I say if you can afford to buy a CF Tarp, pick one up and try it for a while. If you don't like it for what ever reason, I'm sure you could sell it here for the same if not slightly less than you paid for it and still buy two other tarps of another material.
The weight of Cuben is very appealing but three things keep me from replacing the Superfly. Maybe your logic might be similar....
1) My lifestyle allows just a few trips a year - 3 or 4 nights each if I'm lucky.
2) My only gripe with the Superfly is that the Cuben Winter Palace exists.
3) I can achieve better weight savings on my body if I really need the performance.
If I was prepping for a long thru-hike and I had everything else dialed - perhaps I'd consider the $$$ outlay. That's me - everyone's situation is different.
I suppose i will be the adverse post here. Using a bridge hammock my spreader bars getting into the cuben tarp once scraped tiny holes in it creating a 4 inch gash that cuben tape fixed. I melted the ridge line tieouts on one that i was using hanging in 90 plus pure sunnyday with no shade in my yard off 6 x 6 posts and had to have it repared and rebuilt by tarp maker. My second cuben tarp a year later melted again at the ridge line tieouts on both ends of the ridgeline in 90 plus degrees again this time beyond repair and was replaced by the tarp maker with another cuben tarp at a sum i wont divulge as that i was happy with. Now that i dont pack as much i dont use cuben, but if i was packing i would have to have cuben and still the itch is there to get another one even tho i really dont need it cause once you use cuben, i think if your a devout backpacker cuben is so darned nice and addictive. Did i mention i dont baby any gear and abuse and use it? And dont bet against me cause i bet i pick up another cuben tarp in the next 3-4 months if that long a wait. The addiction has to be fed.
One thing i did learn about cuben used in direct sunlight. If your hanging in pure sun and its 90 outside my temp gague under the tarp in full porch mode on both sides open the temp was still over 106 under the tarp and cuben will separate and melt. Stay hanging in the shade in the summer when using cuben. In my opinion, cuben acts just like your window glass and magnifys the sunlight/heat and traps it.
Last edited by Acer; 01-19-2016 at 21:42.
2nd CAG, CAP 2-1-5 5th Marines, 1st Mar. Div.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combined_Action_Program
There is nothing like laying under a cuben tarp. It repells water,ice,and snow, better than anything else. Definitly way lighter than anything else. And wind proof also. Paul of AHE made some rubber protectors slid on your dogbones of WBRR bridge hammocks (not sure if he still does) that covered ends of spreader bars protecting abrasions or rubbing of bars against sides of cuben tarps. You could cut a old bicycle tube up and make them as well if,he doesnt have them. Sure its hi teck and costs more, but i spent 210.00 on a 13' omw wilderness logic tarp for the wife and it weighs 32 ozs with all the suspenion and tieouts on it for car camping as I,definitely wouldnt want to pack it. And our cottage makers stand behind their products but. When you make the same mistakes twice, stupid is, stupid does. lol
2nd CAG, CAP 2-1-5 5th Marines, 1st Mar. Div.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combined_Action_Program
I debated long and hard before buying my CF tarp. I take it everywhere and I love it. I also purchased the super fly. I like it too, but not like my CF. the weight, non-stretch and durability is hard to beat. I remember reading or watching a YouTube video about a guy tripping over his guyline that had shock chord. It pulled the stake and shot it through the side of the CF tarp. I don't know why he was using shock chord because it's not needed on CF. so as long as you stay clear of shock chord and sharp pokey sticks, you will not regret the CF tarp.
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