Most ZPacks gear is made from CTFł Cuben Fiber Fabric. Cuben Fiber
is constructed of a grid of white DyneemaŽ (or spectra) threads
laminated to a thin transparent polyester membrane. The DyneemaŽ
fiber is up to 15 times stronger than steel and up to 40%
stronger than aramid fibers on a weight for weight basis. DyneemaŽ
floats on water and is extremely durable and resistant to moisture, UV
light and chemicals.
Cuben Fiber has an extremely high tensile strength, and very low stretch
making it ideal for our tents, tarps, and backpacks. It is unfortunately very
expensive compared to other materials.
Cuben Fiber is available in a variety of weights. All weights shown are
waterproof. Buy Cuben Fiber Fabric. Buy Cuben
Fiber Material.
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1.42 oz/sqyd Waterproof Breathable Cuben Fiber Fabric
New! Finally waterproof breathable
cuben fiber is here! This is probably the lightest 3 layer wpb fabric in
existence, perfect for your ultralight jackets, bivies and other
projects.
The fabric is a three layer laminate with high strength Dyneema fibers
in the middle. In our testing the strength, waterproofness, and
breathability have all proved to be pretty good. Our
jackets for example are
breathable enough to sleep in or hike in (if it is cold out) without
getting clammy.
Due to the high cost of this fabric it is sold in half yard increments.
One half yard would get you a piece 18" by 54". A typical jacket might
take about 2 linear yards. Scroll down the page for waterproof zippers.
Weight: 1.42 oz/sqyd (48.3 g/m˛)
Roll width: 54" (137 cm)
Price: $30 per HALF linear yard ($60 per linear yard)
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.34 oz/sqyd Cuben Fiber Fabric.
This weight is very thin and does not take much to puncture.
It could be used for very light duty stuff
sacks, or a tarp or tent if you are brave, or a vapor barrier. We use it
for sleeping bag baffles. Any seams on your projects
will be the weak points- you may want to consider tape or glue instead
of sewing. Double sided tape is available below.
Weight: .34 oz/sqyd (11.4 g/m˛)
Roll width: 54" (137 cm)
Price: $25 per linear yard.
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.51 oz/sqyd Cuben Fiber Fabric.
This is the material used in in our cuben fiber stuff sacks, tarps,
and tents. It has high tensile strength, but only moderate abrasion and puncture resistance
due to the thin membrane material. We use a specially designed triple
stitched seam on our products which can be sealed with a silicone based
sealer like Sil Net.
Good for stuff sacks, tarps, and rain gear for those willing to be gentle with their gear. Not
recommended for backpacks! All colors are light and semi see-through.
Weight: .51 oz/sqyd (17.4 g/m˛)
Roll width: 54" (137 cm)
Price: $26 per linear yard.
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.74 oz/sqyd Cuben Fiber Fabric.
This weight has a little bit higher Dyneema thread count than our
standard .51 oz material above. It may be good in applications that require a
bit more strength and abrasion resistance, like lightweight rain gear,
or a bit more durable tarp for
example.
Weight: .74 oz/sqyd (25.4 g/m˛)
Roll width: 54" (137 cm)
Price: $27 per linear yard.
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1.0 oz/sqyd Cuben Fiber fabric.
This material and each of the heavier weights have a double thick
polyester membrane which gives it better abrasion and puncture resistance. It is waterproof, and
a good strength to weight ratio for
cuben groundsheets, tent
floors, or rain gear.
Weight: 1.0 oz/sqyd (34 g/m˛)
Roll width: 54" (137 cm)
Price: $28 per linear yard.
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1.43 oz/sqyd Cuben Fiber fabric.
This is the material used in the "Blast"
backpacks. It has more than twice the spectra thread count of the thinner
cuben materials, and a double thick polyester membrane as well. It has
very high tensile strength (over 100lbs / inch), and excellent abrasion
and puncture resistance.
Tip: The Dyneema threads in Cuben material are aligned vertically and
horizontally, but not diagonally. Any pressure points on your gear (pocket corners, strap
attachments, loops, etc) need to be reinforced with diagonally aligned
material otherwise the vertical and horizontal threads can pull apart.
Here is a
Video that shows the relative tear strengths of 1.3 oz silicone impregnated
nylon, .51 oz/sqyd cuben, and 1.43 oz/sqyd cuben
fiber. Note that those two cuben weights were previously referred to as .6 oz
and 1.5 oz in the video.
Weight: 1.43 oz/sqyd (48.4 g/m˛)
Roll width: 54" (137 cm)
Price: $29 per linear yard.
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2.92 oz/sqyd Cuben Hybrid
This material is made from the same 1.43 oz/sqyd Cuben Fiber as seen
above on the inside, with a protective layer of 50 Denier Polyester on the outside.
The outer layer gives it more strength, and abrasion resistance, prevents
fraying, and gives it a nice solid color. This material is used on our
Exo backpacks.
Disclaimer- The black dye is not 100% color fast, it can rub off
slightly leaving a light blue mark on white clothing. The tan color doesn't have an issue.
Plan accordingly; either wear darker clothing or use tan in contact
areas.
Weight: 2.92 oz/sqyd (82.8 g/m˛)
Roll width: 54" (137 cm)
Price: $39 per linear yard.
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1.85 oz/sqyd Tyvek
- Tyvek material is very stiff and crinkly when it is new, but it
softens up with use. Some people put it in their washing machine to
soften it up.
Tyvek does not have any ripstop qualities so it is not the best choice
for backpacks or tarps. It will also eventually pill and leak if it is
continuously rubbed against, so it is not great for raingear which would
rub against your backpack.
The one place Tyvek shines is it does not puncture easily and it is
cheap, so it makes a good inexpensive replaceable groundsheet material.
Weight: 1.85 oz/sqyd (62.7 g/m˛)
Roll width: 9 feet (2.74 meters)
Price: $3 per linear Foot.
Click For more Details
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Cuben Fiber Tape (Single Sided)
This tape is adhered to .51 oz/sqyd cuben fiber fabric as the
backing material. It has a brown paper layer that peels away leaving
clear adhesive stuck to a cuben fiber strip.
The 1" wide tape is great for strengthening, sealing, or repairing sewn
seams on your stuff sacks, backpacks, and tarps. It can also be cut into
smaller patches for punctures or tears.
It is sold in 54" length sections. Overlap the ends of the sections for
longer length seams. One piece is enough for most stuff sacks.
Length: 54 Inches (1.37 meters)
Width: 1 inch (2.54 cm)
Weight: .12 oz per yard (3.8 grams per meter) /
.18 oz per 54 inches.
Price: $3.50 per 54" section.
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Cuben Fiber Tape (Double Sided)
This double sided tape works great for bonding two layers of cuben fiber
material. This tape has high
sheer strength, but lower peel strength so
plan accordingly.
The brown paper layer peels away leaving just clear adhesive with no
backing. The
tape can be used to bond two layers of fabric with no sewing.
This sticks great to Cuben Fiber and some other materials. It will not
stick to Silicone Nylon!
Roll Size: 60 yards (54.8 meters)
Width: 1/2 inch (1.27 cm)
Color: Clear
Price: $29 per roll
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.7 oz/sqyd Ultralight Insect Netting.
This is the netting used in our Hexamid tents. Regular "No-see-um" bug
netting weighs about 1 oz/sqyd. This ultralight version weighs roughly
30% less without noticeable difference in performance. It has extremely
small holes which block even the smallest of insects including
mosquitoes, noseeums, etc.
Weight: .7 oz/sqyd (24 g/m˛)
Roll width: 63" (160 cm)
Price: $8 per linear yard.
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.85 oz Pertex Quantum Ripstop Nylon.
Pertex Quantum is a 20 denier breathable ripstop nylon fabric coated with durable
water repellant (DWR). The finished weight of the fabric is about .95 oz/sqyd.
The material is dull on the outside, shiny on the inside.
This is a good choice for wind-breaker jackets, quilts and
sleeping bag shells.
Weight: .95 oz/sqyd (32 g/m˛)
Roll width: 59" (150 cm)
Price: $9.95 per linear yard.
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Zippers |
#3 Separating Zippers - Multiple lengths available
These are the type of zippers you would use on a non-waterproof jacket.
The slider is included and it has a single pull tab accessible from the
outside. These come apart at the bottom, unlike a continuous coil zipper
below. They can be trimmed down to any shorter length.
32" length is about right for a typical jacket. 56" could be used for a
long jacket or sleeping bag.
Weights:
18 inches (.46 meters) = .24 ounces (6.8 grams)
32 inches (.81 meters) = .35 (9.9 grams)
56 inces (1.42 meters) = .57 ounces (16.2 grams)
Price: $2.95 each
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31" #3 Waterproof Separating Zipper
These zippers have a shiny waterproof coating on the outside. We use
them on our waterproof jackets.
They include a single slider which is accessible from the outside and they
come apart at the bottom. They can be trimmed down to any shorter
length.
These are #3 size (the smallest / lightest size available). They were
special ordered from Japan, you probably won't find this size separating
zipper anywhere
else online with a waterproof coating!
Weight:
31 inches (.79 meters) = .45 ounces (12.8 grams)
Price: $8.95 each
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#3 Continuous Coil Zipper Tape
This zipper tape comes on a big spool and is sold by the foot. This type
of zipper does not separate at the bottom, and would be used for
applications like sleeping bags, tent doorways, etc where at least one
end of the zipper is sewn shut.
Sliders are sold separately below.
Weight: .33 ounces per yard / 10.2 grams per meter
Price: $.40 per foot (adjust the length in your shopping cart)
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#3 Continuous Coil Waterproof Zipper Tape
This is the same as above, except with a shiny waterproof coating on one
side. It is useful for applications like armpit zippers, or for
waterproof bags like our belt
pouches or multi-pack.
Sliders are sold separately below.
Weight: .42 ounces per yard / 13 grams per foot
Price: $1.45 per foot (adjust the length in your shopping cart)
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# 3 Double Pull Zipper Slider
These sliders will fit either the normal, or waterproof #3 continuous coil zippers shown
above. They have a pull tab on both sides, so they can be accessed from
the inside or outside of your gear (for example on a
tent doorway or a
sleeping bag).
To install these on to the zipper tape, insert both sides of the tape
part way into the slider, and then "push" the slider on to the tape with
your index finger. It is tricky at first but easy when you get the hang
of it! Pay attention to which way the groove on the side of the slider
is facing relative to the zipper tape. They can be inserted on to either
end of the zipper tape.
Weight: .08 ounces / 2.3 grams each
Price: $.35 each
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#3 Single Pull Zipper Slider (for waterproof zipper tape above)
These sliders have a single pull tab which would be on the shiny side of
the waterproof zipper tape above. You will want the shiny side facing
out on your project. Use these when you only need to access
the zipper from the outside (for example our our belt
pouches or multi-pack).
Weight: .06 ounces / 12.8 grams each
Price: $.35 each
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Hardware |
1 inch Airloc Dual Adjust Side Release Buckles (quick release buckles)
These buckles adjust on both sides and fit 1" nylon webbing. Perfect for
backpack belt buckles. They are lighter weight than typical belt buckles
but still quite strong!
Weight: .38 ounces / 10.6 grams
Price: $.95 each
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3/4 inch Airloc Dual Adjust Side Release Buckles (quick release buckles)
These buckles adjust on both sides and fit 3/4" nylon webbing. Perfect for
small backpack belt buckles. They are lighter weight than typical belt buckles
but still quite strong!
Weight: .22 ounces / 6.3 grams
Price: $.95 each
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1/2 inch Side Release Buckles (quick release buckles)
These buckles adjust on just one side and fit 1/2" nylon webbing. They
are good for things like sternum straps, pack lids, backpack side
straps, and anywhere that
you need a small adjustable webbing clip.
Weight: .1 ounces / .28 grams
Price: $.45 each
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1/2 inch Ladder Loc Buckles
These allow you to adjust 1/2" nylon webbing, such as for shoulder
straps, load lifter straps, side straps etc. These will start to bend or
snap at around 60 lbs of weight- plenty strong enough for most
ultralight applications.
Weight: .03 ounces / .8 grams
Price: $.35 each
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LineLoc 3 Line Adjusters
These work exactly like ladder loc buckles, except with 2mm or thicker
cord. Our 3/16" nylon flat cord is a good match.
LineLoc 3's with Loops Attached
.065 oz / 1.8 grams each. |
LineLoc 3's (no loops
attached)
.047 oz / 1.3 grams each |
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Nylon Webbing
Available in several sizes, this webbing fits the corresponding buckles
above.
1/2" - .27 ounces per yard / 8.4 grams per meter
5/8" - .34 ounces per yard / 10.5 grams per meter
3/4" - .44 ounces per yard / 13.6 grams per meter
1" - .6 ounces per yard / 18.6 grams per meter
Price: $.95 per yard
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1/2 inch Grosgrain ribbon
This is like the nylon webbing but thinner. It will slide loose in most
buckles, but it is good for adding attachment loops to things, making
daisy chains, and for tie out loops on tarps.
Weight: .11 ounces per yard / 3.4 grams per meter
Price: $.50 per yard
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1/2 inch One Wrap Velcro
This Velcro has "Hook" on one side and "Loop" on the other side,
allowing it to stick to itself. It is stiffer and has a much nicer
feel than normal Velcro.
If you want to seal 1 yard of length, you would need to order 2 yards of
One Wrap.
Weight: .27 ounces per yard / 8.37 grams per meter
Price: $1 per yard
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3/16" Nylon Flat Cord
This will fit the lineloc 3 line adjusters above. It is another good
choice for adding loops to backpacks, tarps etc.
Weight:
.11 oz per yard / 3.4 grams per meter
Price: $.40 per yard
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Cord, Cord locks and cord related plastic parts can be found on our
cord page.
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