Cuben Tarp Failure beyond repair

**xcrazydx** · 07-15-2013, 21:44

I'll stick to my silnylon.

**Dutch** · 07-15-2013, 22:01

I take my CF tarp on hiking trips only. They rarely see the light of day. I am lucky in the fact I can pick another tarp for home car camping.

**adkphoto** · 07-15-2013, 22:04

Thanks for sharing your experiences.

For what it's worth, my .7 cuben tarp weighs 13 ounces rigged, and my silnylon tarp weighs 26 ounces. Both are 4-season versions with doors.

I wouldn't give up on cuben if weight is an important factor.

David

**SilvrSurfr** · 07-15-2013, 22:24

Thanks for the info. I don't think I'd ever have my tarp out in those conditions. I'm usually hiking when the sun might be an issue.

It does make me think I should put the tarp away when I'm not actually using it for shelter, if camping at one place for several days. I might incorporate that wisdom into my Cuben Fiber Best Practices thesis, when I get my master's degree in Advanced Hammocking with a minor in Lightweight Tarps.

WV · 07-16-2013, 05:17

I expect Adam will probably let Cubic Tech know of this. There have been delamination problems with one of their other formulations that was discontinued (not the stuff that most tarps are made of). My tarp of CT.6K.08 has seen lots of use and abuse, but persists (with some tape patches). No signs of delamination yet.

**Acer** · 07-16-2013, 05:49

When cuben starts to delaminate..seems to me,,its quick and gives you no notice that its going to get weak. For all I know,,the cuben material of this tarp could have been sevearly weakened last summer about this time, when it first happened and the material is just weakened beyond repair the first time it happens even tho it make look alright. It gives you no notification that its going to happen. When I inspected this tarp last week after it separated and was still hanging, one thing that I think of now, and remembering, is the fact that it looked like around every bonded tieout area, the material was more opake looking and like it was going to delaminate and separate around several of the other bottom tie outs maybe as well as the other RL tie out in the center was looking pretty bad. I am almost thinking now, that maybe we need to go to the next level of heavier cuben material for durability, but for now will keep using .51 Cuban material. I especially still like the Pros of using cuben over silnylon and will continue to do so.

**Acer** · 07-16-2013, 05:57

Originally Posted by adkphoto

Thanks for sharing your experiences.

For what it's worth, my .7 cuben tarp weighs 13 ounces rigged, and my silnylon tarp weighs 26 ounces. Both are 4-season versions with doors.

I wouldn't give up on cuben if weight is an important factor.

David

How long have you had your .7 cuben tarp, and have you hung it in direct sunlight and intense heat in the summer?

**Yukon** · 07-16-2013, 06:13

Yet another reason I don't like Cuben fiber.

**MDSH** · 07-16-2013, 08:33

This is sail material and should be able to hold up to extremely harsh conditions.

I got a tear in 40 mph gusts because of poor construction on my DIY, a problem that will soon be corrected. If it still does not work then I'll scratch my head with everyone else.

.

**adkphoto** · 07-16-2013, 09:25

Originally Posted by Acer

How long have you had your .7 cuben tarp, and have you hung it in direct sunlight and intense heat in the summer?

I've had this tarp for about a year and a half. Since I live in upstate New York, it's easy to find a shaded place to set up the tarp. The hottest temperature that it has seen is about 90°F, but that was in the shade.

David