Dyneema vs nylon tent vs polyester tent However, regular nylon would sag and stretch from snow and winds, which is why ripstop nylon works better here. Longevity And Wear Polyester and nylon are two common materials used in tent manufacturing, and each has its unique characteristics when it comes to longevity and wear. Polyester tents are cost-effective and lightweight. Camping enthusiasts know that selecting the right tent is a key factor in having a successful outdoor adventure. If strength is desired over weight, 40D nylons should be used but if weight is a priority, 20D nylon is better. Jan 3, 2025 · Discover the pros and cons of popular tent materials like canvas and polyester. A silicone coating is recommended to maximize a nylon tent’s waterproofing attributes. But only nylon expands when it gets wet. It offers better UV resistance but tends to be heavier. On the plus side, dyneema is easier to patch than silnylon, so if you do get a hole or tear it is easy and quick to use a mylar tape to patch it, and the tape is a permanent I feel like this is a pretty good article on the subject: Tent Fabric 101: Nylon vs Polyester vs Dyneema/Cuben. Both tents have had significant leaks through the floors when there was water between the polycryo and the tent floor (windblown rain on one occasion, a spilt water bottle on the other). It seems as though the only two material choices are nylon or polyester which both come with their trade off's. Nylon tent fabric and polyester tent fabric compared to natural materials: cheaper; lighter & smaller; fast drying; anti-mildew. 2. Nov 6, 2024 · Cons of Nylon Tent. Dec 4, 2021 · On average, polyester tents can weigh between four and 10 pounds, depending on the dimensions. It comes with a 70D taffeta nylon floor that is hydrostatically rated to 3,000 mm, and a footprint for underneath to protect the tent floor. The exception is dyneema or HDPE laminated fabric tents, which is a great fabric but it is very pricey, in a category all its' own and the topic of another article. Jul 29, 2024 · poly-nylon composite made from recycled polyester and nylon yarns and backed with a polyurethane coating for waterproofness giving “4x more waterproofing than polyester or nylon fabrics” and “3x less stretch than nylon when wet” and “20% more tear resistant” After poly and nylon were invented in world war II, most tents did use polyester. That is, if you want a silnylon sheet with a similar waterproof rating to Dyneema it would have to be more than 10 times thicker! Jan 22, 2025 · Dyneema has a lower melting point than silnylon, so in a hot tent application ember holes will be bigger. Nylon Apr 2, 2024 · Remember that nylon can break down when exposed to intense UV rays for long periods. It makes a kind of square pattern on the different fabrics that it gets woven into. The Tarptent Double Rainbow Li is a spacious Dyneema DCF tent that is not a trekking pole tent but includes a carbon fiber tent pole and strut. Better UV Resistance The polyester offers better UV resistance than SilNylon, which is a big plus if you plan on leaving your tent out in the sun for extended periods. ” Durston believes this difference is all-important for trekking pole tents like the X-Mid. 100% silicone coatings (no PU or PeU) are not only the longest-lasting coating type available but they even increase the tear strength of the fabric (unlike PU or PeU coatings) making 100% silicone the obvious Pick the tent you like the best. Therefore, tents made with nylon might not be the best choice for extended camping in sunny locations. Nylon traps heat better compared to other fabrics, which is a feature you absolutely want in a winter tent. Polyester is also a very common tent material. Choose a polyester tent with a coating that will provide adequate ventilation while preventing moisture from getting through. There are only ripstop nylon and ripstop polyester tents. I think substituting DCF in place of nylon in a normal double wall tent, especially without adjusting the design to minimize abrasion on the fly fabric, is asking for trouble. When it comes to ripstop nylon, it does make your tent stronger. But it’s not just about initial packability. I used a Gossamer Gear One in 2008 back when they were made of Spinnaker fabric and I still use it. It can be confusing with so many different fabrics, coatings and specs. Nylon and Polyester . The better the anti-tear effect, the better the strength and durability will be Dec 25, 2024 · Materiaal eigenschappen van het produkt (bv dyneema vs silnylon vs polyester) Financiele mogelijkheden (dyneema vs nylon vs fabrikant) materiaal reeds in je bezit waar je verder op wil bouwen (bv wandelstokken) of aankoop aanvullend materiaal; vaardigheden (en vermogen tot anticiperen) van de hiker (die liggen hoger bij een tarp in vergelijking This property of nylon may explain why tents made of nylon will sack more after the rain compared to a tent made from polyester. With canvas tents, rolling is always more compact than folding. “Nylon isn’t bad for a freestanding tent, because tent poles provide structure and the fabric is just kind of the skin. As an avid camper, I am always on the lookout for new tents and camping gear that will enhance my camping experience. However, it tends to sag when wet and isn't as UV-resistant as other materials. Among the many features to consider, tent materials are one of the most critical aspects to get right. In order to find the right. The traditional dogma in the backpacking tent world is that nylon is a superior fabric over polyester because nylon has better abrasion resistance, better tear strength, and Oct 11, 2023 · Tent Fabric 101: Nylon vs Polyester vs Dyneema/Cuben . Firstly Dyneema is much lighter when compared to nylon for tents of similar strength. As in all aspects of tent design, fabric selection is a balancing act. Dyneema maintains its impressive strength-to-weight ratio longer than competitors Oct 24, 2021 · The most significant cause of tent life is UV, which breaks down fabric fibre molecules and subsequently pulverises and breaks them. Traditionally, polyester is best, but modern technology has done for things to change. 3 oz, it’s a single-wall ultralight backpacking tent favored by couples that want more room to interior spread out. Sun exposure can cause harm. Nylon Tents. It is slightly more expensive than polyester. Period. The best camping tent material depends a lot on how you'll use it. Tent Fabric 101: Nylon vs Polyester vs Dyneema/Cuben. Analyzing the tensile strength of Dyneema and Silnylon tents reveals that, although DCF tents exhibit high tension that may stress zippers, Silnylon’s slight elasticity offers durability benefits by reducing zipper strain. We recommend a longer stove pipe for dyneema tents to combat this. Durable Tent Materials: For durability, canvas and Dyneema tents are top contenders. Although both materials are artificial polymers, they have several basic differences which are crucial. Specifically the nylon VS Dyneema flooring of the Durston xmid pro 2+. Tents made with siliconized polyester (silpoly), siliconized nylon (silylon), and Polyurethane (PU) coated silnylon are much less expensive than Dyneema because they can be sewn using conventional methods. 7) weight difference from 20D Nylon to 210T Polyester for the same tent! I would go for the 210T polyester tent if price and durability is a concern and the 20D nylon version if you want the lightest possible tent. 40D vs. Differences; Polyester fabric is cheaper and is more commonly used for family tents. Cuben Fiber (Dyneema) Cuben Fiber is a new tent fabric also known as Dyneema Composite Fabric (DCF). The jab was directed towards companies charging $1000+ for DCF versions of their normal nylon tents (that still weigh more than even a silnylon flat tarp) without making Oct 19, 2024 · Unlike SilNylon, a polyester tent doesn’t have the tension issues and sagging that a nylon-based fabric does, so you can set it up once and not worry about it. sq. This superiority in tear strength makes a significant difference when you’re weighing options between Silnylon vs DCF (Dyneema Composite Fabric) tents. 40D nylon is woven with threads that are twice as thick as those used for 20D nylon. He bought this tent in the Spring of 2017 and has used it for around 150 nights. The sun’s unyielding UV rays still take their toll. Neither tent has visible damage to the DCF floor. Both nylon and polyester are synthetic fabrics, but polyester has some distinct characteristics. Polyester tents are less expensive than other fabric materials because they are composed of plastic that is less expensive to manufacture and weave than other materials. Oct 22, 2024 · To ensure your tent lasts as long as possible, it’s important to thoroughly evaluate all fabric characteristics, not just the denier rating. Before you link me to other threads of nylon vs dyneema, please read the response I got from Dan's team below as this is not normal dyneema. It's a great tent and has always been a great tent. Bottom Line: Polyester is heavier than nylon but much lighter than natural fabrics like canvas. Its waterproof and UV-resistant properties seem to give it an edge over materials like nylon and polyester, which often struggle with sagging and tear resistance. Durability: It is less durable than nylon: Strong and long-lasting. DCH: Dyneema Composite Hybrid. Apr 26, 2024 · Tent Fabric 101: Nylon vs Polyester vs Dyneema/Cuben As in all aspects of tent design, fabric selection is a balancing act. When you’re comparing silnylon vs DCF, it’s important to take into account tear strength and tent durability. This article is intended to provide users a basic level of understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the most common fabrics used in tent and tarp design. I learned years ago the airline personnel always roll their clothes when packing, and I discovered this hold true to me for tents, sleeping bags, and sleeping pads as well. It’s considered good practice to limit their Feb 19, 2023 · “It’s not just that nylon stretches, both [nylon and polyester] have stretch. The price is much more expensive and as a general rule DCF also has a reduced useful life but this primarily matters only for a heavy use situation like long thru-hikes. 1 oz/yd. Water Handling: Polyester is hydrophobic, which means it naturally repels water. ” Could not agree more. Sep 11, 2017 · Polyester, Silnylon, DCF or Cuben fiber, Polycotton canvas and PE? Understanding more about tent fabrics will help you make the right choice when looking at tents for sale. While polyester doesn't seem to sag, but the trade off is weight and strength. A long and recent thread on BPL argued poly vs nylon to death, and both sides of the issue were represented by charts. One of the critical aspects of finding the perfect tent lies in the tent fabrics, and the age-old debate of polyester vs nylon tent continues to be a hot topic among outdoor enthusiasts. Unlike traditional nylon or polyester tents that stubbornly resist compression, Dyneema tents fold down to a fraction of their size. Polyester Tents. Drawbacks of Nylon Tents. 20D Nylon. The following is a list of advantages and disadvantages. Nylon is a synthetic material that is lightweight and strong. I've seen the newer ones and they look great, too. May 11, 2025 · Dyneema DCF is the lightest weight material and the most expensive, in part because it requires specialized manufacturing processes. Real world differences compared to nylon/polyester. Generally, I’m ok with either. Learn how to choose the perfect tent for your camping adventures with our in-depth guide. Dec 2, 2022 · Woven polyester: Woven nylon: Weight (assume 20 Denier thickness) 1. Sep 16, 2023 · Nylon Tents. When it comes to buying a tent, whether it is your first tent or your 100th tent, it can be confusing to understand all the differences between the hundreds of options. Weighing 26. Nylon is the stronger material that can make a pretty tough tent at 15D, but the trade off is that it absorbs water and sags. The trend among homemade tents and tarps is slowly moving more towards Silpoly due to some very positive properties. Compared to the thinnest silicon-treated nylon sheets used for tents the thinnest Dyneema tent sheet is approximately 7-15 times more water resistant. It does not necessarily mean that nylon is better, but there are many variations from which to choose nowadays. 75oz/yd. Tent Fabric 101: Nylon vs Polyester vs Dyneema/Cuben . This is then called Silpoly. While silpoly, a nylon or polyester blend, offers good tear strength and guarantees tents can withstand various outdoor conditions, it doesn’t match the exceptional tear resistance Dyneema Mar 6, 2022 · Nylon or polyester have some give to them, so there isn’t as much strain on zippers and therefore sliders don’t wear out as quickly. For tents there are 2 types of materials: polyester and nylon. With the movement to lighter tents in the ’80s, backpacking tents switched to nylon simply because only nylon was available in lighter weight versions (due to demand from other industries with more sway than the small tent industry). Nylon is a hydrophilic material that likes to absorb and tear water. Additionally, Dyneema does not absorb any moisture and is waterproof. Some nylon tents are stronger than polyester, and vice versa, so it is a good idea to look at reviews of tents you are considering to While 3-season tents work with a variety of materials, the best option for a 4-season tent is ripstop nylon. Textile fabric in Unisign has better UV resistance. Each has it`s advantages and disadvantages. I think it squeezes out more air, and you don't have the fold taking up room. Obviously there is damage to both tent floors despite the use of Tent Fabric 101: Nylon vs Polyester vs Dyneema/Cuben . Dec 13, 2020 · Instead of nylon, sometimes polyester is used with the same process. by Tim Hunt. The other tent is my friend Porter’s Mountain Laurel Designs Solomid XL made of 30 denier silnylon. For tents with polyester flys, we still use our 30D sil-nylon in the floors for its superior abrasion, tear, and puncture resistance. Your tent Feb 6, 2021 · “Those kind of charts always seem a little dubious to me. One thing that I’m curious about is if this is as much of an issue with high hydrostatic head silnylon. A textile made of DCF with an additional face fabric to protect it from abrasion (typically 50D or 150D Jan 10, 2020 · Favorite Poly/Nylon Combo Tent (1 to 3 person) MSR Elixir – Although most tents these days are made from nylon, there are a few that use a combination of the two fabrics. Sep 9, 2023 · 09:44 Dyneema Tents 10:29 Canvas vs Nylon Tents 11:26 Canvas vs Polyester Tents 12:31 Nylon vs Polyester Tents 13:34 Recommendations. Often used for tarps/tent flys and stuff sacks. Oct 16, 2020 · Both tents have seen maybe 30 nights use. Different materials have unique strengths and weaknesses and selecting the “right” fabric is really about choosing which compromises to make. sq. However, as Dan pointed out, because nylon stretches when wet the strength advantage might be less pronounced. It's often used in backpacking tents because of its excellent strength-to-weight ratio. Jon’s subject is probably too nebulous to nail down with a chart, as Diane suggests; but for comparing utility of a fabric for tents, it should be possible to at least sta 708K subscribers in the CampingGear community. That’s where Dyneema’s incredible packability shines. It has a lot of space for a one person tent. Between the two synthetic tent fabrics, nylon is by far the lightest. Considering that switching out nylon for DCF in pre-existing double wall tent designs can push the price close to $1000, it's difficult to imagine true double-wall semi- or fully-freestanding DCF tents being a viable option for ultralight hikers, when purpose-built DCF shelters from cottage brands weigh less, provide much more livable space 4 days ago · Waterproof Camping Tents: Canvas tents like the Kodiak Canvas Flex-Bow Deluxe or polyester tents like the Eureka Copper Canyon LX are great choices. Tent materials and tent fabric is the major part of a tent and most tent fabrics are made of polyester, nylon, canvas, and some other materials. Mar 26, 2024 · The rip-stop threads are clearly seen in a nylon tent sheet. I never feel tent envy when I'm using it. This is why a nylon tent is the classic backpacking tent. It is generally believed that nylon is not as resistant to UV as polyester, but according to our tests, polyester is only slightly stronger than nylon, unless the fabric is thickened, no 15D material of the same thickness will last 90 days continuously under Mar 11, 2023 · The same waterproof rating test is also used for other fabrics including Dyneema DCF and Silicone Polyurethane (Sil/PU) treated Nylon, which is also used to make tents and rain jackets, making it possible to compare the waterproofness of tents or jackets made with different materials. Oct 19, 2022 · In this article, I will be discussing the differences between a canvas tent vs nylon tent vs polyester. Below are some pros and cons of the most common tent fabrics and what they are most suitable for. As for nylon vs polyester, I’ve heard that nylon is stronger. New formulations have increased their durability while maintaining their lightness. However, it can tear easily, so opting for Ripstop fabric is advisable. Dec 2, 2022 · Is Dyneema or nylon better for tents? Dyneema is better for tents compared to nylon. Jon’s subject is probably too nebulous to nail down with a chart, as Diane suggests; but for comparing utility of a fabric for tents, it should be possible to at least sta Jan 3, 2025 · Discover the pros and cons of popular tent materials like canvas and polyester. However, not all the materials would be suitable for all types of camping, as they each have their own set of benefits and drawbacks. I'm looking for feedback, experience, or knowledge on the floor fabrics of tents. Products You May Like. How UV Exposure Affects Dyneema Tent Lifespan. However, because nylon is often thinner and more breathable, nylon will dry more quickly compared to polyester , which is nice when used for raingear. Nov 4, 2024 · Polyester tents do not shrink or become heavy when in contact with water and are not easily affected by sunlight. The coating is also beneficial. Like nylon, polyester is also a synthetic material. Jul 8, 2024 · Additionally, some nylon tents may not be as durable as polyester tents, so it is important to consider the conditions you will be camping in before deciding on a material. Mar 14, 2024 · Nylon is typically stronger and lighter than polyester, making it ideal for ultralight and lightweight tents as well as tarps. I’ve watched in awe as my 14-ounce Dyneema shelter disappeared into a stuff sack smaller than a water bottle. There are so many considerations that come into play when choosing a tent that other features will weight the final decision much more heavily. Both nylon and polyester are great cost-effective options to consider when purchasing a tent, and it comes down to personal taste and needs in deciding which one to go with, as quality varies from tent to tent. While nylon must be coated with Silicone (thus silnylon) and/or PU to achieve waterproofing, it remains vulnerable to UV exposure, necessitating Jul 28, 2021 · Ripstop is a type of fabric that is woven into other materials to make it less susceptible to rips and tears. While Dyneema Composite Fabric (DCF) outperforms traditional tent materials like nylon and polyester when it comes to UV resistance, it’s not invincible. Polyester Tent Fabric. Mar 1, 2023 · DCF: Dyneema Composite Fabric, or a textile made of a widely spaced grid of Dyneema fiber sandwiched between two sheets of polyester plastic laminate (mylar). This means a much stronger fabric, but also a heavier one. Lightweight Materials Feb 25, 2024 · That’s almost one pound (0. In this camping gear review video we'll cover everything you need to know about popular ca When I contemplate tent fabrics, Dyneema consistently distinguishes itself for its long-term durability. Low UV Resistance: Nylon tents are typically vulnerable to damage from ultraviolet light. Jun 19, 2023 · 09:44 Dyneema Tents 10:29 Canvas vs Nylon Tents 11:26 Canvas vs Polyester Tents 12:31 Nylon vs Polyester Tents 13:34 Recommendations. Helpful folks who love the… Nov 19, 2022 · Water-Resistant Options: Applied coatings allow nylon tents some extent of water resistance. A community to get advice and to show off camping and backpacking gear. wqr bfkdk oaljror zqppg kpficz vyygxa rpits xinjt fyk hhkq