Seattle Fabrics
OWFinc
Noah Lamport (just saw this in a post on here)
Ed Speer

Are there any other places to buy fabric on the internet (I'm mainly looking for silnylon)? Also, I searched, but couldn't find a discussion about the cheapest place to buy from. So, which place is the cheapest to buy form? Of the above places, OWF is the cheapest with their 2nds being less than $6/yd. Thanks all.

Quest Outfitters: http://www.questoutfitters.com/

The Rain Shed: http://therainshed.com/

Thru-Hiker: http://thru-hiker.com/materials/coated.php

Noah Lamport is the cheapest to my knowledge. <$3/yd.

edit: they have 10yd min.

Edited by huzefa on 01/13/2009 20:42:40 MST.

Here is fabric sources page on BPL wiki, you can check other retailers from the list:

http://wiki.backpackinglight.com/MYOG_fabrics_sources

And if someone know other sources, add them there!

Great links,Thanks !!!

I'm getting close to starting on a 10' square pyramid for the family. I see lots of vendors selling silnylon- both backpacking MYOG specialists and some others.

Mostly they don't refer to brands or provide spec's other than weight. Some do-

Rockywoods has two different types listed-

For $8.33/yd (domestic) or $7.19/yd (imported) they list this description:

1.3oz Silicone Coated Ripstop Nylon Fabric
59-60" wide
2.1 - 2.3oz sq/yard coated weight

And these spec's:
Average Property Test Results for 1.3oz Silicone coated (SilNylon) Nylon Fabrics
* Total Weight - 1.4 +/- 0.1 oz/sq yard
* Break Strength, Warp - 77 lbs
* Break Strength, Fill - 78 lbs
* Tear Strength, Warp - 12 lbs
* Tear Strength, Fill - 12 lbs

Note the discrepancy in weight between the description of 2.1-2.3 osy and the "Average Property Test Results" of 1.4 osy.

The other silnylon on their website is called "Ultra-Sil" for $9.89 per yard:
Average Property Test Results for Ultra-Sil Nylon Fabrics
* Total Weight - 1.28 +/- 0.07 oz/sq yard
* Break Strength, Warp - 78 lbs
* Break Strength, Fill - 78 lbs
* Tear Strength, Warp - 17 lbs
* Tear Strength, Fill - 16 lbs

The test results have the Ultra-Sil slightly lighter, exactly the same break strength, but with significantly higher tear strength.

My big question is whether this Ultra-Sil is going to be significantly better than the common silnylon 2nds that many web sites have for around $5 or so a yard.

My tent will require about a dozen yards of 60" fabric for the canopy, plus 7 yards for the floor. Obviously buying 19 yards of fabric the cost is important.

Any light to be shed on the subject?

19yds of 2nd silnylon from Noah Lamport will cost you $57.75 +shipping.

I'll check into that. Even if it's a little lower in quality I can make one pyramid as a proof of concept then if it wears out do a new improved version with "the good stuff".

Noah Lamport is here in my fair city of LA so I can check them out and see some fabric in the flesh.

Jim

I went by the Noah Lamport warehouse recently here in LA and they were very easy to work with. Minimum order is 10 yards, but at these prices, a great deal. I was also suprised to find some uncoated lightweight ripstop in a dusty corner for under $3 a yard. They also have a lot of heavier Packcloth fabrics. (I paid cash and they didn't even send the usual % to Gov. Arnold.) Scott

the email i got from noah lamport the other week said $2.75 a yd, 10yd minimum per color, plus $5 a cut charge. sil 2nds is all they sell, which shouldn't be a problem. my last tarp was made from 2nds, and there is nothing wrong with it.