anyone with experience with ID/Rab Silwing tarp?

[Mike M]

anyone own(ed) one?  thoughts as solo shelter w/ lightweight bivy?

I have a chance to purchase a used one; was also looking at MLD’s Solo Grace as well- the used Integral Designs Silwing would be half the cost.

Thanks in advance,

Mike

[rmeurant]

I have one, and occasionally use it. It has the advantage of being able to be pitched quite low to the ground for bad conditions, though the foot section could be a little wider. I like the caternary edges and cut. Basically, in an A-frame pitch, you can take a bit of a turn (change in direction) at the middle side pegs either side, but the cut is such that while the upper portion reaches the ground (at either loop), the lowest side loop then won’t, so (in my opinion) that tail section should be a little wider at the base to achieve that. Of course it is a bit claustrophobic pitched like that, compared with a more open (i.e., oblique ridge angle) pitch for better weather. More claustrophobic again with a mesh inner, which I sourced from AliExpress. Ample room for one of course, adequate I guess for 2..

But I couldn’t get away from the fact that my cuben Khufu mid gives me far better coverage, at lower weight. The SilWing would be interesting in cuben, though.

By the way, I can’t get over how poor the marketing photo widely used for the SilWing is (was?) – it simply doesn’t do it justice. I’ll post photos when my Photos library finishes repairing itself – the best online photo, which shows the closed pitch really well, (someone else’s photo) can no longer be accessed, but I have a copy somewhere… oh yes, here it is – photo is not my tarp:

(I’m having technical problems posting, apologies if this is a double post).

[rmeurant]

Regarding the photo in my previous post (which is not my photo – but I had the same annoyance), the distance from the lower pole apex / middle of the base edge to the corners/vertices at the foot/lower end are a little to short, so while the other four corners/verrtices can be staked directly, these two (one is the corner closest to camera) really need a very short guyline each, which is annoying. You can just about see a gentle bend or fold in the fabric along the line from the middle foot on the closer side of the tarp to the short pole hole. In a future iteration I would therefore make that base edge of the tarp (with the short polehole at mid-edge) a little longer, so all 6 “feet” can be directly staked. That or possibly reduce the middle width a little, which would achieve a similar effect, and would be better suited for the single user, as at present it overall becomes rather wide. (Of course that is just a bad weather pitch, though pretty good in terms of protection; and the tarp can be opened out to create a more open space). And of course, it wants to be in cuben!

[Mike M]

Robert- thanks for the pic!  that actually looks pretty good (weather worthy) in that pitch :)

 

Mike

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