How "used" is your Contrail--when did the original purchaser get it? The Contrail has been through several iterations and both cut and fabric formulations have changed over the years. Without seeing your setup and getting a little more detail about that particular Contrail it's hard to comment further except to say that your experience has not been my experience nor the experience of others (or at least others who have contacted us). Sorry it didn't work out for you.

re: Nylon stretch. From every report I've read about nylon, the material stretches a certain/fixed percentage under load and under some water absorption. Once that occurs, It does not continue to stretch in an indefinite way as suggested. If someone can point me to research that disagrees, I'd love to read it.

-H