LightHeart Solo in Cuben Fiber

[HeartFire]

I just finished a LightHeart Solo in CT0.6 Cuben Fiber. The weight (before seam sealing) is 13.8 oz. Yippee.. I'm taking this one on the JMT in August. There is a photo on the website http://www.lightheartgear.com

BTW, cuben fiber shrinks like crazy when exposed to heat. I put my iron on it and it was like shrink wrap. All shriveled up. Then, I tested it with fire - it wont catch fire right away, just shrivels up, then once it was all a shriveled up ball, it caught fire and burned for a long time.

Judy aka HeartFire of LightHeart Gear

[Mountain Wildman]

That is totally awesome, I wonder if heat from sunlight will gradually shrink it?
Please post a report after your JMT trip.

[trailangelbronco]

Oh, for a second there I got excited, thinking that you were talking about my tent! LOL

13.8 ounces would have the entire UL hiking world at your doorstep.

[Mountain Wildman]

Oh, for a second there I got excited, thinking that you were talking about my tent! LOL

13.8 ounces would have the entire UL hiking world at your doorstep.

Exactly,
Even with a silnylon floor it would still be about a pound, I think the Tarptent Sublite at 19.75 would be the closest competition.

[Tinker]

I just finished a LightHeart Solo in CT0.6 Cuben Fiber. The weight (before seam sealing) is 13.8 oz. Yippee.. I'm taking this one on the JMT in August. There is a photo on the website http://www.lightheartgear.com

BTW, cuben fiber shrinks like crazy when exposed to heat. I put my iron on it and it was like shrink wrap. All shriveled up. Then, I tested it with fire - it wont catch fire right away, just shrivels up, then once it was all a shriveled up ball, it caught fire and burned for a long time.

Judy aka HeartFire of LightHeart Gear

Hey Judy - maybe you could post the flammable characteristics of Cuben fiber in the "What's your favorite ultralight firestarter?" thread.

Have you tried spinnaker cloth yet? I think it's a good compromise between silnylon and cuben fiber in weight, wet stretch resistance, and water absorption, as well as cost.

[HeartFire]

That is totally awesome, I wonder if heat from sunlight will gradually shrink it?
Please post a report after your JMT trip.

I don't think the sun will hurt it, we'd probably have had reports of this from the sailing world. Also, the iron on hot had to sit on it for several seconds before it started to shrink.

I won't get home from the JMT till late September, I'll let you know how it was.

[HeartFire]

Have you tried spinnaker cloth yet? I think it's a good compromise between silnylon and cuben fiber in weight, wet stretch resistance, and water absorption, as well as cost.

I have some spinnaker cloth but haven't played with it yet. It's got to be easier than the cuben. That stuff is like sewing on cellophane! It's such a gossamer like substance, I need to get some new attachments for my machines to deal with it.

[Tinker]

I'd be happy to test one for you .

[trailangelbronco]

I'm sure that many would be willing to test that UL tent. Heck, I'm jacked about getting my 27 ounce tent!

[SouthMark]

Great tent. It should hold up well on the JMT. Joe Valesco carried his cuben fiber Hexamid Solo at 8.2 oz the entire CDT last year as a field test before marketing them. He now offers it and the Heximid Twin at 10.5 oz on his Zpacks web site. Both are single wall tents. Your cuben Heartfire is a nice double wall option at in incredibly low weight. Good work.

[skinewmexico]

So is it sewed entirely, or did you sew and glue the seams?

[HeartFire]

So is it sewed entirely, or did you sew and glue the seams?

it's sewn. The tie out areas on the fly are reinforced with cuben patches that are glued on. I'm currently looking at different options of seam sealing and taping of seams. The construction of my tent doesn't lead to 'gluing' the seams. The seams are all double stitched on a special machine that folds the fabric into the lapped seam. this gives a stronger seam. Generally, lapped seams are less prone to leaking, the problem with cuben is that it's not woven fabric, and so when the needle pokes through it it really leaves a hole. Also, gluing the seams adds a LOT of time to construction as you have to let it sit and dry.

It's still new stuff to me and I have to concur the learning curve.

[HeartFire]

It's still new stuff to me and I have to concur the learning curve.

I have to conquer the learning curve.!

[Danielsen]

And it seems you would conquer that there is a learning curve to be concurred? Or do I have that backwards?

[FamilyGuy]

I wish it was lighter.....HA! That's incredible for a fully enclosed, bug free shelter. Nice job.

[thelowend]

Oh please FamilyGuy.. You really can't do much better than that for a fully enclosed double wall shelter. Can't wait til you are back from the JMT so I can put in my order. I've been excited about the regular lightheart solo..now I'm reallllly excited for this cuben version.

[trailangelbronco]

I love my regular Solo. Man, that new one is even lighter! Lightheart RULES!

[HeartFire]

I bought my tickets to get to and from the JMT today, starting to get all my gear together for it. If only I didn't have to use that **** bear can. I am going to use a 2ml. plastic (painters drop cloth) footprint under the cuben tent. it weighs 2 oz (the tyvek weighs 5 oz), but I guess it's not as durable.
Judy

[trailangelbronco]

I hate using bear cans but they are needed in Grizzly country. Do you really need on one the JMT? I hike out west all the time and just hang my food away from camp at night when in Black Bear country. Is there Grizz on the JMT?

[Mountain Wildman]

I bought my tickets to get to and from the JMT today, starting to get all my gear together for it. If only I didn't have to use that **** bear can. I am going to use a 2ml. plastic (painters drop cloth) footprint under the cuben tent. it weighs 2 oz (the tyvek weighs 5 oz), but I guess it's not as durable.
Judy

I used the 1 mil. Painters Plastic drop cloth under my Stephenson Tent and it was trashed after one use, I had the tent pitched on a campground gravel base so there were plenty of pointy stones. But they are cheap enough to replace. Good luck with the 2mil.