Shelters and Tarps in 10D silnylon?

[Sam Farrington]

Thanks, Jon, for your thoughts.  Was not aware of the stiffness of the ET silpoly, and will have to take a look at that, as am looking for some bias stretch, as shown in some prototype canopies in an old post:  https://backpackinglight.com/forums/topic/45631/

The carbon pole framework in that prototype is also a side entry, but the pole framework is quite different from the two pole single crossover of the Goondie, and is more rigid, and more aerodynamic for shedding wind.

Take your point about the measured weight of the ET silpoly as well.  Have always been able to depend on ET for accuracy.  Dream of a woven Spectra yarn (not laminated DCF); but that would be too good to be true.  The MLD silpoly appears on the website; but the posts on BPL appear to say that the fabric won’t be available on tarps and tents until later in the year.  Am I missing something? However that turns out, don’t think 1-2 oz is too great a penalty to pay for a more durable tent.

[Jon Solomon]

The ET silpoly has a lot of stretch on the bias. Compared to a high quality 30D silnylon, it has less stretch on the grain and more on the bias. Sounds like it would work well for your project.

MLD announced that all of their shelters but one are being made with the new 20D silpoly since about a fortnight ago.

Good luck, Sam!

[Sam Farrington]

Thanks, Jon.  That is very helpful.  I’m surprised at ET spec’ing a fabric so far off the measured weight.  Have seen that with other merchants, but not ET.  For example, their 1.06 osy listed for silnylon is spot on.  Although there was a thread on BPL about weave failure.  Finally, the OP posted that all concerns had been resolved; but with no details.

The MLD silpoly is spec’d at 1.4 osy on their fabric mojo, so as you state, not much difference with your measured weight of the ET.  If I get any lighter numbers with the ET, will drop you a PM.

To save weight, I’ve designed an X-shaped solid inner, about half the weight of the prototype outer shown on the above link, which does not include the vestibules; so whatever is used for them will add the weight of the full osy.  The X-shaped solid inner will also hold the crossed poles in place as well as together at the pole crossing points, so there is a dual use to be had.  Will toy with the idea of using a lighter silpoly for the vestibules, front and rear on what will be a side-entry tent.  But at some point will have to use a heavier woven silpoly to get a durable tent.  Am still wedded to woven silpoly, despite the attraction of lighter weight materials.. Happy trails.

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