Transparent Dyneema

Funny you should mention this. I ordered a Zpacks Altaplex about a month ago in Olive Drab, which is .55 DCF and was amazed how translucent it was. I then ordered another one in Spruce green (.75) and ended up doing a YouTube video comparing olive drab, spruce green and the camo. The Spruce green is a little less see-through and slightly darker than the Olive(~3% darker as per my camera’s light meter). The camo is obviously the least see-through and darkest (about 9% darker than the thinner Olive).
Also, from the inside, the DCF fabrics seem more see through then when you’re outside looking in. The .51-.55 are display cases, lol.

Yinz are in the woods amongst friends.  It’s all good.  Fergit about it.

~RL

I went with the Camo Duplex for that reason and it’s still very translucent in regards to light coming in. Anything close to a full moon requires me to cover my face.

Reminds of that tent scene from Austin Powers..

On my last trip we went to sleep around 9:30 pm before the full moon rose.  I woke up a little after midnight and almost yelled at one of my hiking companions for shining his headlamp on my hammock when I realized it was the moon rising directly behind his tent.  It seemed like it was daylight!

I pulled my buff down over my eyes and went back to sleep…

In the Russian masterpiece “WE”, all homes walls were made of glass and it was illegal to cover them in any way except for scheduled intimate occasions with a partner. Are we there yet? perhaps not. I usually just pull a fleece head band over my eyes. Does the trick. It also works with people seeing in. If I can’t see them..they can’t see me! ..well, it works for my cat at least

This is the biggest failing of Dyneema tent flys from most manufacturers. Colored flys should at the least should be an option. I’d pay another $50. for it.

I have the TT Notch Li and have purchased RIT Dyemore synthetic fabric dye (Peacock Green) to color the “solid” panels of the inner tent for shade and more privacy. Haven’t done it yet but hope it works. I’ll have to gather the Dyneema floor to keep it out of theft dye water. Can’t imagine hot water would be good for it.

almost transparent

One of the features of 0.5 DCF, and not seeing anyway around it in a single wall shelter.  My plan for my Protrail Li are when summer days are long, so I’ll be changed into my camp/sleep clothes long before dark.  When the nights get longer in a more public park, could see where that’s an issue.

“solid” panels of the inner tent

For another shelter in shoulder season, my plan is a semi-solid “inner tent“ only covered by a 0.5 DCF tarp of some sort when windy or rainy.  Think more UL solid bivy sacks can be ordered with a strip of skeeter netting down the center to make them more breathable if desired.

A center net strip in an otherwise solid inner could cut down any light show

I took a 0.7 oz cotton bandanna with me on a recent full moon trip. I needed it to cover my eyes. I’m not wild about the Dyneema transparency.

This is where my double rainbow li shines if you include the inner liner Henry provides. It’s still somewhat transparent on the sides, but cuts down the light from up top. Personally I don’t use it as the light doesn’t bother me, but I could see it being a boon for others, while adding very little weight.

Thumbs down on transparency.  I don’t want to be mooned or to moon others.

Well look at it this way.

Now you don’t have to open the tent door to see what’s going on outside.

Larry S

My pocket tarp seemed rather see-through. But then I realized that it really isn’t that easy to see what I’m doing in there. The moonlight has bothered me even in my Spinnaker Gossamer Gear One.