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  1. #1
    Senior Member Singingcrowsings's Avatar
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    Trying to understand Silpoly while choosing new tarp

    Hi,

    So I am in touch with vendors about a new tarp, but I haven't bought a tarp in almost ten years, and there are new-to-me materials out there, namely Silpoly.

    I loved my silnylon MacCat Standard tarp, but I lost it. It was a nice light grey that was stealthy in any season, and, for the most part, stayed taut. The only thing I didn't like was the moments my shoulder brushed against it and got wet during a rain storm. Sadly, those light greys don't seem to be available anymore.

    As far as the fabrics, I have liked what I read about silpoly, BUT in almost every video I see with it, the material doesn't pull taut at all like silnylon, it's billowing in the slightest breeze. The edges seem taught, but not the inner material. Is this normal? Or are people somehow doing this on purpose? Are owners happy with this phenomenon?

    For me a taut tarp is security, so this is disconcerting for me and causing me to hold back in my purchase.

    Any advice or insights?
    Last edited by Singingcrowsings; 04-24-2022 at 11:46.

  2. #2
    Phantom Grappler's Avatar
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    I have or have had, silnylon, DCF, and silpoly.
    All good tarps.
    Now my favorite tarps are silpoly. They are light weight enough for backpacking (check specs for specifics on weight, water and leak resistance with each vendor)
    Silpoly is less likely to stretch and sag when it rains. Also the fabric stays more dry than silnylon after rain.
    Silpoly is not as light as DCF, but it packs down to a smaller size than DCF and silnylon.

    Of those three, I choose silpoly.

    All my tarps look like a shanty town, never got them taut.
    But other hammock campers have pitched neat tarps of all kinds. Internal pole mods do a good job of keeping a taut tarp.

    Good luck!

  3. #3
    Senior Member
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    Depending on the material and any edge binding used, even a nylon fly might not pull taut. I believe Kyle at Ripstop addressed this a while back. I'm with you: a light grey fly can be just about perfect. Some of the colors render it way too dark beneath IMHO. I like a fly that lights up in the morning.

    Nylon is somewhat more durable but retains more water. I happen to prefer durable! Nylon also stretches a bit more when wet. I've always been able to live with that too.

  4. #4
    FLTurtle's Avatar
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    All my Warbonnet tarps are silpoly...I haven't had any issues with getting them tight and taut. As far as billowy, yeah I guess they can be with a breeze. I attribute that to how light and thin the material is.

    As far as colors go, WB has gray but I think only in silnylon. The Dutchwear xenon tarps are silpoly and have a gray option. But none of them are light gray.

  5. #5
    GilligansWorld's Avatar
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    Excellent comments. To reiterate, the nylon does tend to absorb a little more water and will stretch a little more when wet. I'm not 100% certain, but I also believe that Sil Poly is lighter than the nylon. I believe if you got yourself some internal pole mods just as was suggested your sense of security issues will be solved. It's basically like a suspended tent at that point. You can order poles off of Amazon for around $20 for 2 - 11 foot poles, I believe through a company called Weeannas But honestly it's probably all about the same. Look for a standard pole diameter. Get yourself a pair of pipe cutters minis and you can cut those things down to whatever length you want.

    I'm on my third DIY sill poly tarp from RipStop by the roll. The first tarp got a puncture in it. The second one I sold to a friend and this last one I'm going to dial in exactly the way I want.

    Just like Phantom said I've had DCF I've had sil nylon I've had sil poly and sil poly is my #1 choice. I think it's more durable than the DCF for punctures an absolutely packs down lighter, DCF is horrible in the wind. Imagine a blue Walmart tarp crinkling all night long horrible, and as was stated, nylon tends to be a little heavy sags when wet yada yada yada retains more water. If we factor in cost there's absolutely no beating the Sil Poly

    Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk
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  6. #6
    GilligansWorld's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by GilligansWorld View Post
    .......You can order poles off of Amazon for around $20 for 2 - 11 foot poles, I believe through a company called Weeannas But honestly it's probably all about the same. Look for a standard pole diameter. Get yourself a pair of pipe cutters minis and you can cut those things down to whatever length you want.

    Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk
    Here's a pair of poles that I've cut down for a kickstand for example....

    Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] Be The light in Someone's Darkness - Change the World one Act of Compassion, One Act of Kindness at a Time - We are All Living on Borrowed Time
    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfJ...XMJUMaraHGfzhA

  7. #7
    Senior Member Singingcrowsings's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Phantom Grappler View Post
    I have or have had, silnylon, DCF, and silpoly.
    All good tarps.
    Now my favorite tarps are silpoly. They are light weight enough for backpacking (check specs for specifics on weight, water and leak resistance with each vendor)
    Silpoly is less likely to stretch and sag when it rains. Also the fabric stays more dry than silnylon after rain.
    Silpoly is not as light as DCF, but it packs down to a smaller size than DCF and silnylon.

    Of those three, I choose silpoly.

    All my tarps look like a shanty town, never got them taut.
    But other hammock campers have pitched neat tarps of all kinds. Internal pole mods do a good job of keeping a taut tarp.

    Good luck!
    Thanks for your input. That's interesting, my tarp was alway taut, except in the morning after a rainstorm, so the idea of it not, is very new to me.

    Quote Originally Posted by TominMN View Post
    Depending on the material and any edge binding used, even a nylon fly might not pull taut. I believe Kyle at Ripstop addressed this a while back. I'm with you: a light grey fly can be just about perfect. Some of the colors render it way too dark beneath IMHO. I like a fly that lights up in the morning.

    Nylon is somewhat more durable but retains more water. I happen to prefer durable! Nylon also stretches a bit more when wet. I've always been able to live with that too.
    Yes. Why did they stop making light grey???
    I'm considering sticking with what I know - silnylon, despite the slight weight difference.

    Quote Originally Posted by FLTurtle View Post
    All my Warbonnet tarps are silpoly...I haven't had any issues with getting them tight and taut. As far as billowy, yeah I guess they can be with a breeze. I attribute that to how light and thin the material is.

    As far as colors go, WB has gray but I think only in silnylon. The Dutchwear xenon tarps are silpoly and have a gray option. But none of them are light gray.
    See, what I don't get is, to me, taut means there's no billowiness. I'm trying to understand that.

    Quote Originally Posted by GilligansWorld View Post
    Here's a pair of poles that I've cut down for a kickstand for example....

    Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk
    I'm not sure I want to carry more, especially when I didn't need to before.
    Thanks!

  8. #8
    cougarmeat's Avatar
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    The only way I get mine taut, in a reasonable period of time, is to add bungee to the guylines. It is tarp material is flexible material; you want it to flex. Flexing allows to temporarily deform and “spill” the wind. It’s a feature, not a bug.
    In order to see what few have seen, you must go where few have gone. And DO what few have done.

  9. #9
    Senior Member Singingcrowsings's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by cougarmeat View Post
    The only way I get mine taut, in a reasonable period of time, is to add bungee to the guylines. It is tarp material is flexible material; you want it to flex. Flexing allows to temporarily deform and “spill” the wind. It’s a feature, not a bug.
    Flex, yes, that makes sense. Billowing is different. What I'm seeing, is without tie-outs or bars of some sort, the tarp would continually be on you. The tarps move as though they are not tied down, except for the seam. I'm confused by what I'm seeing.

  10. #10
    all secure in sector 7 Shug's Avatar
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    Silpoly will pitch tight for sure. Just make sure to guy it out properly. I is a bit slicker than silnylon. Does not absorb or hold as much water.
    My silpoly tarps below.
    Shug



    Whooooo Buddy)))) All Secure in Sector Seven

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