What's the Best Tent Material for Your Party and Events?

When you're shopping for a tent, it's important to know what it's made of. The tent material used to make the tent greatly impacts how it's used and the price point. It's not a great idea to be caught off guard by rain while you're in your tent. Make sure you choose a fully waterproof tent material. Of course, there are many more properties to consider when choosing a tent material. In this article, we'll look at the different types of tent materials and what makes them special. We'll start with the main materials used in tents (like PVC, polyester, etc.). We'll learn about their durability, waterproofness, and other properties by looking at these materials first.

How to Choose the Best Tent Fabric for You

Tents are more than just a quick fix for shelter. They've got to be durable, comfortable, and able to handle any weather. When you're picking a tent, what materials are tents made of is important because it affects how well the tent works and how good your experience of using it is. To make the right choice, we need to think about a few things:

• Durability

Tents made from durable materials can stand up to a lot of wear and tear. Look for high-quality polyester or nylon, which are usually pretty tough. Check the material's spec sheet to make sure it's up to the job when choosing a tent.

• Water Resistance

Look for materials that have a water-resistant coating or are naturally water-resistant to keep moisture out of the tent. Some of the most common waterproof materials are coated PVC and coated nylon. The waterproofness of a tent is often expressed in "millimeters of water column," with a higher number indicating better waterproofing.

• Flame Resistance

Flame resistance is important for safety, especially when camping outdoors. Look for tents made with materials that have been treated as flame retardant or products labeled as flame retardant. When choosing tent fabrics, look for flame retardancy in line with the international fire standard DIN B1, M2, NFPA 701.

• UV Resistance

Good UV resistance prevents the tent from fading or degrading due to sunlight. Usually, tent materials are labeled with UV resistance ratings. Materials with high UV resistance will extend the life of the tent.

• Fabric Thickness and Weight

The thickness and weight of the fabric affect how easy it is to take the tent with you and how comfortable you'll be inside. Lightweight materials are good for hiking and other situations that require portability, while thicker materials are good for situations that require high durability and comfort. At Sheltent, our tents are made with 18-ounce, double-layered PVC that balances durability and weight.

• Strength and Tear Resistance

Strong materials can stand up to tearing and damage. Go for high-strength and tear-resistant materials, like 600D polyester or nylon. These materials work better in harsh conditions.

• Transparency

The transparency of a tent affects lighting and privacy. Pick a material with the right amount of transparency for your needs. If you want lots of natural light, go for a tent with transparent windows. If privacy is more important, choose opaque materials or install curtains.

• Breathability

Breathability is how well a material lets air flow through it. This affects the quality of the air and how well the tent controls humidity. A breathable tent helps keep condensation and humidity at bay. Look for a material with good breathability or a design with vents or mesh.

• Weather Resistance

Weather-resistant materials can handle all kinds of harsh weather. Look for tents made of materials that have been treated to make them more weather-resistant. How a tent is designed and put together can also affect how well it can withstand the weather. For instance, a double-layer design can help the tent withstand wind and rain.

5 Best Tent Material Fabric to Proceed Your Events Smoothly

The type and characteristics of the tent fabric material affect how long it lasts, how comfortable it is, and how well it can adapt to different environments. Read on to learn about five different types of tents and which one is right for you!

PVC Coated Tents

Best for: Heavy-duty use, long-term use, and high-traffic environments. They are great for commercial applications, outdoor events, and areas with harsh weather conditions. PVC-coated tents are built to last, flame-retardant, and perfect for use in harsh conditions. PVC fabrics last longer, are easy to clean, and cost less to maintain. They're fire resistant by the international fire standard DIN B1, M2, NFPA 701. PVC fabrics are more water- and sun-resistant than PE. But they're heavier and less breathable than nylon or polyester fibers.

Polyester Tents

Best for: Those seeking cost-effective solutions for outdoor events. They're great for family camping trips, picnics, and backyard parties where you need temporary shelter. Polyester tents don't shrink or get heavy when they're exposed to water. They also hold up well in the sun, which is great for camping in Australia. Polyester tents are more resistant to UV rays than nylon tents, so they don't deteriorate in the sun as much and are more durable. They're also usually more resistant to stretching and shrinking when wet. However, they're heavier than nylon and less breathable.

Nylon Tents

Best for: Lightweight, durable, and weather-resistant shelter options. They are perfect for backpackers and hikers, regular campers, and outdoor adventurers. Nylon tents are a cost-effective option. Nylon tents are lightweight and a breeze to move around. Nylon tents stay lightweight even when it's raining. However, Nylon has low UV resistance and prolonged exposure to sunlight can cause tent deterioration. So some manufacturers add coatings like silicone and polyurethane to nylon tents to make them stronger and more resistant to stretching.

Canvas Tents

Best for: Use in hot climates as this fabric is super durable and breathable. Perfect for family camping, glamping, or festivals. Canvas doesn't hold as much condensation and keeps you nice and toasty. Canvas tents usually cost more than other materials and are on the heavier side, so they're not as easy to pack as nylon tents. Just a heads-up: Before you use your canvas tent for the first time, it needs to be weathered. The weathering process makes the cotton fibers expand and nest, making canvas tents durable and waterproof.

Polyethylene(PE) Tents

Best for: Temporary setups such as events, fairs, and backyard parties. Polyethylene tents are usually simple in design and can be assembled quickly. While PE tents may not be as durable and breathable as canvas tents, they are usually more cost-effective, making them one of the more affordable options on the market for customers on a budget. Polyethylene is the most common tent material because it's versatile. However, some high-end party events use more durable PVC-coated tents than PE tents.

Comparison of These Top Tent Materials

PVC Coated Tents Polyester Tents Nylon Tents Canvas Tents Polyethylene (PE) Tents Durability High Medium High High Medium Thickness Thick Medium Medium Thick Thin Weight Heavy Medium Light Heavy Light Breathability Low Medium High Low Low Tear Resistance High Medium High High Medium Flame Resistance High Low to Medium Low Medium Low Water Resistance High High High High Medium Based on the info above, we can see that different tent materials have their own set of pros and cons. The choice depends on how often the tent is used, the size of the event, the budget, etc. Here are some tips to help you make the right choice:

• If you're going to be pitching your tent a lot, you‘d better choose a more durable material. We'd suggest PVC-coated or canvas tents.

• If you're on the hunt for a budget-friendly tent for outdoor adventures, polyester or PE tents might be worth a look.

• The best choice for forest camping is a waterproof and fireproof PVC-coated tent.

• If you only throw the odd party in your backyard, then go for lighter materials like nylon and PE tents.

Benefits of Selecting the Right Tent Material Before Buying

It is of the utmost importance to select the appropriate tent material before purchase, as this will directly influence the camping experience you ultimately seek. Here's what you can look forward to if you choose the right tent material.

Staying comfortable

Picking the right materials helps keep the temperature inside your tent just right. For instance, in hot climates, breathable fabrics like canvas or polyester let your body breathe and reduce condensation. A properly waterproof and windproof tent keeps you protected and comfortable in bad weather.

Traveling Portable

Nylon and other lightweight materials are great for backpacking and hiking, especially when you don't want to lug around a heavy tent. Lighter tents are easier to pack and carry. The lighter the material, the easier it is to set up and take down, which makes your camping experience more enjoyable.

Saving Money

Investing in a tent made from high-quality materials that suit your needs can save you money in the long term by reducing the likelihood of frequent replacements. Tent materials that are built to last usually need less upkeep and are simpler to fix when something goes wrong, which helps you save money in the long run. Picking durable tent materials like ripstop nylon or high-quality PVC can make your tent last longer, saving you money on replacements and repairs.

Taking Care of Your Tent Fabric to Extend Service Life

After using your tent, it is important to take care of your tent fabric to extend the service life of the product. Look at the tent fabric to see if there are any rips or signs of wear and tear. This lets you spot any problems early on, so you can fix them before they get worse. Small tears can usually be fixed with a tent repair kit. Then, you need to clean it thoroughly before you stow your tent away. Give the fabric a good shake to get rid of any dirt or debris, then wipe it down with a damp cloth.  It's important to make sure your tent is completely dry before you pack it away. If moisture gets in, it can cause mold and mildew to grow, which can damage the fabric over time and make it less functional. Finally, please store the tent that has been packed up somewhere cool and dry. It's probably best to avoid placing the tent in direct sunlight, as UV rays can degrade the performance of the tent fabric. And it's best to put it up high to keep it out of the wet ground. To keep your tent fabric in good shape and ready for future camping trips, it's important to check for damage, clean it properly, and store it correctly regularly.

Conclusion

Comfort, durability, weatherproofing, weight, cost, event suitability, safety, and maintenance are all important considerations when choosing the right tent material. PVC-coated tents from Sheltent offer a good balance between price and practicality, and they're built to last. They're not just waterproof and flame-retardant but also tear-resistant. And if you add some customization options like windows to let in some fresh air, they'll be perfect for your event! By carefully evaluating these factors, you can make a more informed decision that will enhance your camping experience and ensure you get the most value for your investment.

When I first started camping in my teens, I was using no-brand camping gear.

Qicai supply professional and honest service.

As I got older, I decided to buy my first few ‘branded’ camping tents from Coleman and Decathlon.

After that, I upgraded to REI and The North Face for my camping trips.

And with all those years of experience, here are my thoughts on why tents are so expensive, and whether they’re worth it.

Key Takeaways

Here’s everything that an expensive tent has, that a cheaper tent doesn’t:

• Thicker fabric with higher denier ratings

• Lifetime warranties

• Higher quality tent poles (not fiberglass)

• More guylines

• Thorough seam taping

• Higher waterproof HH ratings

• Branded zippers

• Way more storage options

• More user-friendly doors

• At least 2 doors

• Large vestibules

• Better room dividers

• Lightweight materials for backpacking

• Resale value

• Much longer shelf life

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RELATED: Best Tents Under $100

Why Are Tents so Expensive? – Contributing Factors

What makes a tent so expensive? Well, there are a few factors, and I’ll go through the 5 most important ones with you:

1. More durable tent fabric;

2. Higher quality tent poles;

3. Better waterproofing;

4. Feature-richness; and

5. Lightweighted-ness and portability

Let’s go through each one in depth now.

1. Are Expensive Tents More Durable?

First up, more expensive tents always have much thicker and more durable materials and tent fabrics than cheaper tents.

Tent Fabric Denier Rating

A simple way of checking how thick a fabric is to look at the denier-rating of the fabric. Tent manufacturers will often give you this information. The higher the denier-rating, the thicker the tent fabric, and the more durable it will be.

Now, take a look at how a cheap $100 Coleman Sundome 6 compares to a much more expensive The North Face Wawona 6, with a $500 hefty price tag. Both are 6-person car camping tents, but with very different tent prices.

Notice how the Wawona has flooring made of thick polyester, while the Sundome’s is just polyethylene (this is a cheap tarp material)?

And also, the tent body of the Wawona is also a little thicker than the Sundome.

Warranty Length

The durability of each of these car camping tents is also reflected in the warranties provided by the brand:

• Coleman Sundome: 1 year warranty

• The North Face Wawona: Lifetime warranty

This shows how much each brand is willing to stand behind their product, which speaks volumes about how durable each one is.

2. Are Expensive Tents More Windproof?

I’ve also noticed that more expensive tents tend to have more guylines and higher quality tent poles, which leads to expensive tents being able to take strong winds better.

Again, here’s a table summarizing some features of a $100 Coleman Sundome 6 and a $100 The North Face Wawona 6:

Pole Materials

The Sundome has only thinner fiberglass poles, which are usually not able to withstand more than 20 to 30 mile-per-hour winds.

Fiberglass poles are also the weakest when compared to steel and aluminum, and fracture the most easily.

On the other hand, my Wawona has beefier DAC MX aluminum poles. These DAC tent poles are some of the highest quality poles in the world.

Number of Guylines

On top of that, it also has a whopping 11 guylines around the entire tent. Because of this, I was able to use my Wawona in 50 mile-per-hour winds without a single hitch.

In contrast, the Sundome has only 6 guylines around the entire tent.

3. Are Expensive Tents More Waterproof?

In my past 4 years of testing camping gear, I’ve also noticed that expensive tents tend to be a lot more waterproof than cheaper tents. This is because they tend to be better seam taped, and have higher hydrostatic head ratings.

Here’s another quick table summarizing some key points of my tents’ water resistance:

Seam Taping

I’ve found that cheaper tents like Coleman and Ozark Trail tend to use inverted seams, instead of taped seams, because they’re cheaper to manufacture. The holes of the stitching are not sealed, and water can still seep in.

Here’s what one of them (leaking in the rain) looks like:

On the other hand, my more expensive tents tend to have thorough seam taping on every single seam.

There’s a plastic layer of tape on every single seam in the tent, and this prevents water from leaking in through the holes of the stitching.

I was able to take my Wawona through 3 days of heavy pouring rain, and none of my seams leaked.

Waterproof Ratings

On top of that, my Wawona has a very respectable hydrostatic head rating of 1,500mm, well my Coleman Sundome had none. A higher hydrostatic head rating means a thicker waterproof coating, and therefore better waterproofed-ness.

Here’s how long each tent survived in heavy rain:

• Coleman Sundome 6: 30 minutes of heavy rain

• The North Face Wawona 6: 3 days of heavy rain

4. Do Expensive Tents Have Extra Features?

Now, how do the features of a cheap tent compare to that of an expensive tent? Here are a few differentiating factors that come to mind:

• Zipper branding

• More storage options

• Better doors

• Vestibules

• Better room dividers

Again, here’s a table of info comparing the Sundome against the Wawona:

Zipper Branding

The zippers of the Wawona are branded SBS (one grade lower than YKK), while the Sundome has no zipper branding at all.

Storage Options

The Wawona also has a whopping 9 pockets and 8 loops around the tent.

And what does the Coleman have? 2 pockets and 1 loop. That’s a huge difference.

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Door Quality

The Wawona also has 2 doors (1 big one at the front, and a small one at the back).

The door at the front is amazing, because:

• It’s huge (measuring 60 by 58 inches).

• I didn’t have to duck when getting in and out of the tent, because it’s super tall (70 inches).

• I could use only one hand to unzip and zip it up.

On the other hand, the Sundome has only 1 door. It’s a lot smaller, I had to duck when going through the door, and the storm flap on the outside would sometimes get caught in the zipper track.

Vestibules

The Wawona also has a super huge vestibule at the front of the tent, which measured 51.0 square feet. It had enough space to fit 2 large camping chairs, with enough leftover floor space for even a super large camping table.

On the other hand, the Sundome has no vestibule at all, so there’s no space to fit any wet gear in rainy weather.

Room Dividers

Both my Wawona and Sundome didn’t come with room dividers (6-person tents usually don’t have dividers), so I’ll have to use a different example here.

Here’s what a high quality room divider from REI Co-Op (my Wonderland tent) looks like:

It’s not transparent or translucent at all, and nicely separates the tent into two separate rooms.

On the other hand, here’s what a room divider from Coleman looks like:

Notice that it’s semi-transparent, and you can see through to the other room? That’s the difference between a room divider from a cheap vs expensive tent.

5. Why are Backpacking Tents so Expensive?

Car camping tents aside, backpacking tents are another category of tents that can burn a hole in your pocket.

And while I’m no expert in backpacking (I go car camping way more often than backpacking), I know that it’s because backpacking tent fabrics need to be made extremely lightweight, yet extremely strong at the same time.

On top of that, the poles need to be made from lighter weight, high quality aluminum too (think DAC MX aluminum poles), which will also drive up the price of a tent.

The Benefits of Buying Expensive Tents

In my personal opinion, I do believe that expensive tents are worth it, as there are many benefits to doing so. These include:

• Having a resale value;

• Being longer lasting;

• Reducing waste;

• Lifetime warranties; and

• Peace of mind.

Resale Value

An expensive tent will have a much higher resale value than a cheaper tent. For example, you will be able to trade in or sell back some of your used gear with REI, and they usually accept only the more expensive tents from brands like:

• REI Co-Op

• Big Agnes

• MSR

• The North Face, etc.

Longer Lasting

An expensive tent will also last much longer than an inexpensive tent. For example, the seam taping on my Wawona has lasted me for about 2 years now, and is still going strong.

On the other hand, seam taping from my Ozark Trail fell apart in just a few months of storage.

Waste Reduction

Buying an expensive tent and getting to use it for the next 5 years will definitely reduce the amount of waste being produced.

In contrast, buying a cheaper tent and having to replace it every year will result in much more waste, which is terrible for the environment.

Lifetime Warranty

Expensive tents also tend to have lifetime warranties (with the exception of REI, which provides only a 1-year warranty, and this seriously boggles my mind).

Peace of Mind

The better quality, waterproofed-ness, and longer warranties provide me more peace of mind. I can safely sleep in my Wawona knowing it won’t be rained out even in crazy storms.

Are Expensive Tents Worth It?

Overall, expensive tents are worth it, because they tend to have more durability, much higher quality, are much longer lasting, can handle inclement weather much better, and provide much more peace of mind when camping in it.

The math behind an expensive tent also makes sense:

My Wawona 6 is more than 1 year old now, and will last me 5-10 years, easy. It has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $500 (which is how much I paid for mine).

• Total cost over 10 years: $500

On the other hand, a Coleman Sundome 6 will last perhaps 1-2 years under moderate usage. Every other year, you may have to replace it. It’s now at about $100, and will only increase every year due to inflation.

• Total cost over 10 years? Likely more than $500.

This is why I tend to buy more expensive camping gear (not just tents) nowadays, because the total cost in the long run is lower.

When to Buy an Expensive Tent

Who are expensive tents for, and when should you buy one? I’d highly recommend getting an expensive tent if you:

• Camp frequently (multiple times a year, every year)

• Camp in bad weather

• Plan to go winter camping

• Plan to go on expeditions

• Have the budget for it now (please don’t go in debt for a camping trip)

How to Save Money on Expensive Tents

Expensive tents have price ranges between $500, and $1,000. However, there are ways to save a little more money.

Here are my favorite places and tips for saving money on expensive tents:

• I get a lot of my camping gear on Amazon. I usually wait for a sale (if it’s not an urgent purchase), and the best sales will happen on Prime Day and Black Friday.

• I also get a lot of my gear from REI Co-Op. Join the newsletter and become a member. I regularly get 20% member coupons. REI also has multiple sales every year, and the biggest one is during their Anniversary Sale (usually in May).

• After REI and Amazon, I love to check out Moosejaw. They send out 20% off coupons very frequently, which is great for urgent purchases that I will need soon.

To be honest, I rarely get any of my camping gear full price, and I usually get at least a 20% off. (I buy a lot of gear for my YouTube channel, so this really helps me out.)

When to Buy Cheap Tents Instead

On the other hand, are there any situations where I would recommend cheap tents instead? Yes, of course, and that’s if you are a:

• Casual camper (camp no more than a couple times a year);

• Beginner camper, and don’t know if you want to continue camping in the future;

• Fair weather or backyard summer camper.

Is a Cheap Tent Okay?

In summer, good weather, and fair weather conditions, cheap tents are totally fine.

You may not get a lot of features and quality, but these inexpensive tents will hold up decently well (even Ozark Trail).

Expensive tents are needed only if you’re thinking of going against bad weather conditions (like heavy rains or strong winds).

Can I Find Affordable Tents with Good Quality?

Are there any affordable or inexpensive tents that are good quality? Yes, absolutely, and here are a few of my favorite brands:

• Teton Sports

• Alps Mountaineering

• Eureka!

• Kelty

These tents are quite as budget-friendly or as cheap as brands like Coleman, Core, and of course, Ozark Trail, but they’re also not quite as high-end as brands like REI, The North Face, MSR and Big Agnes.