Tent Materials

If tent design is the art, then its materials are the craft. Tents use perhaps the least number of different materials, but do so in an incredibly complex manner.   Who would have thought that several yards of nylon and a few aluminum poles could be arranged to withstand galeforce winds or provide years of airy, bug-free shelter?

Tent Bodies

Materials used in tent construction are, for the most part, limited to nylon and aluminum. The differentiating factors between tents from different companies (or for different purposes), are the weight of materials used and the additional processing they undergo. Nylon weights in premium tents range from 1.4 oz. to 2.0 oz/sq. yard. The threads used typically fall in the 50-70 denier range. A high-quality tent will also undergo a UV protection process, fire-retardant finishing, and silicone or urethane coating for waterproofing. Garuda even incorporates  proprietary ByroTex Fabric on the inside of its single-wall tents. This waterproof-breathable laminate features a thin fuzzy absorbent that soaks up interior condensation before it begins to drip.

Two schools of thought exist on seam treatments. Some manufacturers (Walrus) tape-weld seams at the factory, eliminating the messy seam sealing process at home. Others maintain that the best seal is achieved in silicone sealing the seams by the consumer. The jury's still out whether the convenience out weighs the performance.

Poles

Almost every reputable tent manufacturer in the business uses Easton aluminum tent poles. Yes, the same people that brought you the city softball championship with that over-size bat, also keep your tent intact. Easton's poles undergo heat treating, plating, and are shock corded to prevent loss (kind of like those mittens your mom made you wear). Tents in the Backcountry Gear Ltd. collection use Easton Shok-Cord poles in 8.5mm to 9.7mm diameters. Again, like anything else in the realm of outdoor equipment, a trade-off exists. We reccomend 8.5mm poles for most applications. But if you use a tent in windy or snowy climates, consider choosing something that offers 9.0mm or greater diameter.