 as some of you are aware last year i started marking lightweight tarps from 0.5oz spinnaker fabric, well this year while most of you have been out enjoying yourselves I've been planning, schemeing and plotting for super-ultralight domination!
Over the winter months I've been constructing a new range of tarps constructed from Cuben Fibre (a laminate material 4 times stronger than Kevlar) Using bonding techniques rather than stitches wherever possible to achieve incredably strong, durable and amazingly light tarps.
A mini tarp measuring 4 1/2 foot by 5 foot weighs an outstanding 60g.(a mini marvel)
Ive just finished an 8 foot long catenary centre seam tarp, by 7 1/2 foot wide (big enough for 2-3 people) at 170g.
don't let the weight of these make you think they are meak & mild. These really are strong, although extra care has to be taken as the material has a low puncture resistance (don't stand on it! or use it as a ground sheet).
I will be posting pics soon, anyone who wants more info please email me.
I intend to start making these to order and hopefully to set-up an e-shop some time this spring/summer.
Im also working on a SUL 1-2man single skin tent which can be used with either walking poles or supplied carbon poles. Cuben fibre constructed fly with a floating spinnaker groundsheet. hopefully weigh-in between 500-600g (with carbon poles).I've alot of work todo on this project yet.
comments welcomed.
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 Good luck with the venture, Morph. I've not got into tarping myself, but I'm all for experimenting.
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 Morph, drop me a line with some pics and info and I'll run a news story on the site. Sounds interesting. Are you happy with the long-term durability of the bonding btw?
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 Good luck with it Morph.
When you mention it's stronger than Kevlar, in what way? Tensile strength? Kevlar's perceived main 'strength' lies in toughness - in fabrics this is popularly seen as puncture resistance as in anti-ballistic clothing and crampon patches to prevent incisions and tears from skis and crampies.
Not intended as a criticism in any way, my secondary occupation is on Product Design so I'm curious :o)
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hiya, NPC
'Its 4 times more durable than kevlar, whilst being upto 70% lighter. After being folded 250 times, Kevlar laminate loses 80% of its breaking strength while Cuben Fiber retains nearly 100% of its original strength'
all are claims from the manufacturer!
Jon, that would be great, I need to get some descent pics taken first so it'll be after the weekend.
As for durability of the bonding - time will be the greatest test with UV exposure causing the most degradation to the bond. I've tested the bond from -25 upto 50 degrees c with no failure under excessive forces. seams under load (ie centre catenary seam) have a single row of stitching to re-inforce the bond using a modified flat-felled seam. the stitch layer being somewhat sandwiched between a layer of bond & laminate making it completey sealed&watertight.
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I was interested because so few manufacturers are using welding / bonding technology. One major pack manufacturer told me that they don't use welded seams because they can tear some of the welded packs out there apart with their bare hands. Backing-up with stitching seems like a very sensible idea in stressed areas.
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Ah, so the 'strength' (there are many different flavours of it) is durability. Plus if you're talking retaining its integrity after being folded 250 times, malleability.
With you.
Though I'm not sure what they mean by "breaking strength". It sounds like tensile strength. It may be worth asking them, as what sounds quite technical to the layman is often in reality so vague as to be almost meaningless. Best to have your specification both correct and accurate.
Could you ask your local uni to subject it to high intensity UV with the equivalent value of 5 years of average UK sunlight? Their resultant report could be ammunition for you to show that it's it also UV-durable.
Hope this helps.
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 sounds interesting morph.
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Sounds fantastic morph - how far away do you think 2kg pack weight is? .. 1kg?
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NPC, like the idea of getting the uni to test for UV durability, Cubens is constructed with a UV abosorbing titanium resin , so should be good, The bonding is also highly UV resistant but would be good to see if it really performs.
Id also like to thank lighthiker for his input on this project!
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out of interest morph, where do you get the spinnaker nylon and cuben fabrics from?
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Spinnaker from UK - take a look at ebay/ or try kite supplies, Cubens imported from USA direct from manufacturer.
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 Wayne,
so the word is out...:-) Am I allowed to post my pics on my blog?
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 Lovley looking Tarps Morph. Am I right in thinking that the Cuben fibre can't by dyed?
Also the Dyneema cords you use, they look like they are coated with something. I've bought some uncoated white dyneema and trying to tie any sort of knot in it is very difficult.
Are the smaller tarps of a similar design to the larger one, i.e curved ridge line?
So many questions, but such a nice looking piece of kit.
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 I made something similar with a sheet and my mum's clothes horse when I was about 8.
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Brilliant stuff Wayne.
Can you make me a poncho or two out of Cuben fibre?
How about bothy bags?
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 I'd be interested to find out more about the tent design - it'd be awesome for LAMM/Polaris etc.
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wow. loads of questions.
shed dweller:
Cuben fibre cannot be dyed, however ive been intouch with the tech guys over at cubens and they are currently experimenting with reds + mysteriuosly white. with green and black on the agenda.
uncoated dyneema is a b**** to tie, my lines use an outer sheath.
my smaller tarp doesnt have a central ridgeline, just a plain rectangle
winhill:
never made a poncho, id have to look for a 'ready made' design to see how much work is involved. bothy bags are a distinct possibilty but would be very expensive.
Anthony cooper
yes the tent design will be awesome, looking at fibraplex poles, currently looking at 2 upright poles, similar to ME ultralight or a single curved pole like Atko. i need to work on some mini protoypes first. on paper im getting under 400g including pole, fly and groundsheet.
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 "Backing-up with stitching seems like a very sensible idea in stressed areas."
The trouble with stitching is that it's like the perforations in paper where it says "Tear along here".
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indeed JH, thats why the stitching is sandwiched between unstitched layers of bond and Cuben Fibre. the purpose of the stitch is to provide support to shearing forces within the seam.
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