I'm thinking of getting a 6'x9' cuben tarp from Zpacks.com for $190, using their 1.25mm spectra for guylines, 1.5mm spectra for my ridgeline, and their 6.5" titanium stakes. Depending on how many tie outs I decide to get on each of the long sides (one or two, what do you think? Is 4.5 feet of tarp too much for one tie out point on the long side?), and accordingly, how many stakes (6 or 8), my total tarp weight will be 6.53 oz or 7.09 oz respectively, including all guyout lines, the ridgeline, and stakes. Add a 6.5 oz Equinox Bivy as a rain guard for my bag and as a groundcloth, and my total shelter weight would be 13 and 13.5 oz. Total cost, about $300 plus shipping (actually I got free shipping on the Equinox Bivy which I already bought, but I havent bought anything else yet).

Thoughts? I am new to cuben fibers so Im not sure if this is light by cuben standards, but for me, its a great improvement over a 2 lb Nemo Gogo tent (which when you think about it, is already pretty lightweight at 2 lbs). Sub 1 lb though is another world for me, a world that excites me very much!

Edited by gregpphoto on 02/20/2012 00:35:39 MST.

I would ask Joe about the tie outs. I think it will be fine though with one tie out on the long side. My tarp is slightly larger and that's what I do.

I just recently received my zpacks 9x7 tarp. I went with the max tie outs, 12, and got loops inside the ridgeline for my bivy. The tarp came in at 4.75 oz with the cuben stuff sack. So if you are conerned about weight, it is not really an issue. I would go with the extra tie out on the long sides.

The 9x7 tarp with the all the tie outs, stuff sack, zpacks 1.25 mm line, 8 ti stakes, and ti goat bug bivy I am at 12.3 oz for my shelter...isn't cuben great!

That was my thought, Am, that at .02 oz per tie out, and up to 12 tieouts at no extra charge, I might as well get the 8 tieouts instead of 6.

Do you plan on figuring in the weight of a bug net of some sort?
Duane

Nah, where I camp, bugs aren't generally an issue, and if it gets bad, I have a bug head net I will be carrying anyway (for black flies May-July) I can put on.

I've got the 6x9x5 tarp from Zpacks, and I find the single tie-outs on either side (the long side) to me perfect. I think two would be way overkill and more finicky to use.