Synthetic Fibre Tents

What a synthetic fibre tent is here

Polyester and nylon are synthetic too, and they have their own ranges. This range is for the other man-made materials makers name: chiefly polyethylene, shortened to PE, and fabrics described as PU-coated. PE is the tough woven plastic sheet used for many tent floors and tarpaulins. It is waterproof in itself rather than through a coating, so there is no coating to wear off. It is heavier and stiffer than a coated fabric, so it is found on tents that travel by car.

The kinds in this range

• Family tents with a PE groundsheet, such as a 6 to 12 person tent with two bedrooms, a living room and a "reinforced PE groundsheet". See two bedroom and living room tents.
• Pop-up tents with a PE floor, one of them a 120g PE floor under a beach tent. See pop-up tents.
• Car tailgate awnings and roof tents, one with a 120g/m² PE groundsheet. See SUV and tailgate tents.
• A caravan privacy screen in 200gsm PE, given a 95% shade rating. See car awnings.
• A motorbike shelter with a PU-coated fabric cover. See motorbike tents.

What a PE groundsheet is good for

A PE floor keeps water out from below as long as it is not holed, and it shrugs off mud and grass. It is the floor of many family and pop-up tents. Its weak points are sharp stones and sticks, so clear the pitch before you put the tent down, and use a footprint under it on rough ground. A footprint also keeps the floor clean for packing. See groundsheets and footprints.

What PU-coated means

PU is polyurethane, a coating on the inside of a fabric that holds water back. It is the most common waterproofing on tents and is what the millimetre rating measures. It breaks down slowly over the years, faster if the tent is stored damp, so dry it before you pack it away.

What the waterproof rating means here

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. One pop-up beach tent here is rated only 400mm: a sun shelter, not a tent for heavy rain. 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 synthetic fibre tents

Is a PE groundsheet waterproof?

Yes. The sheet is waterproof in itself; water gets in only through holes or where it meets the walls.

Is synthetic fibre the same as polyester?

Polyester is one synthetic fibre. The shop gives it its own range, and uses this one for PE and PU-coated materials.

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.

More to look at

• Polyester tents
• Oxford fabric tents
• Groundsheets and footprints
• Family tents
• Pop-up tents
• Car awnings
• Guide: Tent fabrics: polyester, nylon, Oxford and canvas