In Jay Ham's 5 part article, he used spinnaker cloth, but did not specify a type. I have found a sailing supply shop and have discovered that there are an amazing assortment of fabrics used for spinnacker sails. Some is as light as .5 oz/sailors yard. Does anyone know what particular weight I should use?

thru-hiker.com has the best avialable to DYI'ers....it's the same type I use and is very similar to the ones other makers use to. It's a silicone based coating.

Beware the online kite store type spinnaker touted as .5oz/sq/sm/yd - they are not coated with the same stuff or at all and will not be waterproof enough for a tarp. Those are also listed at the raw / untreated weights and are at min .9-1.0 oz / sq/yd. and no where near as waterproof as the Spinntexx at thru-hiker.

Yeah...I know... it's exciting to think it could be waterproof AND sub .7oz AND not expensive....

Ditto Ron's comments, with one addition.

Most lightweight sail cloth is extremely rigid. It will make a ton of noise in the woods and isn't really good at what you're looking for...

Edited by crackers on 08/06/2007 11:21:20 MDT.