Poly Cotton Camping & Hiking Tents

Its Time to Consider Investing in a Polycotton Tent

Tent materials have changed a lot over the years, as technologies have improved and preferences changed, and polycotton tents are relatively new on the scene. This blended fabric takes the strengths of two popular tent fabrics and combines them for a material that solves a lot of common tent problems. Read on to discover if a polycotton tent is right for you.

Choosing a tent fabric depends on what you plan to do with it. Here are some advantages to polycotton:

• Insulating: Polycotton is more insulating than nylon, which means your tent will stay cooler on hot days and warmer when theres a chill in the air.
• Breathable: One problem with nylon tents is condensation, which causes anything touching the tents walls to get soaked. Not only does it dampen the mood, but keeping belongings away from the walls seriously reduces your available space. Polycotton tents are more breathable, which prevents that annoying condensation build-up.
• Durable: Have you ever left a nylon tent in the sun for a season, and felt the fabric get brittle? The cotton blend in polycotton makes it a stronger fabric, and with proper care, will help your tent last for years.

Polycotton has a lot of advantages, but there are a few drawbacks you should consider:

• Cost: Polycotton tents are more expensive than pure polyester ones. You may recover the savings over time, as the tent should last longer, but it will cost more upfront.
• Weight: While polycotton is lighter than your grandpas canvas tent, polycotton is still significantly heavier than nylon. If youre camping next to the car this isnt a big concern, but if youre carrying the tent on your back youll definitely notice the difference.

Most polycotton tents come with a weatherproof coating on the fabric, but the seams may not be properly sealed. Before you sleep in your new tent, set it up in light rain and wait until the fabric has completely dried before putting it away. Dampening and drying the fabric will encourage the fibres to fill in the needle holes, and the weathering should last the life of your tent.

Polycotton is a blended fabric, using both polyester and cotton fibres. This means it holds colour well, like polyester, while keeping the cottons softness and durability. The polyester also helps prevent the wrinkles that show up so easily in cotton fabrics.