Tent Floor Material Comparison

The difference between a tent with a floor of polyester and one of polyethylene is like the difference you feel when you dress with clothes of synthetic material or dressing in a plastic foil.

Tent floor material comparison.

Nylon or polyester is the most suitable choices. It was originally developed by dupont in the 1930s and was used extensively for parachute production during wwii. Carbon fiber is incredibly lightweight but will cost a little more and have a few downsides. While made slightly differently carbon fiber and fiberglass are another alternative tent material for poles.

It creates a waterproof barrier is more affordable has greater breathability than silicone and has a surface which allows the application of tape on tent seams. 1200mm silicone the last set of specs in the formula refers to fabric coatings. Nylon 6 is the least expensive and weakest but still stronger than polyester. Space age material with a price tag to match.

Tent floors for example require strong tear resistant fabric while rainflies need to be strong yet also supple. Robic nylon is an improvement in strength and abrasion but it is still not as good as nylon 6 6. Nylon is by far the most common material used in tents. For comparison dcf rarely costs under 20 30 yard.

Basically there is nylon 6 nylon 6 6 robic nylon and cordura nylon which is a nylon 6 6 high tenacity nylon. Polyurethane or pu coatings applied to polyester and nylon fabrics are more like a layer that sticks to the surface of the tent fabric. But if you count every ounce when out on the trail keep this in mind if you are looking for a pole tent.