What a polyester tent is
Polyester is the most common tent fabric. A tent is filed here when its maker names polyester for the flysheet, the inner tent or the floor, so many tents here are part nylon or part Oxford as well. Polyester's strength is that it barely stretches when it gets wet and it stands up to sunlight better than nylon, so it suits tents that stay pitched for days.
The kinds in this range
- Pop-up and instant tents are mostly 190T or 210T polyester on a spring frame. See pop-up tents.
- Family tents with bedrooms and a living area use polyester for the walls and often a tougher floor under it. See family tents.
- Hot tents such as the Naturehike Ranch Fire are made in flame-retardant 210T polyester, with a stove jack. See hot tents with a stove jack.
- Beach and sun shelters use thin polyester taffeta with a silver coating that reflects the sun. See beach tents.
- Car tailgate tents and awnings are polyester or polyester Oxford, many silver-coated. See SUV and tailgate tents.
Taffeta, ripstop and silver coatings
The descriptions use a few words worth knowing. Taffeta is a smooth, fine, close weave, which is what 190T and 210T polyester usually are. Ripstop, or plaid, has a grid of thicker threads woven in, so a small tear stops at the next line instead of running. A silver coating on the outside reflects sun and blocks UV: one 2-person beach tent here is "170T silver-coated polyester taffeta". The waterproof part is the PU coating on the inside, which is what the millimetre rating measures.
What the waterproof rating means on a polyester tent
The rating in millimetres, the hydrostatic head, is the height of a column of water the fabric holds back before it leaks, tested to BS EN ISO 811. About 1,000mm is the lowest rating usually called waterproof, most lightweight flysheets are 1,500mm to 3,000mm, and more is worth having for long wet trips or a family tent left up for days. The groundsheet is often rated higher, because you kneel and lie on it. Polyester floors here go as high as 5,000mm, on the Naturehike Cloud Up. Taped seams matter as much as the number. Shop by rating: to 2,000mm, to 3,000mm and 5,000mm and over.
Questions people ask about polyester tents
Is polyester heavier than nylon?
A little, for the same strength, which is why most ultralight tents are nylon. Many light tents mix the two: the Mongar UL has a 15D nylon flysheet over a 210T polyester floor.
Does a polyester tent sag in the rain?
Much less than nylon. It holds its tension when wet, so it suits a tent left up for a week.
Which polyester tents are for winter?
A 4-season tent: stronger poles, and a snow skirt round the bottom of the flysheet to stop wind and snow blowing underneath. See 4-season tents, and hot tents with a stove jack for tents that take a stove. Never take a barbecue or a stove without a flue into a tent: carbon monoxide kills. With a hot tent, use its own kind of stove and a carbon monoxide alarm.
How long does delivery take?
Delivery is included in every price and tracked to your door. Each product page says when that tent usually arrives, so check it before ordering for a set date.
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