. Is it the way it was hung and the direction of the breeze or is a CF tarp more suited for warmer weather? It looks like such thin material so I'm wondering if I should expect more draft through it. I love the tarp and I'm not regretting my purchase at all. I can't wait to go to the woods with it.

I have the one with doors, use year round. Wind does not go through the cuben, but may come underneath or through the open ends. A lower than usual set up with hammock (with you in it) UQ or bottom just off the ground, and tarp staked down close to ground might help (hammock in a tent, sort of).

[hairbear]

More a function of how you hang it ... wind direction, how much space you have between the sides & ground and size of the individual tarp. Those sort of thing.

Same size Cuben vs same size Sil ... no difference in your temperatures other than the clearer Cuben will allow sunlight to warm the inside of the space more ... at least in my experience.

Both are water and wind proof and neither have any insulation properties.

what he said with a little dash of site selection for seasoning.