WB Superfly or HG Cuban

[Dippa]

What one would you choose and why ?

[JmBoh]

Both tarps are great tarps. I think it depends on how much concern you have for weight and what your budget is. The CF tarps are incredibly light weight and pretty tough, also twice the price or more. The 20d silpoly super fly is 18 oz. and the HG cuben fiber standard with doors is about 7 oz, less than half the weight. The superfly offers more coverage being 10 feet wide while the standard CF tarp is 8 feet 6 inches wide. I bought the standard CF tarp and after using it a few times, I really like it but wish I had the palace version which is wider, but another 100 dollars more. As for durability, I think the CF is actually a bit tougher. That stuff is really really strong. If your budget allows, HG CF palace is the bees knees.

[TrailSlug]

Yes, if money is no object and loud rain doesn't bother you then by all means go Cuban it's what all the cool guys have

[T- Minus]

I think the upgrades to the lighter cuben tarp is the way to go. It's lighter, 100% anti leak, easy to fix, super strong, and half the weight without any stretch: the bad limited color selections, louder rain noise, light penetration aka "the green house effect", shininess, storage bulk, and cost. And sometimes the wait depending on vendor and demand.
I do think if your just entering the hammock world and you haven't figured out the scale of investment your willing to invest in your set up for the long term, cheaper options are available. I think straight out the box a person would have a hard time justifying getting the cuben tarp first without the experience of the other. Also there is some skill needed in hanging a tarp in the first place and would advise on getting those skills developed prior.... And don't forget about your line/cordage selection and methods used to stake and adjust may also vary due to the stretch factor of the sill-nylon when wet.

[robertjackson]

I looked at both when researching a new one with doors, and tie outs and pole mod options, to give me the set up I wanted in any situation. I went with the Winter Dream from UGQ
The 13 looked good, but having a custom XL made with the longer sides for winter use.
Good Luck

[Otter1]

Since you asked, I'll assume price isn't the concern for ya!

I prefer the cuben for weight and lack of stretch. The sometimes-mentioned noise isn't a big deal at all for me. One drawback: packed size is a little bigger for cuben.

[QFT]

Cuben if you're concerned about weight. Lighter, no stretch. Crinkly when loose, takes more pack space, less resistant to punctures. Translucent, so it's very bright in your hammock when the sun comes up (I don't care for that)
Superfly if you're not concerned about weight. It's a little tougher and also isn't as translucent. Not much stretch in silpoly. Packs smaller but heavier. Better at blocking sunlight. A little more puncture resistant. And the Superfly has more coverage than most cuben tarps, I believe.

Cuben's only major advantage over silpoly is its extremely low weight. Other than that you generally have a bunch of minor disadvantages (except the zero stretch thing)

[Nick]

I love my SF, can't beat it for the price! Will probably never own a CF tarp simply due to cost and other things I'd rather spend the money on (add'l quilts, add'l hammock, etc). That being said, if the cost difference isn't a deal breaker for you, those CF tarps are super light.

[OneClick]

I posted about this in a few threads, but here's my summary:

Silpoly has more stretch (initially), but still little or no sag after getting wet. There are two benefits here. The initial stretch lets you get a nice taut pitch. A little stretch gives you some forgiveness while setting up (uneven ground, one corner tighter and higher than the other, etc. It doesn't have to be perfect. You can still get a snare-drum pitch with little to no sagging after getting wet. I found cuben had to be just right, because how you set it is how it will stay. Any little looseness will flap in the wind or just look sloppy.

Cuben pack size was no concern for me, at least with the CF hex. The flat rectangular shape just disappeared in my pack. With doors it could be an issue. Of course, the light weight was nice, but even a gearhead like me couldn't justify the relatively small difference.

I did not like the transparency of cuben at all. Others may be the total opposite.

Some other aesthetics bothered me, like the shiny surface being like a mirror in the sun and the crinkly sound.

[Otter1]

Camo cuben is sweeeeeeeeeet! Not too transparent.