Considering moving to a LiteAF DCF tarp....question

[Rex Clifton]

Bet you $100 the quality from LiteAF will be way better than zpacks.

It’s not a question about the quality. From what I’ve heard, the fit and finish and quality of construction of LiteAF products are top notch. The issue is how the product is made. DCF acts differently from other materials and it takes experience, along with constant improvements as flaws in the design are discovered and corrected for. Again, this is version 1.0. If you buy this tarp, you are the crash test dummy testing whether the air bag is gonna work or not. If the LiteAF tarp is the product for you, at least wait six months or so before buying, let them work out some of the kinks, especially with such an expensive item.


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[cmoulder]

Fallkniven mentioned upthread that he helped develop this tarp so presumably there is some intimate knowledge and understanding of its construction and design, which I also assume includes field testing.

And there aren't a whole lot of mysteries surrounding making things with DCF, so perhaps it isn't such a crap shoot after all.

[Longcut]

True, this is his first offering as far as tarps go and yes to some extent there is some risk involved in being an early adopter but as you mentioned Chris at LiteAF has a pretty good reputation so far with his packs and has shown to be very good at listening to his customers. From what I have seen he also provides great customer service so I look at it as chance to not only get a good product and help another small vendor grow but also by being one of the first to buy his tarp perhaps any feedback I offer can make a great product even more to my liking in the future.

[SilvrSurfr]

My first DCF tarp was an HG standard without any cat cuts, and it was pretty useless to me. You just can't get a cuben fiber tarp without cat cuts taut, or at least I couldn't. At the very least, there should be a cat cut on the ridgeline.

I'm not even sure why someone would complain about cat cuts - what are we talking about, 3 inches difference?

[fallkniven]

Wow I remember why I never come here anymore. You people find any reason you can to make up invalid reasons to talk trash on people. I have nothing to do with this other than Chris is a friend who lives down the road and I gave him pointers. That's all. You people whine about everything. Aren't you people ever happy? Peace

[soul embrace]

Fallkniven mentioned upthread that he helped develop this tarp so presumably there is some intimate knowledge and understanding of its construction and design, which I also assume includes field testing

frozen from outdoors adventure also help design it and has field tested it.

[cmoulder]

I have a Duplex and a couple of Zpacks hexamid tarps (pocket, solo w/doors) from pre-hammock days that I've used a bunch. No cat cuts but I was able to get consistently taut pitches.

[rweb82]

If Chris from LiteAF can make high-quality DCF packs, which are well-designed and very durable, I do not question for one minute his ability to make a hammock tarp. In this case, I believe the idea of "beware of 1st gen products" warning is unfounded. Chris has established himself as a reputable vendor, and his ability to work with DCF is as good as you're gonna find anywhere. Packs are much harder to make than tarps. And since he worked alongside long-time hammockers to design it, I have no doubt it will be a fine tarp- even for early adopters.

[Cabmanhang]

Yeah the suggestion that buying something from "just one guy" is taking a risk is silly.

How did most cottage gear makers start out?

Also, suggesting that you are beta testing a product that comes from a known maker with extensive history of working with a material is really slanderous to a guy with many positive reviews and feedback from happy customers.

If I go to dcf, I would absolutely buy from liteaf based on the positive experiences of others.

And I love supporting the smaller business. It is the real backbone of this hobby.

[Rex Clifton]

True, this is his first offering as far as tarps go and yes to some extent there is some risk involved in being an early adopter but as you mentioned Chris at LiteAF has a pretty good reputation so far with his packs and has shown to be very good at listening to his customers. From what I have seen he also provides great customer service so I look at it as chance to not only get a good product and help another small vendor grow but also by being one of the first to buy his tarp perhaps any feedback I offer can make a great product even more to my liking in the future.

Funny you should mention packs. I’m in the market for a frameless pack and I narrowed it down to the LiteAF Curve and the Palante Pack V2. Looking at YouTube video reviews for these packs, the guy from Outdoor Adventures reviewed the Curve and, in his testing, the hip belt patch ripped from the pack body. It was not a tear in the seam but the DCF tore just off from the seam. This is a common problem with DCF and, if you aren’t that familiar with the fabric and have not had the products in use for long enough to discover the defects, the buyer will be stuck with the result. Needless to say, I’m going with the Palante V2. Buy the LiterAF tarp at your peril!


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