Folding, packing, storing a dyneema tarp

[Ibelieveican2]

I have a dyneema tarp with doors and don’t care for the two skins method of packing up after use. I saw on a video that Derek had his tarp in a stuff sack with the two ends at the top. It was a nylon tarp. I have a dyneema tarp as mentioned, and not sure how to store the tarp. I didn’t like the skins and thought the stuff sack looked pretty good. Do you have to treat a dyneema tarp any differently than a nylon tarp in terms of stuffing or folding it up?
Thanks!

[OneClick]

Any specific reason why you didn't like the skin?

I would highly recommend a single piece sleeve. Not only is it convenient, but it makes packing easy. You're left with a 11'x6" tube, which is easily folded into the size of the stuff sack.

Here is mine (no longer have it) next to a silpoly tarp. It's bigger, but packs much smaller when crammed into a pack.

[MAD777]

You don't have to treat it differently.
That said, my preference is a single skin. First, I tuck & secure the doors, making a hex. Then I roll the tarp from one corner, pulling the skin on as I roll. Finally, I fold the snake until it's about 18" long and attach it to the outside of my pack.
I never put any tarp inside the pack as I want to deploy it first, without having to open the pack. But there's no right or wrong way, just preference.

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

[blackmagic]

Abrasion is the Achilles' Heel of Dyneema.

If you cram your tarp with its ridgeline, and maybe also hardware, into a stuff sack, those things (cord & metal) will rub against the tarp when you shove it into a stuff sack.

A snake skin avoids that rubbing, mostly, especially if you use Derek's technique of rolling up the tarp before pulling the skin over it.

[Brooklyn]

I've heard that you aren't supposed to fold Dyneema because the over and over breaks down the fibers.

I've recently gone back to a skin (mesh this time) and one piece, but I don't roll the tarp up in it, just cram it in. I keep my split ridgeline attached but sticking out the ends of skin. The result goes in to a Dyneema stuff sack (Medium from Dutch). I think I've finally found something I like and that works well for me. Tarp is generally kept inside the pack at the top unless it's already raining. In that case, it's in the outside mesh pocket for the fastest access.