So Notch Li – dyneema floor inner or SilNylon inner?

I’d go with a silnylon floor and not worry about the footprint.  You will need to paint stripes or dots on the floor to keep your pad from slipping.  DCF has fantastic tear strength and does not stretch or hold water so it’s great for shelter fly’s but it’s weakness is abrasion and holes poked through the mylar film – both of which are things a floor deals with regularly, so I don’t think it’s the best choice for a floor.

My opinion only.  If you are going to use a footprint with either option, go with the dyneema. I have always used a polycryo footprint with my 2013 Duplex and the floor remains like new.

Brad & JCH, thank you, I appreciate it.  The score is tied.

Hope to get a meaningful volume of responses to see how this shakes out.

I say if you’re using a footprint, DCF will be fine for a floor.  If you want to avoid a footprint but aren’t confident that DCF is tough enough, go with the tougher silnylon.  But I see no reason to use both a footprint and the silnylon floor unless you hike a lot where the ground is uncommonly pokey.

So…compare the weight of a silnylon floor with footprint+DCF and choose the lighter option.

Or…believe the many testimonials that DCF is tough enough and ditch the footprint unless hiking in especially pokey territory.

Todd T, Thanks for the reply.  Things aren’t that pokey around here, but when stealth is not available, the tent sites can be dished-out & abrasive.  And weight is key for me.  Thanks again.

Have the Notch Li and in a post about this topic in the GEAR forum I decided I should have opted for the silnylon floor given DCF’s ease of puncture, especially tiny ones you don’t find until water comes in from beneath.

But I have DCF so I’ll use a polycro footprint and be very d@mn careful.

Dyneema for sure.  Take a thin polycro groundsheet (i.e. 2oz) if you are concerned.

Eric – I’ve been following your posts, & replied to your one regarding Tarptent replacing a floor for a reasonable amount.  You have a nice shelter & I hope it has many pitches in the Dyneema floor.  Interesting the differing opinions, huh?  I’m trying to decide what to buy.  So if you were doing it over you’d get a sil floor? Thanks!

David – thanks for your 2 cents.  Can you expand a bit, considering all the negative opinions on DCF floors?  They’re plenty of folks on the Dyneema side too though it appears.  What’s your experience?  Thanks!

Steve

This might be a reason to go for silnylon. I’m not sure how similar the Notch Li and Stratospire Li are in the attachment of webbing to groundsheet.

@Steve

You can still get pin holes through silnylon – the dyneema floors used in Tarptents are of a much heavier type than the fly and is going to be stronger than the silnylon (although perhaps Henry can comment).

You are buying the Li because you want to the lightest possible, fully featured shelter.  A 2 oz polycro footprint will give you many nights of protection (should you think you need it) and if you get a tear in it, you can recycle it.  The cost might be a couple of dollars at max.

The dyneema floor used in the Li products is also much more waterproof than the silnylon.  It has a high hydrostatic head and when you pitch on wet ground, it won’t permit water to soak through.  Silnylon, at least in my experience, can in certain conditions – it also seems to lose its waterproofness over time.

Finally, with the dyneema floor, it won’t absorb anywhere near the water weight that silnylon will which means a lighter shelter to carry after a rainy evening.

I am carrying a Protrail Li right now (I also have 4 other shelters) and on a more recent trip a month ago I did bring a polycro footprint.  It actually never came out of my pack as the ground that I pitched the tent on was free of any pointy things.

Just my 2c

David – thanks for you’re perspective, worth much more than 2 cents I think.

So, is there no majority on either side here?  Seems pretty even.  Doesn’t make a decision any easier.

But appreciate the input!

(note:  seems like the “Dyneema floor” post went off the rails to silNylon )

I have a number of shelters with Cuben floors and have never had notable issues with holes or abrasion. Clean the campsite before setting up. Even if you did puncture it, patching is easy. I never use any sort of ground cloth. I hate how slippery silnylon is. DCF all the way.

did anyone mention polycryo? :)

No matter what you get, use polycryo. I think Polycryo plus Dyneema will outperform silnylon on it own. So…that would be my choice.

Please don’t forget that only the solid DCF-inner has a solid roof. The solid Silnylon inner has a roof made of mesh. (For me the solid roof was quite important.)

Jens,

I really was not aware of this, it is important to me as well.  Are you certain?  I’ll look into it.  If that’s the case, guess I’ll go DCF for inner too.  Thank you!