Dyneema tent fabric seam sealing??

Seams are taped

So… NO sealant exists that I can buy?

I had always used Aquaseal and it works great on Cuben. Recently I did a ‘mid and and based on the recommendations of Seek Outside and Zpacks I used Silnet (which I had assumed was only for Silnylon) and that worked well too, but it’s too soon to say if it sticks as well in the long run as Aquaseal, which is truly permanent.

Thanks Philip, that’s what I needed to know for a Dyneema tent I’ve got my eye on.

I’m “lusting after” a TT AEON Li for a Colorado Trail hike. On that trail and those frequently high altitudes I feel even my beloved TT Moment DW is a tad too heavy. If I get it I’ll pick up some Aquaseal. I may even get a buzz cut to lose hair weight! ;o)

The aeon comes taped.

I think just about every Cuban tent is taped

And of course you can use tape for repairs as well

Eric, this is off-topic, but if you are planning on hiking the CT this summer, BE FOREWARNED:  the mosquitoes are the worst I have ever seen in my entire life in the Colorado mountains.  And I am not that young.  But things are sure green, and the wildflowers are amazing.  Tradeoffs.

Before the cottage makers started to tape their Cuben fiber shelters, at least one of them used to include a tube of SilNet. I did a couple of those shelters with the silicone/mineral spirit mix, I had no complaints from the owners . ( that was several years ago…)

Thanks Jenny. I can’t do the CT this summer B/C “The Boss” wants to travel. We just came back from a Baltic Sea cruise.and have two road trips to finish. BUT hopefully next summer will be better and trail repair will have been completed.

Franco, Thanks for the Silnet info for Dyneema. Just finished repairing my Moment DW floor with it.

What is the best tape for sealing dyneema seams? I’ve used the dyneema tape but I didn’t feel very confident in it. Also, I see there are several different types of aqua seal, which is the best for using with dyneema? Thank you!

I’ve used the Dyneema repair tape available from RipStopByTheRoll and Dutchwear, depending on who has availability.  It is the same product from either.  Not only is this tape strong enough, and the seal permanent enough to repair rips and holes in Dyneema fabric, it is also used to make the seams on dry bags from several manufacturers, and in the dry bag kits from RipStop.  I don’t know what the adheisive is but suspect it is the 3M LSE used in various widths of Pressure Sensitive Tape, also used by manufacturers to construct tent.

I was initially skeptical of the PST?  I doubted its ability to hold under strain.  I was wrong. That stuff is amazing.  I’ve built test swatches both of just two pieces of fabric bound together and of guy outs with line locks  on DCF fabric.  The bond is virtually indestructable.

3M advises that the bond may be broken by stress that pulls the fabrics in opposite directions, imagine peeling packing tape off a box.  And that is a fair warning.  That one limitation is easily overcome with smart construction, using more than one direction of bond to overcome the weakness.  In fact, I use the DCF repair tape specifically for a that because it is so easy to apply, vs. putting down a strip of double sided tape then cutting and applying a strip of DCF over that.

No downside to that tape that I can see.  If you are worried about thickness, as on a floor, just use two or more layers of the tape until you feel good. The 3M adhesive can be used to “layer cake” DCF exceptionally well.

Be advised though that for field repair, the tape does need to be applied on a flat surface and must have good pressure applied to activate the adhesive.   It adheres instantly, but does improve adhearance with time and a bit of low heat, never over 130F.

Hope that helps!

That is exactly what I needed to know.  Building a few bags that will sit in the floor of a canoe, and need a strong, flexible seal for the seams.