I shouldn't say I haven't checked them out at all but I don't think I did for sil-nylon tarps.
I shouldn't say I haven't checked them out at all but I don't think I did for sil-nylon tarps.
A more focused answer as to why is that it takes a separate step to hang the tarp and brush on the sealer. Then it has to set for hours to cure. That would be a significant upcharge in any high volume producer. The small shops only do a few so they do not have the hang space issue and do not charge enough to cover real labor costs. Other materials like most Gortex laminates can be sealed with a sewn in tape covered with a heat sealed glue. That does not work on sil.
As far as materials go if anything else was available somebody would be using it. The backpacking industry basically parasites off of sailboat racing for light strong waterproof cloth. They pay for the research. We help created enough demand to make it worth producing. The last I knew they were focused on Cuben. If they come up with a newer better spinnaker material we might see something new. Might because Spin also came out of that area but the material is not reliably waterproof. ;-)
YMMV
HYOH
Free advice worth what you paid for it. ;-)
Its really easy to do. It wouldnt stop me from getting one. It also something that you may need to know how to do in the future. Its not a bad idea to redo it from time to time depending on use and such. I would think I agree with someone who posted earlier, its more about hanging and drying then material cost.
We do offer the Winter Dream in 11' or 12'...with pull outs and pole mod ready...plus it is seam sealed from the shop.Originally Posted by Redoleary
It also raises the advertized weight of the tarp and many of the sites mentioned in this thread are very gram conscious.
Get yourself a tube of Permatex Flowable Silicone Windshield Sealer and buy any tarp that suits your needs. The seams are very easily sealed. You only need a bit of time. I would say anybody can do it - no talent needed. With funnel it's an easy job.
I'd also say that silnylon is the way to go, unless you desperately need to save some oz and don't mind the price of Cuben. Silnylon is not too expensive, not too heavy and very sturdy.
+1 on the permatex.. you can get it in any auto shop on the planet, or get it on Amazon for dirt cheap.
I just got my son and I the Monsoon and Typhonn flys from HH. they are 30D silnylon. so your saying we need to seal the seam that runs along the ridge line of them.
could you please explain how you are using the permatex to seal it. The permatex is a thick compound right.
Negative on thick, I used a small paint brush and used it on several tarp ridge lines I have, works great, goes on smooth and thin.
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I don't know how HH tarps are constructed. WB tarps, for example, don't need seam-sealing on the ridgeline due to the way the ridgeline is sewn. If you have to / want to seal the ridgeline with Permatex, the easiest way is simply to cut the tip of the funnel that comes with the tube to only make a small hole. Then screw it on the tube and carefully apply to the seams. The nice thing about Permatex is, that it's already quite thin, compared to the sealers that are sold specifically for tents. You could of course thin it with mineral spirits to make it even more liquid and suitable for applying with a brush. I found, though, that sealing with a brush is always messy, because the silicone starts drying on the brush and in the tin. When you apply the Permatex as is with the funnel, you will get a thicker line, but if you're careful, it's very clean and looks almost professional.
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