I'm thinking of buying some Cuben Fiber to make an ultralight tent footprint (I'm figuring the whole thing will weigh less than 2 ounces) that might also serve as a large poncho that could fit over self and backpack while hiking. I have no idea if such a dual purpose item has been fabricated (regardless of fabric used). If so, I'd like to get the sewing pattern used and pics if possible. Anyone think it could be done? Any suggesions for working with Cuben Fiber? I found two places that sell it, in three different weights.

http://www.questoutfitters.com/coated.html#CUBEN

http://www.rockywoods.com/cuben_fiber.htm?gclid=COPHwKn4g5ECFSG9IgodSmeQAg

Although I've not handled any cuben fiber I do have it on good advice that it is limited in its puncture resistance. This could be a concern in use as a footprint.

true- while Cuben has a very high tensile strength for the weight, it has poor puncture and abrasian resistance (speaking from experience). That said, if you clear the area well, it might be okay.

Spinnaker might be a better option. You could save your expensive Cuben for non-puncture or abrasian situations such as tarps, ponchos, non-bushwack packs, etc.

Doug, thanks. I'll look into the weight of Spinnaker but I still need a decent pattern -- any patterns exist?

What do you want the footprint to do?

Protect the tent floor? Make it more waterproof?

Some folks use a tent floor liner instead of a footprint.
If this would meet your needs, a cuben fiber liner would be a
elegant, but expensive option.

Edited by oware on 01/22/2008 12:48:10 MST.

Some folks use a tent floor liner instead of a footprint.

I preach that to our scouts, telling them that there are two kinds of tenters 1) those who use groundcloths 2) those who use liners and we give them names .... 1) wet and 2) dry

YMMV but I stopped worrying about holes in tent floors after I started using a liner .... except that I've mostly forsaken tents in favor of floorless TarpTents and (more recently) tarps (although I do use a floored RainShadow for tempting potential converts out of their tents)

The dual-use footprint is to serve two purposes: (1) lie beneath the tent floor in case there is rain and it is very muddy and the footprint will be used to keep the tent from being very muddy (the tent is a Tarptent Rainshadow 2-- it sleeps 3) -- I figure in this scenario, it is easier to wash a footprint than a whole tent to get the mud off and (2) during the day, if it rains, to serve as a large poncho like "The Packa" to keep pack and body dry. I'm not really worried about the tent floor from being punctured. The tarptent floor is very rugged and it is not hard to repair a punctured tent floor anyway. I'd just like to have a dual purpose item if I'm going to pack a footprint because for the sole weight of a footprint, I figure it is not worth packing it -- but as rainwear backup, it can be justified.

Hence, I need some patterns to come up with anything as I don't see anything like this for sale, but it seems to me I have come across this once before. I think it was a Chinese outdoor gear company that was advertising such a dual purpose item. I figure somebody has had to think of something like this before anyway. Has anyone else heard of a dual purpose item like this?

Edited by marti124 on 01/22/2008 20:47:22 MST.

I don't think you would necessarily need a pattern. I haven't seen what you are thinking about, but I am going to guess that it is a big sheet that can drape over your head and snap under your chin.

You can try this. Buy $1 fabric at Wally-World, doesn't matter much the type of fabric. Freehand what you want. Use it as a guide for the Cuben.

Im my opinion, using cuben fiber as a footprint is only waste of money. Firstly, it could get damaged under the tent and then will leak if used for rain protection. Secondly, if you say it should protect the tent from mud, I do not find it useful as a poncho once it is covered in mud (at the moment of packing your tent and putting the poncho on).

I can see it from other side: full featured poncho, that can be occassionaly used as a footprint. Personally, I will not do that, because I wouldn't want to damage my precious poncho from quite fragile material.

If the conditions really require it and I needed to have my tent clean, I would take lightweight plastic sheet. It is cheap and can be replaced when it is damaged too much. But I still thing this problem could be avoided by better selection of your camp.