Tarps and seam sealing

[cmoulder]

Does anybody know if Dutchware's zenon (winter) tarps need sealing?

From the website: *Please note that if you purchase side panel pull outs with your tarp you will need to seam seal them.*

To me this implies that the ridge line doesn't need to be sealed, however long-term owners (one of which I am not) might advise otherwise.

[cmoulder]

To be honest I read some of that as tongue in cheek. But YMMV. That said, I personally stand by my comments on seam sealing.

And FWIW I have a Superfly with pull outs on order with Warbonnet. Hope it makes it for my birthday in Jan

No offense to OP or anyone, but my first thought was that Off Trail might best remain on trail.

Seriously, though, I live in a condo and managed to do this task with a MLD Duomid (pyramid tent) that requires a boatload more seam sealing than some simple side pullouts on a hammock tarp.

[arutha]

No offense to OP or anyone, but my first thought was that Off Trail might best remain on trail.

Seriously, though, I live in a condo and managed to do this task with a MLD Duomid (pyramid tent) that requires a boatload more seam sealing than some simple side pullouts on a hammock tarp.

Fair enough. Like I said, YMMV.

I try to read things in a 'good way' (if I can remember to, it's hard sometimes ). Especially online, where humour doesn't always translate, no intonation etc. and not everyone knows or keeps it in mind at all times. I work with lots of different types of people and one of them is a bit like how I might read the "I'm not doing knots" from "Off Trail" if something doesn't immediately make sense to them and goes like "What's this? This makes no sense! I'm not doing this!" (imagine this spoken very fast and with the sentences ending abruptly). I guess I was a little bit 'projecting' that too It's very interesting how these things influence each other sometimes. Anyhow, if I take the time to explain why something isn't working as they thought it would or what easy change to make to get it to work, they generally calm down and I see hints of "Oh ... I guess I overreacted." in their face (hard to tell sometimes nowadays with all the video conferencing due to Covid).

And just to add to this in case my comments specifically may have been read as complaining. That's not how it was meant. I simply wanted to state that I can understand how and why someone might be upset that they have to seam seal something and they were only told once the product had arrived and there was no sealer included and no option to just select the seam sealer while buying the tarp (or tent or whatever). Now if the site does say that seam sealing is required and has an option (or a link to add separately to the cart) the seam sealer, then that's different and on the purchaser who didn't read the product description/additional info. Warbonnet for example includes a tube of seam sealer according to their website and has a video on how to seam seal, all right there in the product page. Awesome (still looking forward to my Superfly in snakeskins, since we've had some weather recently where that would've been so great to quickly deploy but I didn't want to bother with my current tarp and just stayed on the sofa instead)

[cmoulder]

Well stated, arutha, and I try to keep that same frame of mind. But, sometimes, multiple posts indicate otherwise.

There does seem to be a rather widespread reluctance to read product information that is readily available on sellers' websites. I know I've missed a thing or 2 (okay, way more than 2 ) over the years, not because a question wasn't addressed on the website but because I didn't know enough to ask it or I assumed something that wasn't so. It's not unreasonable to assume that a tarp or tent doesn't leak, but over the years I've purchased enough backpacking shelters to know that quite often they're not sealed. Livin' and learnin'....

[Tpatter]

I was confused by having to seal my Superfly until I got it.

You only seal the pullouts - not the ridgeline of the tarp. If you never sealed the pullouts I don’t see how that could leave anyone soaked. It seems like anything that came through there would just run down the side of the tarp if you did not have them staked out.

My other tarp required ridgeline sealing which is a much bigger deal since it will most likely drip right into your hammock.

[arutha]

Hehe, cmoulder, stuff happens eh ...

It's funny. One of the very first reviews on the superfly actually mentions the seam sealing and how even though you gotta do it, it's actually not even a big deal:

The only water that came in were a few drips comiong from the seams on the panel pulls. That was entirely my fault because I didn’t seal the seams yet. Heavy thunderstorm with driving rain? no problem

So even though he didn't seam seal the pulls yet, it wasn't actually a big deal. I'd say that's pretty good.

Did I mention that I can't wait to get my Superfly? One ... more ... month ... staying ... strong ... Actually saying that, it seems like the snowing has stopped, so I'll go fetch the hammock and spend the rest of the evening outside!