Silnylon vs PU-coated shelters

[CO_west]

From what I've read, pretty much any PU-coated shelter is eventually going to succumb to hydrolysis, which is the dreaded peeling of the underside. This includes every tent made by most of the brands you can buy at a place like REI - Big Agnes, Sierra Designs, almost anything not made by Hilleberg.

On the other hand, smaller manufacturers like Tarptent (and some sponsors here) make double walled tents and other shelters that are made with silnlylon, meaning silicone coated on both sides. No hydrolysis.

This has me thinking I'd be crazy to buy a $300 Big Agnes Copper Spur tent when I could buy a $300 Tarptent Double Rainbow, even if the headroom isn't as good (I'm not sure about that actually).

Am I missing something? Why would I buy a PU-coated tent that is probably going to die on me in five or six years? Am I overestimating the long term durability of silnlylon also?

 

[LASTINLINE]

thought some PU coatings penetrate the fabric. silnylon can also suffer mist out. just picked up a Copper spur hope to get more than a few years out of it. let you know.

 

[RoJo]

I have a Mountain Hardwear tent that is not peeling, and it is so old I cannot remember when I bought it...probably well over a decade ago. It is just a bit heavy.

I just received a new ZPacks Camo Duplex today. Refreshingly light!

 

[DaveC]

Sierra Designs makes a few pure sil shelters.

Most people will get bored with a tent before the PU wears out. More an issue with backpack fabrics in my experience (abrasion and dirt seems to accelerate peeling). PU can be taped and is easier to make truly waterproof. There seem to be more bad sil out there, actually used in shelters, than bad PU.

Getting a tent made with quality fabrics, with a highish hydrostatic head and UV resistance, is likely more important than the coating.

 

[CO_west]

Nice to hear some feedback from people who aren't selling tarptents - not that I don't trust their opinions, since that seems like a pretty stand up organization from what I've heard.

Anyone familiar with the differences between polyether and polyester coatings? Each is a type of PU coating. The ether coatings can still be found on high end Mountain Hardwear tents and the TentLab tents made by Mike Cecot-Scherer. While polyester coatings are extra vulnerable to hydrolysis, polyether coatings are resistant to it. Wonder if any other companies are using that material on any of their high end lines. Sierra Designs, for example, states that the Flash 2 FL has a silicone coating and PE coating on its 20D polyester rainfly. You don't see PE much instead of PU, so I thought maybe this was a sign. But of course PE can mean polyester just as easily as polyether.

 

[SquidHC]

Not trying to hijack your thread but it seems like a similar discussion. I got offered a good deal on a lightly used sil-nylon tarp. Is there a significant difference between the performance of sil-nylon and sil-poly, especially in arid regions?

Thanks!

 

[LBFowler]

Not trying to hijack your thread but it seems like a similar discussion. I got offered a good deal on a lightly used sil-nylon tarp. Is there a significant difference between the performance of sil-nylon and sil-poly, especially in arid regions?

Thanks!

Short answer: silpoly will have less stretch and absorb less water. Silnylon (assuming it is decent quality) will likely be much stronger.

 

[Beendare]

Interesting discussion.

I have a Sierra Designs backpack tent that I've owned for over 30 years and the floor is starting to fail in a couple spots...but the fly is still perfect [refreshed maybe twice]

I recently tossed a cheapie Walmart special dome tent the kids used when they were small that was about 15 yrs old and that fabric was failing/ flaking in a lot of places...the HS tarptent I have thats about the same age is perfect.