I saw a DCF tent shed water worse than a $50 Coleman last weekend

I've been reading for years how DCF (Dyneema Composite Fabric) is the gold standard for ultralight camping. Everyone swears by it. But I was at a group campout near Table Rock Lake last Saturday and it rained hard for about 3 hours. A guy had a brand new Zpacks Duplex and water was actually beading up on the outside but then soaking through at the seam tape in 3 different spots. Meanwhile my buddy's old $50 Coleman Sundome from Walmart stayed bone dry inside. I looked up the stats later and found out that DCF has a hydrostatic head rating of only around 1,500mm to 2,000mm depending on the type. Most budget silnylon tents push 3,000mm or more. So all that money for a tent that costs $700 and it can't handle a moderate rainstorm without seam issues? Am I missing something or is this just accepted in the ultralight world?

2 comments

2 Comments

emma_young3d ago

Is it really that deep though? Like yeah that sucks for the guy but one bad experience doesn't mean DCF is trash. Plenty of people have used those tents for years without issues.

barbara_moore733d ago

Oh @emma_young, a buddy of mine had one collapse on him in a light rain last spring!