Cordura fabric tarps

They are ok if you stay away from sharp things. They roll up really nice and small. The patches usually have to be sewed on, I never had any luck with the glued on patches.

 

Oh hell no IMO!! That is only a little lighter than mine and 3x more!

 

920 shipped!

 

20lbs more....Mytee Products Truck Flatbed Trailer Tarps Lightweight Lumber Tarp 24x27 (8' Dro | eBay


and I pick them local in Ohio so no shipping but still...

 

Ahg the more I think about it 20lbs sounds nice....but not that ni$e!!

 

They're junk. They'll tear on a wooden pallet, D-rings rip out from new, they blow up like a parachute no matter what, and repair patches have to be sewn on if a tarp shop will agree to do it at all. Glad my set of 8' drops got stolen.

I might consider a steel tarp for ltl, but they never seemed terribly water resistant, and I'm no fan of rejected loads. Might be good as a smoke tarp, at least.

 

I used to design and field test outdoor recreational products: backpacks, tents, sleeping bags, clothing, climbing gear, etc. Cordura has been around for decades. Even if this is real Cordura with type 66 Dupont nylon, I think Cordura for tarps is a BAD idea.

First, it can be treated to be UV resistant, but that treatment wears off. After a few months in the sun nylon fabrics will become brittle and tear easily. That point hit home when a tent blew up in a wind storm at a high camp after a month (thinner material but also Dupont Type 66 nylon). If the manufacturer is using a cheaper Korean knockoff material it's far worse.

Second, the best way to waterproof the material is with polyurethane coating. After extended use it starts to crumble and break down, ESPECIALLY if you stow wet. It will mildew and stink.

Third, no matter how well the polyurethane coating is on the inside (toward the load), the exterior fabric side needs to be treated to be water repellent. All nylons absorb water, but especially Cordura. It is extruded with air jets blowing it to create tiny fibers hanging off each strand to make it feel soft (and improve abrasion resistance), but those tiny fibers trap water. All water resistant treatments fade over time, then the fabric becomes easily waterlogged. Then you need to spray Scotch Guard on it periodically so water beads on the surface instead of penetrating the fabric.

If you want to go lightweight get a fabric like sail cloth, the expensive stuff. It's UV resistant and waterproof. The Kevlar option would be bullet proof.

 

How do you think another aramid, like technora would perform? Kevlar shortage sounds like it'd make getting 1300sq ft more of a hassle than it needs to be.

 

Technora is about 25% more expensive than Kevlar. If you go with it make sure you buy the black fabric sold for sails, it will be more UV resistant.