Cuben Fiber – Frequently Asked Questions

What is Cuben Fiber?

What is Cuben Fiber?

Cuben fiber is a non-woven, laminate material that is used to make ultralight backpacking gear including backpacks, tents, and tarps, stuff sacks, and backpack rain covers. It is made by sandwiching ultra-high-weight-molecular polyethylene Dyneema fibers with polyester to produces an exceptionally lightweight, strong, and waterproof material. Dyneema fibers are 15 times stronger than steel by weight, which gives cuben fiber its strength.

Cuben fiber is available in different thicknesses and weights which are used to make different types of products. Heavier cuben fiber has a higher density of Dyneema threads that increase it strength. Hybrid variants of cuben fiber laminated with heavier polyester are used to make backpacks since they receive much more wear and tear than tents or tarps. This hybrid cuben fiber is also easier to dye, providing a wider range of color options.

What is the difference between Cuben Fiber and Dyneema Composite Fabric?

What is the difference between Cuben Fiber and Dyneema Composite Fabric?

Cuben fiber is also known as Dyneema Composite Fabric, CTF3, or non-woven Dyneema. Originally developed to make ultralight sailboat racing sails, cuben fiber was made and marketed by a company called Cubic Tech. Cubic Tech was subsequently acquired by a Dutch Company named Koninklijke DSM N.V, the makers of the Dyneema fibers which are used to make cuben fiber. They attempted to rename and rebrand cuben fiber as "Dymeema Composite Fabric" after the acquisition. However, most ultralight backpacking gear manufacturers and consumers still refer to the material as cuben fiber, and the original name has stuck. 

How much lighter weight is Cuben Fiber than other materials used to make ultralight backpacking gear?

How much lighter weight is Cuben Fiber than other materials used to make ultralight backpacking gear?

You can expect a 50-75% weight reduction by using an item made with Cuben Fiber. For example, silicon impregnated nylon (silnylon), another popular material for making ultralight backpacks, tents, tarps, stuff sacks, rain gear, and backpack covers, is two to four times heavier than the cuben fiber used for similar applications and products.

How expensive is ultralight backpacking gear made with Cuben Fiber?

How expensive is ultralight backpacking gear made with Cuben Fiber?

Gear made with cuben fiber is typically two to three times more expensive than gear made with more conventional fabrics. It is also more labor intensive to make gear with since most of the work must be done manually by highly skilled workers in the United States and can't be outsourced to Vietnam or China. For example, backpacking gear made with cuben fiber is often taped together by hand instead of sewn, requiring gear companies to evolve highly manual fabrication and styling processes to create products using it.

What other benefits does Cuben Fiber provide besides weight reduction?

What other benefits does Cuben Fiber provide besides weight reduction?

Cuben fiber is a waterproof material that doesn't absorb water like nylon or other woven fabrics. This makes it ideal for making tents, shelters, and backpacks. It also does not stretch like silnylon (used to make ultralight backpacking tents and tarps), eliminating the need for you to adjust tent or tarp guylines at night to counteract fabric sag. Cuben fiber is very tear resistant because the Dyneema fibers embedded in it are so strong. This, in addition to its light weight, was why it was used to make large racing sails.

There's not such thing as a perfect material for making backpacking gear. What are some of the weakness or disadvantages of using backpacking gear made with Cuben Fiber?

There's not such thing as a perfect material for making backpacking gear. What are some of the weakness or disadvantages of using backpacking gear made with Cuben Fiber?

The cuben fiber used to make tents and tarps is translucent and lets in light that can disturb people who are sensitive to it. Being translucent, it also provides limited privacy, unlike solid fabrics which prevent you from seeing occupants or their backlit silhouettes.

Some sewing is required when making cuben fiber backpacks in order to attach non-cuben shoulder straps, webbing straps, pockets, and hip belts. This creates holes in the fabric which can leak water if not seam sealed. This is the reason that most cuben fiber backpack manufacturers have stopped claiming that their backpacks are watertight, even though cuben fiber is a non-absorbant, waterproof material.

Gear made with cuben fiber occupies more space when stuffed rather than folded or rolled. Frequent folding and unfolding can also weaken the material resulting in fraying or holes, particularly in stuff sacks.

What colors is Cuben Fiber available in?

What colors is Cuben Fiber available in?

Regular cuben fiber is available in light green, light blue, and white. It is used mainly for making tents, tarps, stuff sacks, and backpack covers. Hybrid forms of cuben fiber covered with thicker polyester are easier to dye. They are often available in black, blue, green, orange, or camouflage

Why don't all backpacking gear manufacturers switch to using Cuben Fiber if it's so great?

Why don't all backpacking gear manufacturers switch to using Cuben Fiber if it's so great?

Cuben fiber is far more expensive to make gear with than other more conventional fabrics and most consumers are unwilling to pay extra for it. That's unlikely to change unless the cost of cuben fiber drops and automated fabrication processes are invented and tooled to reduce labor costs.

What companies make ultralight backpacking gear using Cuben Fiber?

What companies make ultralight backpacking gear using Cuben Fiber?

Some of the largest, most experienced manufacturers include Hyperlite Mountain Gear, Zpacks.com, and Mountain Laurel Designs, although many smaller companies also create products using the material on a smaller scale.

Where can you buy Cuben Fiber if you are interested in making your own backpacking gear?

Where can you buy Cuben Fiber if you are interested in making your own backpacking gear?

Ripstop by the Roll and MakeYourGear.com are two companies that sell small volumes of cuben fiber and cuben fiber tape to consumers who want to make their own gear.

           

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