I talked with them before ordering. I was told basically the following:
- Tear strength of the two fabrics is nearly identical. I honestly don't know if puncture resistance would be effected. Possibly?
- A 1.1 oz 10x10 tarp will compress to approximately a liter (nalgene bottle)
- The 1.5oz material will take up approximately 30% more volume
CCS also told me that they have approximately 400 yards left of the 1.5oz fabric. Once it is gone, they are switching to a 1.9 oz fabric. That is because the supplier wants them to buy a large quantity, and they are not willing to purchase that much. So, it will be unavailable in the future. If you think you want 1.5oz, I would get it now.
Now, the reason I went with the 1.1 oz tarp is because of space. It depends on your own personal final use, but I backpack with small kids. We have tents and all, but I will still take a tarp like this to give us shelter to cook, hang out and play games without being stuck in a tiny backpacking tent. If I were to use it solely for car camping, or canoe tripping, I would have possibly went with the 1.5 oz tarp. So, volume is the main reason for spending the extra cash for me.
The only thing to know about ordering is that not everything is “ready to ship.” They had to make my tarp, and it took just over a week to get. Don’t wait until a couple days before a trip to order one.
If you do get the 1.5oz, please let us know what you think.
B
