Backcountry Forum
Backpacking & Hiking Gear

Backcountry Forum
Our long-time Sponsor - the leading source for ultralite/lightweight outdoor gear
 
 
 

Amazon.com
Backpacking Forums
---- Our Gear Store ----
The Lightweight Gear Store
 
 WINTER CAMPING 

Shelters
Bivy Bags
Sleeping Bags
Sleeping Pads
Snow Sports
Winter Kitchen

 SNOWSPORTS 

Snowshoes
Avalanche Gear
Skins
Hats, Gloves, & Gaiters
Accessories

 ULTRA-LIGHT 

Ultralight Backpacks
Ultralight Bivy Sacks
Ultralight Shelters
Ultralight Tarps
Ultralight Tents
Ultralight Raingear
Ultralight Stoves & Cookware
Ultralight Down Sleeping Bags
Ultralight Synthetic Sleep Bags
Ultralight Apparel


the Titanium Page
WM Extremelite Sleeping Bags

 CAMPING & HIKING 

Backpacks
Tents
Sleeping Bags
Hydration
Kitchen
Accessories

 CLIMBING 

Ropes & Cordage
Protection & Hardware
Carabiners & Quickdraws
Climbing Packs & Bags
Big Wall
Rescue & Industrial

 MEN'S APPAREL 

Jackets
Shirts
Baselayer
Headwear
Gloves
Accessories

 WOMEN'S APPAREL 

Jackets
Shirts
Baselayer
Headwear
Gloves
Accessories

 FOOTWEAR 

Men's Footwear
Women's Footwear

 CLEARANCE 

Backpacks
Mens Apparel
Womens Apparel
Climbing
Footwear
Accessories

 BRANDS 

Black Diamond
Granite Gear
La Sportiva
Osprey
Smartwool

 WAYS TO SHOP 

Sale
Clearance
Top Brands
All Brands

 Backpacking Equipment 

Shelters
BackPacks
Sleeping Bags
Water Treatment
Kitchen
Hydration
Climbing


 Backcountry Gear Clearance

Topic Options
Rate This Topic
#107842 - 12/11/08 05:37 PM Dyeing Silnylon
Menawa Offline


Registered: 12/11/08
Posts: 3
My favorite solo tent is bright orange silnylon. That forces me to use less desirable tents when stealth camping. Is it possible to dye/subdue/camoflage silnylon without damaging it?

Top
#107843 - 12/12/08 05:05 AM Re: Dyeing Silnylon [Re: Menawa]
Dryer Offline

Moderator

Registered: 12/05/02
Posts: 3591
Loc: Texas
Nope. Silnylon is very inert stuff. The silicone doesn't allow dyes, or paint...or anything else, to get to the fibers. I suppose you could pile branches over it or only erect it after dark. Maybe make another tarp for it but that defeats the lightweight aspect. Should be a great tent during deer season! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
When I stealth camp, I usually don't establish a 'camp' until after sundown anyway.
That's probably your best option.
_________________________
paul, texas KD5IVP

Top
#107844 - 12/12/08 03:10 PM Re: Dyeing Silnylon [Re: Dryer]
chaz Offline
member

Registered: 10/22/07
Posts: 1149
Loc: Tennessee
Nope. Silnylon is very inert stuff. The silicone doesn't allow dyes, or paint...or anything else, to get to the fibers.

You got that right! How would you possiblly paint a lubricant? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />Silly kone is some slippery stuff. What you could do is find some camo ripstop and coat it after you finish your design. First erect your finished design taught. Mix Dow clear window caulk/sealant with some oderless mineral sprits to the consistancy of surup. Using a squeege ( I used a flexible putty squeege), pour some of the material on the upperside and spread it around to cover a section at a time. Doing my cat cut tarp, I started at the ridge line and worked my way down. Try to maintain an even coat. This is the tricky part. It is very hard to coat it totally evenly because as some of it dries as you are working new material into areas that have been previously coated. But the good news is that if you strive for even and thin consistancy it will repel water and hold up after repeated folding and stuffing etc.
Hope this helps.... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />
_________________________
Enjoy your next trip...

Top
#107845 - 12/12/08 08:37 PM Re: Dyeing Silnylon [Re: chaz]
Menawa Offline


Registered: 12/11/08
Posts: 3
I knew silnylon would not take conventional dyes. However, I experimented making marks on it with green and brown permanent magic markers and it takes those colors. So I figured there might be some product out there that would subdue the bright orange without damaging the fabric. It would be a pain, but I guess I could buy a dozen or so big markers and ugly up the tent a bit.

Top
#107846 - 12/13/08 05:11 AM Re: Dyeing Silnylon [Re: Menawa]
Pika Online   content
member

Registered: 12/08/05
Posts: 1814
Loc: Rural Southeast Arizona
I think that you will find that the dye in Magic Markers fades from sil-nylon pretty quickly. I used to use Magic Markers to label my sil-nylon stow sacks and found that I needed to renew the marks a couple of times each season. Now, I just use bags of different colors and try to remember what is in the blue versus the green bags; not always successfully.
_________________________
May I walk in beauty.

Top
#107847 - 12/13/08 06:10 AM Re: Dyeing Silnylon [Re: Menawa]
Dryer Offline

Moderator

Registered: 12/05/02
Posts: 3591
Loc: Texas

I can't imagine the mess made painting a perfectly good tent, nor the savings over simply making/buying a new tent in the color you really want....along with the goofy color you're likely to end up with. You'll be adding quite a bit of weight to what's supposed to be a light weight fabric, too.

Camo sil-nylon:
http://www.owfinc.com/Fabrics/NylonWoven/Ripstop.asp#Nylon%20Ripstop:%20Coated

I think you're going to ruin your tent trying to color it.




Edited by Dryer (12/13/08 06:20 AM)
_________________________
paul, texas KD5IVP

Top
#107848 - 12/13/08 02:54 PM Re: Dyeing Silnylon [Re: Dryer]
Menawa Offline


Registered: 12/11/08
Posts: 3
You are probably right about it being a waste of time and effort. I have at least a dozen other tents (don't tell my wife) in subdued colors, but the bright orange tent is unique and the best I've found for certain conditions and it was never made in any other color. Obviously silicon can be colored because numerous silicon based products come in a rainbow of colors (caulk, kitchen utensils, high-temp silicon pads, etc.). But maybe it can only be colored while in a liquid state. I'm going to test the marker trick on a low section of the tent however. It's no big deal to me if the marker fades over time, I just don't want to damage the silicon coating.

Top
#107849 - 12/14/08 06:12 AM Re: Dyeing Silnylon [Re: Menawa]
Dryer Offline

Moderator

Registered: 12/05/02
Posts: 3591
Loc: Texas
I've made lots of silicone seam sealer from GE Silicon II and two parts paint thinner. It cures invisible on sil-nylon. I suppose you could get some oil based colorant from the Home Depot paint mixing gal and make silicone paint.
I made some from black silicone to UV proof trampoline bed stitches.....that stuff is some nasty goo, but it outlasted the fabric itself. It comes in brown, black, white, and clear. Maybe carry some camo netting from the army/navy store.... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />
If you are using the tent to stealth camp, pitch it after sundown and don't worry about it. Human eyeballs don't see color well after dark. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
_________________________
paul, texas KD5IVP

Top

Shout Box

Highest Quality Lightweight Down Sleeping Bags
 
Western Mountaineering Sleeping Bags
 
Lite Gear Talk - Featured Topics
Backcountry Discussion - Featured Topics
Make Your Own Gear - Featured Topics
Featured Photos
Spiderco Chaparral Pocketknife
David & Goliath
Also Testing
Trip Report with Photos
Seven Devils, Idaho
Oat Hill Mine Trail 2012
Dark Canyon - Utah
Who's Online
0 registered (), 170 Guests and 0 Spiders online.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Newest Members
Noodles, McCrary, DanyBacky, Rashy Willia, WanderBison
13240 Registered Users
Forum Links
Disclaimer
Policies
Site Links
Backpacking.net
Lightweight Gear Store
Backpacking Book Store
Lightweight Zone
Hiking Essentials

Our long-time Sponsor, BackcountryGear.com - The leading source for ultralite/lightweight outdoor gear:

Backcountry Forum
 

Affiliate Disclaimer: This forum is an affiliate of BackcountryGear.com, Amazon.com, R.E.I. and others. The product links herein are linked to their sites. If you follow these links to make a purchase, we may get a small commission. This is our only source of support for these forums. Thanks.!
 
 

Since 1996 - the Original Backcountry Forum
Copyright © The Lightweight Backpacker & BackcountryForum