Tent Fabrics: A Comparison of Fabric Types
Principles of choosing a tent made of different materials.
Travellers cannot do without a tourist tent. To purchase a product that will last long and perform basic functions, you need to understand the types of fabric of which it is made. This way you could choose the best option at an affordable price.
Many people want a waterproof and breathable tent. But when it comes to a hot tent, such characteristics are inappropriate. It takes a lot of materials to make a quality tent. It will be heavy and won’t be able to cope with the main tasks — providing a place for rest and protect from bad weather. Winter models require even more materials, so the cost will be very high.
Therefore, you can choose a single or double wall tent with good ventilation. It will be comfortable and warm inside (especially if you are lighting a stove), and cold air will not pass through the fabric. Check out the options used to make the best tents to get a high-quality and durable product.
Denier of fabric
Denier is a unit of measure used to estimate the density of textiles. The higher the denier is, the harder the tent material will be. But the indicator may turn out to be wrong, because each product has its own parameters, which are considered optimal.
The higher the den number of fabric is, the heavier it will be. But this doesn’t mean that its quality will improve too. Materials that are less than 30 den can be quite thin. They wear out quickly. If you buy a tent made of such fabric, you will probably have to choose a new one for the next season.
You can choose a nylon tent of 7 denier density, which will be several times lighter than a 30 denier product. It will be cheaper but of questionable quality. It is worth carefully studying every characteristic of the fabric so that your tent serves you as long as possible.
Nylon and polyester
Both fabrics are synthetic, but polyester has its special characteristics. It allows less UV rays in, but in practice it turns out to be very heavy. The cost is lower compared to other textiles. Models made of nylon are lighter, the fabric is more elastic, and the quality is fully consistent with the high price.
There are several types of nylon:
6;
Robic;
6.6;
Cordura.
The most unreliable of these is nylon 6. The stronger option is Robic, which has a long service life. If you want an even higher quality tent, choose the model made of nylon 6.6, which is a high-strength material. Such fabric is less likely to tear and will better protect you against bad weather.
Cordura is based on nylon 6.6. It has good characteristics and is less prone to tearing than other material. Nylon has long fiber, which is strong and durable.
What is ripstop?
Many types of fabric have a reinforcing pattern called ripstop. So they become more durable, and individual threads of the main canvas will not slide apart and tear from the slightest touch.
This pattern is used in the manufacture of high quality products. You may come across cheap knockoffs that look like original fabrics. Such models will be stronger than if they had no pattern at all. But in order for a tent to get the best properties, it is worth making sure that the ripstop is original.
The main purpose of such a pattern is to prevent the complete rupture of textiles. If the tent clings to the branches or if you accidentally rip it, the ripstop will prevent the hole from getting bigger.