Uh...isn't nearly everything better than vinyl??

Here on the Outer Banks, we get some pretty extreme weather. The Hardi Plank seems to hold up quite well...even on the oceanfront. Paint seems to be lasting a good ten years plus unless subjected to hurricane force winds sand blasting the side of a house....and then it's only paint damage thats a problem. I've found that the Hardi Plank does definitely need protection from situations where soil may build up against it over time (we get a lot of that here with sand). If subjected to moist soil over an extended period of time, the boards will delam. Other than that, it seems like a very good product....except it's heavy!