Is Cuban Fiber delicate?

[snapper_hh]

Well, just to put my experience and 2-cents into the discussion: I used a cuben fiber tarp from zpacks with .54 strength and a bathtub floor with the 1.0 oz strenght over my entire PCT thruhike. There were stormy nights that almost made my tarp fly away, but it never ripped. The only time I actually damaged the tarp, was when I accidently punctured it with my trekking pole end.

So sure it is not indestructible but it is very tough when it comes to tearing. Of note is also, that the hole in the tarp never ripped more open, as the cuben stops the rips by its own design.

The real downside of cuben in my books is the cost over time, because it wears down way faster than sil nylon. A tarp may last for a while, but a cuben backpack is basically done after one thruhike, even with the best of all cares.

[FishingJunkie92]

This thread answered ever question I had about cuben vs sil. Thanks everybody. I think I am gonna get a HG standard with doors!

[Pioneer]

thanks everyone for all of the good stories about cuben fiber. Even though its been around for a couple of years now, it's rare to find so many different personal accounts of how cuben fiber has held up in storms and adverse weather. With any piece of gear, I feel that it's important to have confidence in it and hearing some of the stories of how well cuben has worked makes me less wary about spending the money for a cuben fiber tarp.