Cuben Fiber vs Silnylon Cat Tarp

Hey Bruce from my experience sil is easier to pitch because the stretch increases the margin of error allowed for a taut pitch but this also means it will sag when it gets wet. So trade offs to both as with all gear choices, I am sure that once you have practiced with the cuben for a bit longer your will be able to get a nice taut ridge line every time. As far as the condensation goes I would equate that more with what you pitched it over, if it was grass there is always a ton of condensation from that or if the fog rolled in last night in your part of the bay that might have also added to it. Enjoy your new tarp my friend!

"… I am sure that once you have practiced with the cuben for a bit longer your will be able to get a nice taut ridge line every time."

+1

With new cuben gear I find a piece of flat level lawn, and practice. I'll break it down and set it up a half a dozen times to find out where the "sensitive" points are, what the best "order of stakes" is. Then I move something out of place to see how a "bad pitch" looks and how to correct it. Next I move onto a slight sloping chunk of ground to see if a vertical pole is better than a perpendicular pole.

It is a far cry from backpacking with my wife and a freestanding silnylon tent. It's not counter-intuitive, just sensitive to details. In an hour you can figure it out. (And I'll never go back to silnylon for my solo jaunts.)