Waterproof Tents are made from a range of advanced waterproof fabrics.
Some tents are made of nylon with a polyurethane coating and some are
made out of waterproof cotton canvas or duck. The most commonly used
proofing mixture consists of mainly paraffin wax with suitable
ingredients. Apart from being the prime choice for solo or family
camping, hiking etc, these waterproof tents are also popularly used for
storage purposes.A waterproof tent can not be flat roofed, because water can build up on top and eventually leak through. Hence, they are available in a structure with roof at a steep angle, so that water can run off easily. These tents are easy to build and boasts of sturdy triangular structure, which makes them strong without the need for high-tech materials. However, the modern day waterproof tents are made of strong, lightweight, high-tech materials like carbon fiber, glass fiber or aluminum which makes them more durable and reliable in adverse weather conditions.
There are no guidelines for buying a Waterproof Tent. But for the sake of longevity and carefree dependence, when making the purchase decision always look for waterproof tents fabricated out of the following materials:-
Cotton
This is the oldest and until recently the only fabric used for the purpose of creating waterproof tents. As the fabric gets wet, the cotton threads swell and pack together, keeping out the water.
Nylon
This is the most popular and widely acceptable fabric used nowadays. It is very light, strong and can be packed into a small bundle. They can also be treated to make them either totally waterproof or breathable-waterproof.
Various Kinds of Waterproof coatings :-
- Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
This is a traditional coating, is heavy to wear and quite tough.
- Polyurethane
Very commonly used waterproof coating for a wide variety of weights of nylon.
- Wax
Note that in wax coated waterproof tents, the wax wears off and the fabric needs to be re-treated regularly to maintain its waterproof qualities.
- Silicone elastomer
Choose this coating if you are looking for a light weight tent as a light coat of silicone can be used to do the job of a heavier PU coated fabric.
- Breathable coatings
A widely acceptable coating, which is applied directly to the inside of a fabric. They are not considered as good as the membranes, but are really inexpensive.
