How do you know what type of canvas?

[Morin]

Here is something I have been thinking about.  How do you know what type of canvas   enting you have - especially if you did not purchase from a dealer? It did not dawn on me to ask previous owner if they new what it was

I have heard things like AQUALON and Sunbrella but how can you really determine exactly what you have?  

My manual says I have 10 oz DUCK canvas (1989 Coleman Chesapeake) but looking at it my bunk ends have a vinyl coating over the very tops (White) and the sides look like it is dimpled canvas, most likely for breathing?.  Is that all 10 oz duck? Something tells me it is not.  Maybe around the bottoms of the bunk ends and the bottoms of the sides but is there a sure fire way to tell what kind you have without having to tote it to a dealer or anything?

I can include a picture of this sometime down the line - just put it back down today so I can repack the bearings this week.

Anyway, some explanation here would be great so that newbies know what to look for to determine canvas type.  this will help when  wanting to waterprrof your canvas too.

[beacher]

The most obvious way to tell what kind you have, is simply through experience.  Once you have actually seen, touched, and felt vinyl, aqualon, canvas, nylon, and sunbrella it's easy to tell them apart.

10oz. Duck canvas is 100% cotton.  On a Coleman popup it's usually a tan color.  It's the only natural fiber commonly used for PU tenting.  If you wet it, it will readily absorb water.  If you touch a paper towel to the wet area, it will still remain damp until it dries.

You are already familiar with vinyl.  Aqualon is a trade name for a reinforced vinyl product used by a particular manufacturer.  Water beads off of solid plastic materials.

Sunbrella is a fabric made from plastic fibers.  It  can be identified easily by wetting it.  If it's treated with a waterproofing agent, it will bead water, for quite some time.  If it's not treated, it will wick and absorb water.  If you press a paper towel to the wet spot, virtually ALL of the water will immediately come out of the fibers.

[tlhdoc]

It sounds like Evolution II fabric.  That is what my first PU had.  If you post a picture I can tell you for sure.

[Morin]

Ya know what - I bet you are 100% right.  My user manual mentions an evolution3 fabris but it was an "option".  I have it on jacks now and will be packing the bearings today..  I'll post if and some candid photos of me breaks to see iof I can get some recommendations on how they "look".

Thanks!