Cuben Fiber?

[Wasatchbuck]

Who has a tent made out of it and how well has it held up? Looking at a cuben tent from Zpacks and the price for a fabric I have absolutely no experience with has me a little concerned. The weight just cannot be beat for anything but I am concerned about durability.


Thanks

Joe

 

[dirtytough]

I have one and like it a lot. I would not worry about the durability of it.

 

[snowcamoman]

I have a MLD Duomid in cuben and the thing seems tough as nails to me. I didn't have any issues at all with it and the stuff stays light and doesn't absorb any moisture. I'll be getting more cuben items down the road.

 

[AK Troutbum]

^^^ What he said. I have a Bear Paw Wilderness Designs cuben fiber Pyratent and it has sold me on the cuben fiber material.

 

[_Nick_]

I think that cuben for shelters is a really great option... cuben tends to wear out from lots of abrasion, but shelters pretty much never see abrasion. I too pretty much plan to use it for all my shelters from here on out. Though I have to save up as it ain't cheap.

 

[luke moffat]

^^^ What he said. I have a Bear Paw Wilderness Designs cuben fiber Pyratent and it has sold me on the cuben fiber material.

Have one as well... I had a zpacks hexamid solo plus thinking I could squeeze my wife and I under it as a bivy shelter. Quickly found out that one of us would end up getting rained on a bit if the occasion arose that required us to bivy out in the rain with it and I could foresee which of us would be the one getting wet. I also didn't like the crawling under and not full enclosure of the heximid. from zpacks which led me to order the cuben pryatent from Bearpaw. Still lightweight, but fully enclosed but with a zippered door for getting in and out of. That little shelter is always in my pack when I leave camp. Just nice to setup quickly and get out of the weather if needed.

 

[Matt W.]

Have one as well... I had a zpacks hexamid solo plus thinking I could squeeze my wife and I under it as a bivy shelter. Quickly found out that one of us would end up getting rained on a bit if the occasion arose that required us to bivy out in the rain with it and I could foresee which of us would be the one getting wet. I also didn't like the crawling under and not full enclosure of the heximid. from zpacks which led me to order the cuben pryatent from Bearpaw. Still lightweight, but fully enclosed but with a zippered door for getting in and out of. That little shelter is always in my pack when I leave camp. Just nice to setup quickly and get out of the weather if needed.

What's that bad boy weigh?

 

[Justin Crossley]

I have the Hexamid solo plus from Zpacks and I really like it for a minimalist solo shelter. It is only 5.1 oz without the beak. The front of the tarp is fairly low to crawl under though and the beak makes it worse. (the reason I don't have the beak)

I like Luke's setup better with the zippered entrance. After seeing it in person, I definitely plan to upgrade.

I'll probably keep the Hexamid for quick trips and get a bigger cuben shelter for longer trips. Something like a 10'x10' teepee style tent like my SL5.

 

[luke moffat]

What's that bad boy weigh?

Bearpaw lists it as like 16.5 oz but I remember it being more like 17.2..not a huge difference but mine came out just a bit heavier...not a huge deal. With stakes its still less than 20 oz. Still need to install some guylines with magic "zline" or triptease line with some line locks. But still be around 22 oz all up ready to go. Compare that to the GoLite SL-3 which is the same size which is 23 oz before you even add guylines and stakes its still some savings. Be really between an SL-5 with a nest as the main tent and the this tent as the bivy or gear tent you still have two shelters for under 5 pounds and still gives you a lot of options. Even for just storing gear or meat out of the elements to keep it dry and what not on remote trips. Overall happy with the upgrade over the Hexamid and I always like to have two shelters to help keep my options open.

 

[AK Troutbum]

Mine with 8 mini groundhog stakes, guylines, and 8" CF pole extender comes in right at 23.5 oz.

 

[Matt W.]

Bearpaw lists it as like 16.5 oz but I remember it being more like 17.2..not a huge difference but mine came out just a bit heavier...not a huge deal. With stakes its still less than 20 oz. Still need to install some guylines with magic "zline" or triptease line with some line locks. But still be around 22 oz all up ready to go. Compare that to the GoLite SL-3 which is the same size which is 23 oz before you even add guylines and stakes its still some savings. Be really between an SL-5 with a nest as the main tent and the this tent as the bivy or gear tent you still have two shelters for under 5 pounds and still gives you a lot of options. Even for just storing gear or meat out of the elements to keep it dry and what not on remote trips. Overall happy with the upgrade over the Hexamid and I always like to have two shelters to help keep my options open.

That's exactly what I was thinking of using it for. Thanks!

 

[DaveS]

I have a cuben fiber Seek Outside LBO. The base weighs around 10 oz and the 3 piece vestibule adds another 8 oz. I also have the connecting tarp with a stove jack. My buddy has a base and vestibule as well. Between us we have a lot of different shelter options depending on the trip. The LBO with base and vestibule can comfortably hold two people and gear. Two bases together is a bit larger - very similar to the Bearpaw Luna 4 and Golite SL5. We have even put two vestibules together to create a gear shelter.

I was initially thinking of getting a 9X10 flat tarp in cuben fiber to have in my pack all the time and a Luna 4 in cuben as a 2 man shelter but with the LBO I have more options. I can carry the base alone for very light weight emergency shelter for about the same weight as the 9x10 tarp. If I want an enclosed shelter I can add the vestibule. If I'm hunting with my buddy we each can carry a base for an emergency shelter and combine them together to get a fully enclosed 2-man shelter. The base+tarp+base can hold 4 people with gear and no stove or 2 people with gear and a stove.

 

[luke moffat]

DaveS,

Good to hear man! That LBO sure looks versatile indeed!

 

[Matt W.]

I have a cuben fiber Seek Outside LBO. The base weighs around 10 oz and the 3 piece vestibule adds another 8 oz. I also have the connecting tarp with a stove jack. My buddy has a base and vestibule as well. Between us we have a lot of different shelter options depending on the trip. The LBO with base and vestibule can comfortably hold two people and gear. Two bases together is a bit larger - very similar to the Bearpaw Luna 4 and Golite SL5. We have even put two vestibules together to create a gear shelter.

I was initially thinking of getting a 9X10 flat tarp in cuben fiber to have in my pack all the time and a Luna 4 in cuben as a 2 man shelter but with the LBO I have more options. I can carry the base alone for very light weight emergency shelter for about the same weight as the 9x10 tarp. If I want an enclosed shelter I can add the vestibule. If I'm hunting with my buddy we each can carry a base for an emergency shelter and combine them together to get a fully enclosed 2-man shelter. The base+tarp+base can hold 4 people with gear and no stove or 2 people with gear and a stove.

Did you special order the LBO in cuben fiber? From Seek Outside's website it looks like the standard one is the 30D material. ??

 

[DaveS]

Did you special order the LBO in cuben fiber? From Seek Outside's website it looks like the standard one is the 30D material. ??

Yes, we talked to Kevin at Seek Outside and he made it special for us. After getting mine I remember seeing the cuben version offered on his website. I don't seen it now. You can contact him at [email protected]

 

[AK Troutbum]

SO doesn't make it in cuben anymore, but I think you can special order one and they will make it for you.

 

[mtnkid85]

I picked up the Zpacks hex solo plus with the beak this summer. Ive used it several times and really like it when you have room to set it up. The one Big fault Ive found is you really need a proper spot to pitch it. It needs to be pitched tight, with most of the guys being used. You cant squeeze it into odd setups or tight spots, like you can with a basic tarp.

As far as the fabric goes though, I am impressed.