Nylon Vs Polyester Tent Fabric

Why is nylon or polyester the best material for tents.

Nylon vs polyester tent fabric.

Much of nylon s strength comes from its inherent stretchiness which can be a blessing and a curse. They cost more than similar nylon fabrics so we better have a darned good reason to use them. Cheaper you can get a lot more affordable tents with man made fabrics the exception is of. Nylon is softer than polyester but also stronger while polyester is faster drying easier to dye and abrasion resistant.

Polyester vs nylon fabrics when wet we use 100 polyester fabrics on the moonlight tents. Polyester also doesn t stretch as easily as nylon making it more user friendly and it s naturally more uv and water resistant these are just a few of the many factors we consider when selecting fabrics. It does not necessarily mean that nylon is better but there are many variations from which to choose nowadays. For tents there are 2 types of materials.

Nylon and polyester are both synthetic fabrics but nylon production is more expensive which results in a higher price for the consumer. Two of the most popular materials nylon and polyester are used in everything from clothing to different types of tents and both come with advantages and disadvantages. The materials from which they are made the outer foil floor and inner tent are extremely important. For family tents you will typically find polyester.

Both fabrics are flame retardant but nylon is stronger while polyester is more heat resistant. When nylon gets wet it absorbs water and expands 3 5 in length 2 for nylon 6 6 high tenacity. Polyester is usually a lot cheaper and more common in lower end products. Nylon is also more supple and packs smaller.

Two main choices are nylon and polyester. What we look for in the comparison. Nylon also tends to be more durable and weather resistant which is why it is more likely to be used in outdoor apparel or gear. Nylon is transparent to ultraviolet radiation.

Each has it s advantages and disadvantages. Nylon and polyester are both lightweight and durable synthetic fabrics that share many of the same properties such as easy care wrinkle resistance stretch resistance and shrink resistance. Traditionally polyester is best but modern technology has done for things to change. Nylon has a much better strength to weight ratio than polyester which is the main reason it is usually the fabric of choice for tents.

Both nylon and polyester are synthetic materials made from petroleum residue rather than naturally occurring fabric e g. This means that if the outer foil is made of nylon and the tent is in the sun you can get sunburn. It makes the tent almost completely sag proof. These are both synthetic fabrics and polyester does have some subtle advantages in uv performance but nylon is ounce for ounce tougher.

The vast majority of tents are made out of man made fabrics either polyester or nylon based.