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  1. #1
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    Snakeskin material - Mesh vs non-mesh

    Hey guys
    Looking for some collective wisdom here - looking at a material to make some snakeskins with. I know that using mesh to dry out a wet tarp is very much a pipe dream, but I was wondering about the inside of non-mesh skins getting mildewy from prolonged moisture, similar to tents I've had in the past. Anyone have experience with this either way?

  2. #2
    silentorpheus's Avatar
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    I'll admit I never really considered that angle. Though after any given trip where my tarp gets wet, when I get home I hang it up to air dry completely before storage. I'd assume that the non-mesh snake skins would also air dry enough to mitigate that, though yes in that case having mesh skins would speed the process. If you were really concerned, you could turn the skins inside out on while air drying, I suppose. Or you could make the skins from a breathable but solid fabric, like lightweight nylon (not sil).

    Possibly something to be aware of, if you're on a prolonged trip (week or more), but for an overnight or multi day trip, not something that I would worry about or have seen any adverse effects from.

  3. #3
    Senior Member zukiguy's Avatar
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    I have both. I got the mesh pair because they're a bit lighter and the ability to dry quickly was just a plus. Problem is they don't have something to stiffen the opening like the HH sil ones so they're not as easy to use. I'd be more concerned about the functionality than the material (pockets, size, construction, etc).

    The mesh ones tend to slide when trying to bundle the tarp up. I may modify my set with an extra loop a few inches form the wide end and a small toggle on the other. Then I can connect the two easily into one long tube for transport.

  4. #4
    Senior Member Oms's Avatar
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    Yes the mesh ones dry better, but the issue I have had is tearing. I've had HH ones that worked well with a hammock, but made a tube out of it which is harder to pack. On a silnylon tarp, it would slip out. So far I like the design of the HG Cuben. Single piece with a sinch that works nice.

  5. #5
    Senior Member Burg54's Avatar
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    MoutainGoat mesh w/ cord pockets. Never looks back.
    “The word hammockable (Meaning: two trees that are the perfect distance apart between which a hammock can be hung) is not in the dictionary, but it should be.”

  6. #6
    Senior Member ufdigga's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Burg54 View Post
    MoutainGoat mesh w/ cord pockets. Never looks back.
    +1

    I got a pair of these thrown in with a used Superfly. I never would have considered them essential, and now I won't own a tarp that doesn't also have a pair of MountainGoat skins. The construction is fantastic, and I like them a lot more than the Hennessy skins. I've never had the problem that ZukiGuy mentioned, probably because the MountainGoat skins have a significantly wider opening than my Hennessy's. I consider the lack of a hard ring at the opening a plus, not a minus.

    When I stop to think about it, these are the four situations I would consider:

    1. Solid fabric, letting moisture in: Who cares. If it's raining, I need the tarp out of its skins.
    2. Mesh, letting moisture in: Who cares. If it's raining, I need the tarp out of its skins.
    3. Solid fabric, letting moisture out: None if using silnylon, some with a breathable fabric.
    4. Mesh, letting moisture out: Much better than a solid fabric. By the time the tarp is dry, there 0% chance of moisture remaining in the mesh skins.

    What's not to love? I hadn't considered the durability issue, probably because I use a stuff sack. Note, skins + stuff sack is MUCH easier with my mesh skins than it was with the Hennessy skins.

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