We have the next cuben fiber and it's amazing!

[Hoosier T]

I would like to know how this material is different than the other 7D nylons on the market. As I understand it, the 7D from Rockywoods HAS been used (Aaron Sorenson?) but it’s very delicate and needs near-perfect techniques for it to work. I believe Aaron even said he would build it using Membrane Silpoly if it were for a longer hike and forego the 7D. I have some of the new Robic 7D from RSBTR that I am using for door material and can say that it also seems extremely fragile but could likely work with proper build techniques and care. Is there anything that sets GG’s new 7D apart from the others? I would really like a material expert to hop in and give us a run down on the market’s current 7D nylon offerings and how they compare. @kcbaker-2 do you have any knowledge on the various offerings out there? Sorry to put you on the spot but hoped you might be able to offer some insight.

[Window walker]

“The next cuben fiber” seems like a stretch. Cuben is life come on Gary :-P

[Alex H]

I too have great hopes for this tarp and material, having been around and under the old version I was pleased with it. I look forward to further field testing and results.

thanks, Gary

[Gary Pikovsky]

Sorry for all the hyperbole. :) Psyched about the material.

Anyone else get the tent or the tarp yet?

[Ian]

“Sorry for all the hyperbole. :) Psyched about the material.”

Meh…  I applaud your enthusiasm.  I wouldn’t worry too much about the heckling we’re throwing your way from Statler/Waldorf balcony seats.

[Gary Pikovsky]

:)

[Ian]

Gary,

“I’m using the tarp with the new Sea-To-Summit duo bug net”

Are you talking about the two person S2S Nano Mosquito Pyramid Net Shelter or is there another variation?  The reason why I’m asking is that I owned this net for a very short period of time but sold it pretty quick and bought the solo version.  I don’t see how the duo I previously owned would’ve fit as well as yours does in the picture.  The top portion where the bar is supposed to go in the net would’ve run perpendicular with the ridge line for example.

Did you modify the net or add some tie outs to make it work better?

 

[Gary Pikovsky]

There is a new sea to summit Escpist series. They messed up with the tarp but nailed it with the mesh tent. I don’t think there is a lighter mesh tent out there, even in the cottage industry.

[Ian]

That’s the first I’ve heard of it but it’s now in my cart on Amazon.  That’d be a great option for my Grace Solo

[Gary Pikovsky]

Nice! Glad to help. However, it might be too wide for Grace Solo.

[Ian]

Not too worried about the extra width.  If it’s raining then I don’t need to worry about mosquitoes and I would stow the net

At some point I’m going to upgrade to a two person cat cut tarp and am truly interested to see how this fabric works out for you.  It checks a lot of boxes for me except “proven.”  I think the price is more than fair and obviously the weight is too.

 

[todd]

Great-looking tarp!  Glad you are diggin’ it.

Are the ends of the bug net vertical?  If so that’s sweet too.

[Gary Pikovsky]

Thanks! The tarp end are vertical. More so, the tent has bathtub ends in mesh

[James holden]

For folks that arent on fbook …

;)

 

[Ian]

That’s an interesting quote and I’m sure he has some real world experiences with 7d fabric, but MLD was also late to the .5 cuben party which many of us here and Zpacks have felt all along was more than strong enough for our purposes.  No disrespect intended but you can’t have people complete the AT/CDT/PCT with .5 cuben without acknowledging that with care, it’s fine for most backpackers.

Maybe 7d is the future.  Maybe not.  Fortunately we have early adopters while the rest of us wait and see.

Although I’m awfully tempted to roll the dice and see for myself.  I’d be interested to see how much more compact this is compared to a similar shelter in .5 cuben.

 

 

[Eric Blumensaadt]

So Gary, what if this Cuben fabric DOES mist-thru in a heavy downpour? Will this new Cuben fabric  take a light coat of silicone rolled on and wiped down with paper shop towels?

This was my method of increasing the hydro. head on my older Tarptents’ silnylon. I used a 5:1 ratio of odorless mineral spirits to GE clear silicone caulk and a low knapp roller. It is the lightest method I know to re-treat silnylon.

 

 

[Hoosier T]

Eric, the material in question is not actually cuben. The OP was just eluding to the fact that it could be the next great thing. It is simply. 7-denier sil/PU coated nylon so silicone coating might work on one side but that would need to be tested by someone.

[Monte Masterson]

Nice tarp. I love GG gear.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m pretty sure the netting on the S2S Nanos have holes too large to stop noseeums and miniscule ticks.

I spent years searching for a bug net that would fit under an A frame tarp, but to no avail. Finally I just decided to make one myself. This is my 8th prototype and I think I got it right this time. The Prismnet 2.0 weighs 4.7 oz and is made of .67 noseeum. I’m going to start a thread on it in SUL forum, and I’ll provide a lot more details. Nets will be for sale soon.

Edit to add: I placed a groundsheet UNDER the underflaps so you can see them. Of course when using the net the groundsheet would go OVER the underflaps.

[Gary Pikovsky]

I’m the OP. It’s not a Nano. Nanos weren’t that great. STS updated the Nano line and called it Escapist. The tarp in the series is quite saggy, flappy and not very usable. The mesh tent is almost perfect. Fits just right with the GG tarp.

http://www.seatosummit.com/product/?item=Escapist+Inner+-+Bug+Net&o1=0&o2=0&o3=506

 

[Monte Masterson]

Ok Gary, thanks for setting me straight on that.

The Escapist net looks good, but does it protect against noseeums?

[Gary Pikovsky]

Totally. I put a polycro groundsheet in there and used the net’s bottom cincher to make it nice and tight. Really versatile shelter. I might even use it w/o the tarp on a few nights.

[John S.]

The esapist inner bug net, on STS website, is 80 holes per cm2. That translates to about 516 holes per inch2. Noseeum may be at least 400 holes per inch2. Fine noseeum I have seen mentioned at 625 holes per inch2.

[Gary Pikovsky]

I suggest to try it in real life in addition to math. It works like it should…

[Andy Berner]

I just pulled the trigger on one.  Can’t wait to try it out.

[Anonymous]

Gary, i hath seen the future, and it’s not these fabrics….

It’s woven Dyneema, Spectra, etc. fabrics that have a mono-film of UHMWPE or perhaps even “Polycryo” pressure+low heat bonded to one side it (and maybe a little, light coat flexible epoxy on the edges/perimeter to further stabilize the fabric).

We’re talking like possible .25 oz/yd2 fabrics, but with high tensile strengths (at least equivalent to standard 30D silnylon), high abrasion resistance (keep the film side in), and high waterproofness and hydrophobicity.

Unfortunately i do not have the resources to create such a material.  If a larger company ever does, it likely will be rather expensive at first.

A much more affordable material would use UV stabilized (just add carbon or similar to PP while in it’s more plastic state), woven polypropylene  in a similar manner, but obviously won’t have the tensile and tear strengths as the above.  But because of the low density of PP (about 35% lighter than polyester per same volume), you could get around 1 oz/yd2 materials that are a bit stronger and more durable than current sil and sil/pu poly fabrics, but which absorb even less moisture and have even higher HH.

[Author]

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