Tent fabric

[Franco]

Tent fabric
I would like to find out your preference and why for silnylon. Both sides silicon coated or one side silicon and the other PU ?
Franco

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

Silnylon for weight savings (somewhat expensive)
PU-coated for durablity (less expensive, heavier)
Tyvek for even more weight savings than silnylon and less expense (looks bad, but can be repaired with duct tape)
Cuban fiber for even more weight savings and strength. (very expensive)

[Jester2000]

Silnylon for weight savings (somewhat expensive)
PU-coated for durablity (less expensive, heavier)
Tyvek for even more weight savings than silnylon and less expense (looks bad, but can be repaired with duct tape)
Cuban fiber for even more weight savings and strength. (very expensive)

Human skin for creepiness.

[general]

i've been playing with a mylar weave. very light. very expensive, but i havn't been able to break it yet.

sil nylon is good middle ground, light and reasonable. for single wall tents and tarps, 1.1 oz per yard sil nylon holds up well, and should never have to be coated (except for the seams). well built sil nylon shelters have proven themselves bomb proof in poor weather conditions for me personally.
i can't say that for that expensive nylon north face piece of crap that i once had, many many moons ago.

[general]

Human skin for creepiness.

dog fur, with a kitty tail or two hanging off of it, maybe somewhere near the door.

[general]

dog fur, with a kitty tail or two hanging off of it, maybe somewhere near the door.

and a sticker on the side that says: i love animals, they're delicious.

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

Human skin for creepiness.

::: Bites Jester's creepy skin on his toes :::

[Franco]

Hi
To be more specific, I was thinking of silnylon coated with PU on the inside. Generally speaking because silicone impregnates the fabric, all silnylon in a way is double coated. It is also hydrophobic, PU is hydrophilic but it may be better at stopping or reducing misting. (?)
Now I am interested also to find out more about Mylar weave. I know that a couple of the major brands are playing with that or something similar, but I don't know much about it's properties. Any info, General ?
Franco
I find the comments about animals quite offensive, however I can tell you for sure that a cat tastes very much like rabbit and that with a bit of Tabasco you can eat just about anything. Keep always in mind when you choose your hiking companions that in case of emergency you may need to eat them. In bear country, always have someone slower than you in your party.

[mweinstone]

shelters suck

[redtail]

Human skin for creepiness.

Thanks a lot. I just sprayed coffee on my keyboard when I read that.

[hammock engineer]

Hi
To be more specific, I was thinking of silnylon coated with PU on the inside. Generally speaking because silicone impregnates the fabric, all silnylon in a way is double coated. It is also hydrophobic, PU is hydrophilic but it may be better at stopping or reducing misting. (?)
Now I am interested also to find out more about Mylar weave. I know that a couple of the major brands are playing with that or something similar, but I don't know much about it's properties. Any info, General ?
Franco
I find the comments about animals quite offensive, however I can tell you for sure that a cat tastes very much like rabbit and that with a bit of Tabasco you can eat just about anything. Keep always in mind when you choose your hiking companions that in case of emergency you may need to eat them. In bear country, always have someone slower than you in your party.

I only have misting through my sil tarp during really heavy rains. It hasn't been enough for me to worry about. Probibly about the same as heavy condensation in the winter. Nothing that would worry me using my down quilt in. It only felt like a drop here and there.

I heard something from a vendor at TD. He was told, I think he said by Quest outfitters, that sil sold in the US is going to be cut with a small amount of PU. I think it was for heath reasons (no idea why). The new PU cut stuff was not supposed to mist. It is also just a little heavier though. You may want to give them a call and see if this is true or not.

[Franco]

Hi Hammock Engineer,
I have just received an E Mail from Lynn at Outdoor Wilderness Fabrics (http://www.owfinc.com/)
stating that, as you say , their silicon/PU coated ripstop is in fact a mixture not one layer of each .
Like you, I have had some misting only under heavy rain and it has not bothered me, but it does annoy some.
Franco

[general]

Hi
To be more specific, I was thinking of silnylon coated with PU on the inside. Generally speaking because silicone impregnates the fabric, all silnylon in a way is double coated. It is also hydrophobic, PU is hydrophilic but it may be better at stopping or reducing misting. (?)
Now I am interested also to find out more about Mylar weave. I know that a couple of the major brands are playing with that or something similar, but I don't know much about it's properties. Any info, General ?
Franco
I find the comments about animals quite offensive, however I can tell you for sure that a cat tastes very much like rabbit and that with a bit of Tabasco you can eat just about anything. Keep always in mind when you choose your hiking companions that in case of emergency you may need to eat them. In bear country, always have someone slower than you in your party.

mylar is completely water proof, no misting. in a single wall tent, condensation is a problem without a big vent or two. great for tarps, although not as durable as sil/nylon. great for stuffsacks as well. there are different weights available.

[Condor]

Tent fabric
I would like to find out your preference and why for silnylon. Both sides silicon coated or one side silicon and the other PU ?
Franco

http://www.memagazine.org/backissues/membersonly/apr06/features/wondercl/wondercl.html.

All you DIY gear folks are going to toss your silnylon when you read this! My friend sent me this link. 4 ounces an acre stronger than steal! Sea ya later nylon

Cheers!

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

http://www.memagazine.org/backissues/membersonly/apr06/features/wondercl/wondercl.html.

All you DIY gear folks are going to toss your silnylon when you read this! My friend sent me this link. 4 ounces an acre stronger than steal! Sea ya later nylon

I want some of this now!!!!

[Franco]

Thanks Condor.
This fabric is the Unobtanium I have been hinting at in some forums. I have some on order from Bob at Big Sky, it should be here in four to six weeks.
Franco

[hammock engineer]

If you really want lite and have some cash to drop search for Cuben Fiber. It is the next generation sail material after sil. Rediculously lite, and also rediculously pricey. On the order of >$20 a yard. But then again you can have a huge tarp at 8oz.

[Condor]

If you really want lite and have some cash to drop search for Cuben Fiber. It is the next generation sail material after sil. Rediculously lite, and also rediculously pricey. On the order of >$20 a yard. But then again you can have a huge tarp at 8oz.

Is this the same stuff that Gossemer gear calls spiniker fabric?

[Heater]

Thanks Condor.
This fabric is the Unobtanium I have been hinting at in some forums. I have some on order from Bob at Big Sky, it should be here in four to six weeks.
Franco

Big Sky? Did they not have some major issues with backordered sales?
Maybe I am thinking of another "Big Sky" company.

Good luck to ya. Let us know how it turns out.

[Franco]

There are many grades of Cuben fiber and, as far as I know, they are mostly used for sails but not "spinnakers" . The GG spinnaker is a different fabric. I have only seen Cubes in a translucent type finish, a bit like wax paper. It is about twice as expensive as the GG spinnaker.
The silicone or silicone/pu I was asking about is cheapper again.

The Big Sky comment was a joke, sorry I don't use emoticons.
Franco