After having spent two years of close to full-time camping while I was highly chemically sensitive, I have a lot of opinions on tents! I tried a lot of different styles during that time.
This article looks at different style tents and which ones are easier to keep mold-free, which brands are low in offgassing (and chemical odors), and which ones are free of flame retardants.
There are so many more options now than when I started!
This post contains affiliate links wherever the brands I like have an affiliate program. Upon purchase, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
First, Choosing a Tent Style
A Cheap and Easy Start – Pop Up Tents
I bought a pop-up tent as my first tent. I went for one of the cheapest options here just to get started quickly. I was able to use it after one week (with the doors all open at first for air), but it was about 1 month before I found it offgassed the chemical smell and I could close up the doors. I was super sensitive at that time.
A number of brands have pop-up tents in this style which are super easy and quick to put up and have a decent design in terms of the amount of ventilation (more on the style I prefer with ventilation below).
Mine leaked in heavy rain so I didn’t like this style of tent for the long-term. The pros were the fact that it is very easy to pop up and if you get a good tarp over it you will be waterproof – I always put a tarp over tents now anyway, more on that later.
Anyone super challenged with putting up tents might want to start here.
Rain Fly Styles – Preventing Mold and Avoiding Chemicals
For heavy rain, a tent with a really good rainfly is needed that comes down almost all the way to the ground like many of the REI or MEC brands and this NatureHike Backpacking Tent (pictured left).
I also used the Winterial version of this style for many months and was very happy with it. (This brand claims no flame retardants).
When it comes to tents on the ground, this is the main style I look for.
Because this style is mostly mesh on the interior shell, this reduces your exposure to chemical offgassing and it helps to prevent condensation on the walls.
Technically you don’t need a tarp over it, but I always add one. Water that soaks the tent walls will then soak anything that is touching the walls inside. The tarp is also helpful so you can get in and out when it’s raining.
I just don’t trust any tent enough to not put a tarp over top. More on setting up tarps later in the post.
Bivy Tents or One Person or Stealth Camping
For stealth camping on patios and balconies of hotels or Airbnbs I have used a one-person tent like this Winterial brand. I also like this Tenton brand (I like that it comes with straps to strap it to a camping cot below to raise it up).
You can also look for tents called bevy tents.
I have tried just a mat with a mosquito net over it (that one is not treated with pesticides).
I have also strung up just the rain fly (with no tent) over a camping cot and sleeping mat when there are no bugs.
Never put a tent with a bottom right over outdoor tiles, bricks, or concrete for long, you will have a recipe for mold fast. (You can cut out the bottom of the tent if need be).
You can put up a tent on top of a camping cot like in the pictures of the Tenton one-person tent. But to keep a low profile when balcony camping I prefer no tent – just the camping cot and then string up the rainfly or mosquito net so it does not go higher than the balcony rails.
Brands of Tents that are Low in Offgassing/Low-Odor
I like putting tents in the sun to offgas them. Smell them to test them, and also touch them to make sure they don’t cause skin irritation. You may have to test them by sleeping in them to test for tolerance if you’re chemically sensitive.
Silicone-treated tents might be more tolerable for some, others may prioritize avoiding flame retardants (that list follows).
This list of low-off gassing tents is compiled based on tents that chemically sensitive people have done well with.
Tent Brands Low In Offgassing (for the mild-moderately sensitive):
- Lightspeed (polyesters with PU coating).
- REI (polyester, rainfly, and floor coated with PU).
- LL Bean (polyester with PU from what I have seen).
- Big AgnesĀ (nylon, polyester with PU and some silicone).
- The jury is out on Coleman, some people tolerate it and others donāt.
- Some people find cheapĀ Walmart tentsĀ especially Ozark brand is more tolerable than ones for hundreds of dollars. I have found Ozark tents to be very tolerable myself.
- Winterial may work for some folks. I used this exact one (which Amazon says I purchased 3 times) as I was becoming less sensitive. I like that it is affordable and doesn’t contain flame retardants.
- Nemo Aurora
Tent Brands Very Low In Offgassing (For the moderately to extremely sensitive):
- Cuben fiber tents – Cuben Fibre is PET, this can be more tolerable for the very sensitive though they are more expensive. Many have said these don’t contain FR, but Zpacks failed to get back to me on that.
- Moonlight by Tent Lab – Are FR-free and coated with silicone on the outside and polyurethane (PU) on the inside. This brand is often touted as being better for the chemically sensitive but I have found there is not enough consensus on this. With many not tolerating it. At a steeper price than your average tent, you should test it out first. They send fabric samples.
- Six Moon Designs – silicone-nylon fabrics, very low odor,.
If you are too sensitive for any of these brands there are more options further down in this post for those who have to go more extreme.
Some who are trying to reduce exposure to chemical coating and offgassing wash the tents to remove some of the treatments, but this also removes some of the waterproof coating. That can still work if you have a good tarp over.
There is no single consensus on which single brand is the best for those with chemical sensitivities. Everyone is so different, no tent is perfect, and for some less sensitive there might not even be a big difference between the brands. You have to test them out for yourself if extremely sensitive.
Note: Tent Styles and Offgassing: Sometimes the rainfly smells stronger than the tent and sometimes it smells less. Sometimes a super beefy tent bottom is the hardest part to offgas. It depends on the brand. The more mesh you have the more airflow and the less exposure to offgassing
11 Tent Brands Without Flame Retardants 2023
- NemoĀ Aurora and Chogori tents don’t have FR ($700-850 and $250-300)
- Winterial does claim no flame retardants in discussions, although they don’t have an official statement on this. ($100-300)
- NatureHike has claimed no flame retardants in private emails and confirmed by factory reps who sell to wholesalers. ($100-200)
- Six Moon Designs none of their tents are treated with flame retardants and they have many silicone nylon options which are low in offgassing (Silnylon) ($270-340)
- Mountain Hard WareĀ tents made after 2019 are FR-free ($200-310 price range)
- TarpTents ($270-500 range)
- FjƤllrƤven tents ($500-1000 range)
- Diamond Brand tents ($300-350)
- Moonlight are FR-free and coated with silicone on the outside and polyurethane (PU) on the inside. ($430-600)
- TETON Mesa Canvas Tents and the Sierra Canvas Tents do not contain flame retardants. The company has given contradictory info on whether ALTOS Backpacking Tents are FR-free ($100-$600)
- The North Face all tents free of flame retardants as indicated by their chat (though it’s not clear that is accurate) ($150-$1000)
Some canvas tents do not have flame retardants.
Cuben fibre from what I have seen is FR-free.
I have not found any evidence that many flame retardants can be adequately washed out.
Other Camping Gear without Flame Retardants 2023
- Thermarest Sleeping Pads don’t contain FR. Some have the Prop 65 warning (but for chromium).
- The Exped sleeping mats are FR free since the 2015 lot.
- REI brand sleeping mats are not treated with FR.
- TETON sleeping bags, camp pads, and pillows have been tested to verify that they do meet CPAI-75 standard without adding any fire-retardant treatment to the materials
- Wildkin sleeping mats and sleeping bags are also FR free.
- Other sleeping bags that are FR free are Holy Lamb Organics, Kelty, Wiggy’s, the down quilts by Jacks ‘R’ Better, and Lucky Sheep.
- See the post on Non-Toxic Sleeping Bags for more info.
Unconventional Tents for the Extremely Sensitive
Aluminum Insulated Tents
These tents have the benefit of insulation, and the aluminum coating reduces offgassing. They don’t do well with humidity inside the tent if there is a warmer inside.
WeatherHyde tents are insulated and the foil on the inside will also block most of the VOCs from the fabric on the outside. They say you can sleep in them down to 0 degrees Celsius. They are 269 USD. They do not have any mesh for ventilation which I imagine would be quite the problem for condensation and I do not know how you would get fresh air.
The Shift Pod is another version of an insulated aluminum tent made for Burning Man. The benefit to the aluminum on the outside is it’s reflective of sun and heat. I would think it would have similar problems with condensation in most situations. It’s pricey at 1300 USD.
For 18 USD you can get this aluminum-lined small sleeping tent (that might work for balcony sleeping or in an emergency, otherwise it’s difficult with a lack of ventilation). The aluminum on the inside is more tolerable than the usual plastic.
Home Made Tents
Others have made homemade tents with materials they can tolerate like Tyvek, Reflectix or XPS sheets. You can also make a more typical tent from untreated nylon.
More info on that in this post here.
Canvas Tents
Some folks who cannot handle the chemicals in the synthetic tents have tried canvas tents.
Some companies people like are Reliable Tent, Kodiak Tents, Davis Tents.
Are they Mold-Prone? These do not hold up well to rain and high humidity and I would not use them in rainy or humid conditions nor expect them to last very long at all.
I have seen canvas tents, specifically, Davis tents hold up for quite a long time in a dry climate and with a woodstove inside. It can take rain and even snow, as long as it can dry out. For long-term living a gravel floor or a raised-up wooden platform is best.
Hemp Canvas Tents. For those who don’t tolerate cotton or who want the tent to hold up a little longer than cotton canvas, you can make one out of hemp fabric, like this one. You can expect cotton and hemp to last a short while in dry non-humid climates where you are expecting very little or no rain for a while.
If you are making your own tent out of canvas or nylon you can use the tube structure of a conventional tent and build it around that.
Large Wall Tents
Wall tents can be canvas or conventional nylon/polyester. They have straight walls and are generally larger. Barebones makes a nylon polyester wall tent. Often this type has more weather poofing and will have flame retardants because they are set up for wood-burning stores.
This can be a good solution for a longer-term camping tent. Though you should take care to keep the base dry (cut out or raised up) if you want it to last.
Cot Tents – The Best Tents For Avoiding Mold
After throwing out many tents and then moving on to cutting out the bottoms, I finally found what seems like the perfect tent: the Ozark Trail Two-Person Cot Tent. Unfortunately, it looks like it was discontinued in 2020.
This style of integrated camping cot tent (pictured) is really the most ideal setup in my experience This is off the ground so the bottom will not mold.
This had a very low odor rainfly and a brilliant design with the rainfly coming down way past the cot to protect water from getting in between.
Although I didn’t like the more common style of tent cot (I had trouble with ventilation and even dangerously spiked my C02 levels one night).
It was the Kamp Rite brand that I tried in this style. The Camp Rite brand does have a two-person version.
I quite like the Tenton tent that is made to strap on to their XXL camping cots.
You will, as always, want a tarp over this whole setup since this rainfly does not come past the cot (though on their website they sell a larger rainfly which would).
These cot tent brands are coming and going. I’m not sure if it’s a lack of demand which is a shame because for mold prevention these are ideal.
Downsides of Cot Tents
Cot Tents are Bulky
While I would never want to go with anything other than the raised off the ground tent again, this won’t work when I travel overseas. When I travel I need to fit a tent, sleeping mat, and sleeping bag into a duffel bag.
The sleeping mats I use are huge and unless I can send a tent ahead I would have to go back to cutting out the bottom. I would use plastic bags to encase the sleeping mat, instead of the thick tarps I mention.
Cot Tents are Colder
It is cooler when you are raised off the ground. But I don’t find it any worse than cutting out a bottom and using a camping cot (in fact I find it warmer than tents with the bottom cut out).
Flame Retardants
Ozark is a very tolerable brand for MCS. I don’t like the flame retardants they use. I have not seen a flame retardant free brand in this style.
Tree and Hammock Tents
The tree tents look interesting, as they are raised off the ground, but you have to keep in mind these are really just for sleeping as they don’t look very conducive to hanging out in all day. I wonder how much they sag in the middle, and they are not as easy to put up.
For those who are less picky about their sleeping environment resembling a regular bed, the hammocks with nets are interesting options that are affordable and easy to travel with.
How to Set up Tarps Underneath and Over Tents
I bought a tarp for underneath to keep dew from getting the tent wet from below (also called a footprint), and later I added a tarp for over the tent to stay dry.
At first, the bottom of my tent stayed nice and dry with the tarp underneath. I would take out and turn over the sleeping mat every day.
If the bottom of the tent gets wet you will want to dry it in the sun within 24 hours (flip it and then put it back and maybe move spots).
You can use the footprints made for underneath tents but tarps are generally cheaper (your tent may come with a footprint).
You want the tarp underneath to be a little smaller and tucked in so that it is under the tent. No water should get between the two. Some people tuck it and then raise it a little with sticks or rocks so that no water gets in between. I tried that but in the end tent bottoms still went moldy on me if I had damp soil.
Putting a tarp overtop helped a lot. I found regular tarps from the hardware store has a strong smell but offgassed within a few days.
I now use a silnylon tarp which has a less offensive odor, and is more durable but is more expensive. Over most tents, you need 12 x 10 or 12 x 12.
Some people find they still do have to move the tent every couple of days due to condensation or the earth going funky underneath.
Generally, you string up the tarp up in an “A shape” so that it’s touching neither the tent nor the ground, you can also string it up with a shed slant like the photo above.
Some people dig a small trench around so that the water that drips off does not go towards the tent.
Without a tarp, I had a lot of problems including saturation of the tent and water coming through especially where anything was touching the tent. I would not attempt camping without a tarp overhead again.
In a major storm, a larger tarp overhead helps, as well as a deep trench, and if things are going swampy you need to raise it up. I have used XPS sheets to raise up a tent in a storm before I found the Cot Tents.
Part 2 looks at non-toxic sleeping bags, liners, blankets, pillows and sleeping mats.
More Resources:
- My guide to a mold sabbatical
- EI Wellspring Safer Camping – How to choose a campsite with extreme MCS
Corinne Segura is a Building Biologist Practitioner with 8 years of experience helping others create healthy homes.
I spent 2 years living outside in tents in order to bring down my chemical and mold sensitivities and get back into regular housing.
Did you find this post helpful? If so you can buy me a coffee to support the research behind this blog. Thank you!
Telkom University
How can campers ensure that the tents they purchase adhere to non-toxic standards and have minimal offgassing?
Drew
Awesome article! I know you touched on bivvys a little. I was wondering if you know anything about Lucx Leopard Bivvy and if it contains any flame retardants?
V
hello and thank you…
are you aware if sleeping mats/tabs fron naturehike are also made without flame retardants?
another question: when i look for sleeping mats, what other chemicals should i avoid?
V
Is me again,
i wanted to say that i hope you answer as soon as possible…
because of my sensitivity to chemicals i need some solution in these days…
Corinne
see the post on sleeping mats linked to at the end of this article
Jo
I enjoyed reading this! Can you recommend any toxin-free shower tents?
Corinne
I never tried any shower tents
Karen
Hi,
Can you kindly remove my last name from the last thing I sent to you. I didnāt realize you would print my last name.
Karen
Hi,
Did you remove your section on camping cots and sleep mats?
I canāt find it. Got my REI members 20% coupon to use and looking for that section which I just read a few weeks ago!
Corinne
yes I just spilt up the post into two but haven’t published the other part yet as I’m reworking it.
Aj
yesā¦ i too need information on the best available camping backpacking cotsā¦ The worst offender so far is the Alps Mountaineering
Lightweight Cot. It STINKS
of a fishy chemical -strongly.
It is absolutely unusableā¦ gave me super stuffy nose and
throat irritation. Phthalates warning label on item, but not outside the
boxā¦ if would have seen i would
never purchased it!
upon unboxing and set up… it is
going back to R.E.I.
Corinne
here is the part 2 with sleeping bags, mats etc https://www.mychemicalfreehouse.net/2023/03/non-toxic-sleeping-bags-liners-blankets-pillows-mats.html
Karen
Corinne Iāve enjoyed pouring over your great research.
Two things I might add to staying warm while car camping:
1. https://hotsnapz.com/collections/back-body-packs Have you investigated these rechargeable hand and body warmers? They can be used inside a sleeping bag. I like that they can be recharged simply by boiling in water. Thatās something most of us can manage while car camping. They are made of non phthalate PVC. What do you think of that material for MCSers?
2. As for the conventional rubbery hot water bottles used for cramps, etc, Iāve scent tested many and cannot tolerate them. However, a single walled (non-insulated) metal water bottle made for drinking can be filled with hot water and be used in a sleeping bag. āClean Kanteenā makes some large single walled metal bottles. I have a small drinking bottle by them so I know their caps are indeed quite leak proof. But there are other brands too.
Corinne
fashy water bottle is quite good. if you don’t tolerate that, chances of tolerating flexible PVC is slim to none.
zidane
thank you for the article
mj
Hi! I feel like I’m late to this post but I found it while trying to search for a folding camp chair that didn’t have a prop 65 warning. Do you know of any?
Conor
Hi Corinne,
What would you recommend for reducing the DWR (with PFCs) in tent fabric?
Laura
Hi there- Thank you for this awesome article. We were able to get some good camping gear but are now up against a new problem :). Do you have any suggestions on cleaning down sleeping bags? You’re supposed to use special down-cleaners but they are all super toxic.
Appreciate the help, we love your site!
Corinne
You can use soap flakes for sure, https://amzn.to/3bSOZ1X
Maybe soap nuts.
Kate
Surprised to see Kelty on your list for FR free bags. Seemed like several of their things I looked at had Prop 65 warnings for DEHP which is equally concerning to me. I’d be surprised if they don’t have that on their bags as well. Would love any details if anyone knows.
Corinne
Sleeping bags are PVC free coating, so should be no phthalates (like DEHP) there.
Sarah
Hey! Great article – thanks for all the advice! Don’t suppose you managed to find any changing/privacy/shower tents on your journey?
sam
Hi there,
I am curious how you know that the 12 tent brands on your list of Flame Retardant Free tents for 2022 are actually FR-free?
I emailed Teton directly verifying that their ALTOS tent is indeed flame retardant free and it it NOT.
Allison Neal from Teton emailed me back today with this:
“First, our ALTOS tent does have flame retardants, I’m sorry to say. I’m not sure where it was published that it doesn’t, but unfortunately to meet current regulations, it must be treated with flame retardants. We are looking forward to stopping the use of these treatments where we can as regulations change. Our canvas tents are not treated with flame retardants, but all of our nylon tents are.”
Additionally, she told me that all of their other camping gear is treated with (presumably conventional PFC since she didn’t state otherwise) waterproofing:
“In order to meet the rigorous performance demands of our customers we treat relevant products with DWR coatings. This includes our tents, sleeping pads, sleeping bags, and cots. Regarding the specific treatments we use, we always strive to use the best materials possible, both for our customers and our products, but in this instance we are not able to share the specifics of the DWR treatment we use.”
Your website says “”TETON sleeping bags, camp pads, and pillows have been tested to verify that they do meet CPAI-75 standard without adding any fire-retardant treatment to the materials”. Can you tell me where you got this info from? Based on Allison’s email, I would be very surprised if this is accurate.
Teton’s Altos tent is listed on so many “non-toxic camping” blogs/websites, but it seems maybe there was incorrect info published at one point and since then, that info has been copied and pasted by many other sources, which is very frustrating. I am in the process of directly emailing several companies on these non-toxic tent lists, which I suggest other readers do as well if they want to make sure the gear they are spending hundred of dollars on is in fact flame retardant free.
If you have info from Teton stating otherwise (that their Altos tent does NOT contain FR), I would love to see it. Maybe you could post a link somewhere on this page.
thanks,
sam
Corinne
First of all the second quote is about sleeping bags, camp pads and pillows. That is stated on their website.
Regarding tents, this is the email I have from them:
Malorie Irvin (TETON Sports)
May 24, 2021, 4:49 PM MDT
Corinne,
Yes. The Mountain Ultra Tents and Outfitter XXL Quick Tent do. All other tents (ALTOS Backpacking Tents, Mesa Canvas Tents, and the Sierra Canvas Tents) do NOT use any type of fire retardant.
Thanks so much and feel free to reach out with more questions, we are happy to help!
Malorie Irvin
TETON Sports
Customer Experience Team
Get Outdoors & Enjoy Life!
Chris
Wonderful post
Do you know of any suppliers in Australia that make tents /sleeping mats for the chemically sensitive?
Chris
penny
Hi,
Thank you for providing great tips. looking for a toxic free sleeping bag.You mentioned the Teton-would washing it help it to off gas quicker do you know.Thanks.
Corinne
Washing always helps!
Chris Chappell
I wanted to urge you to included the Nemo Aurora tents in the category of tents that have minimal off-gassing. Based on your list and others last year, I went to REI to investigate tents without FR. I preciously had a moonlight tent which is a good one for little off-gassing, but very expensive and not very durable.
So, at REI I took each tent that had no FR outdoors to test briefly, that included North Face, Mountain Hardware and Nemo Aurora. According to staff last year REI brand still had FR so did not go for them. The Nemo was the hands down winner for the relative lack of chemical smell. Both the North Face and the Mountain Hardware had a strong smell. I have been happy with Nemo Aurora, for me it was completely off-gassed after only one day in the sun – quicker than Moonlight even. I went to Nemo’s website and read that they are trying to not only not use FR, but also trying to minimize use of all toxic materials, it seemed a step beyond what the other companies were doing.
Corinne
Thank you for the report, I’m sure it will help others! though there are so many opinions on the best tent for offgassing, it really depends on the individual and what they are sensitive to.
Segue
A quality backpacking tent will keep you dry without a tarp, but these are becoming harder and harder to find these days. Both of my tents are 1990’s backpacking tents because I couldn’t find anything newer that I liked. Can’t say I could smell any offgassing after they sat in somones garage for 20 years! You can still find used tents on ebay, and there’s a website where people leave reviews of camping equipment that can serve as a fantastic reference to identify what might work for you. I agree that if you are camping in one place for long periods of time that mildew can develop. Setting the tent on a well draining spot is incredibly important. It helps to keep needles and other material away from the edges of the tent where it will have a tendency to build up and hold in moisture; and also to guy out the rainfly at all available points. And, as you mentioned, simply moving the tent periodically can do a world of good, if possible lifting the tent up off the ground (assuming it has a self contained pole structure) to allow it to air out and dry out fully in between moves. And yes, every experienced backpacker knows that you have to keep your items away from the tent perimeter when it’s raining or the water will wick through in those places.
Ian & Alexa Heung
First, Corrine, thank you for all of this research and information. I just got off the phone with the folks at Davis Tents to learn more about their Canvas tents, but specifically this mold & mildew “Sunforger” treatment on their fabrics. Do you know anything about this treatment?
I *was* able to get the information of the textile company that they have ordered this material from for over 50 years, MF&H Textiles, Inc. and plan to call them to see if I can more materials.
Jaime
Wondering how we know Kelty sleeping bags are FR free? I know they have listed on their website that it is not added to fabric during finishing but that it meets the
requirement originally. Super confusing. Grateful for any clarity!
Corinne
We only know based on their word/what they say.
Sarah M Roe
They are saying that they add it into the fabrics, but not at the end so it sounds to me that they def have flame retardants! – Kelty that is. I just bought one and now I’m disappointed…
Segue
Be aware of the political circumstances of Flame Retardants. In the State of California, it is illegal to sell a tent that hasn’t been treated with FR’s. that means that tent manufacturers, even if they don’t treat, don’t want to advertise this because California is probably their biggest market. So understand that you’re dealing with dodgy for this reason and navigate this landscape accordingly
Derek Rubright
Thanks for all the great information regarding camping equipment here. It helped me find a FR free tent. Have you been able to find any FR free canopy ? I’ve been trying to find something to cover a picnic table at a camp site, and everything seems to have FR in it. Any help would be appreciated.
Jay
Where in the 74 page document it states that North Face tents do not contain flame retardants?
An REI customer interested in The North Face Wawona 6P, posed the question: Does this tent contain flame retardant chemicals or any chemicals that require the California Prop 65 warning?
REI response was: To meet the flammability standard in California (CPAI-84), this tent is treated with a flame retardant chemical additive. The warning label is added to comply with Californiaās Proposition 65. This proposition requires that any products that contain a chemical known to the state of California to potentially cause cancer or reproductive harm are required to be labeled with a warning to consumers.
Corinne
That might not have been accurate what they said before. I will make a note and hope to hear from them again to confirm. thanks for the info.
Jennifer Nanni
Do you have a recommendation on A/C for tent camping? And any other detail on setup?? I saw you mention it but don’t see one in the (very helpful) Amazon list. If you free up for a 1hr (or even 30 min) QA call id love the chance. I have TBI so screens are tough.
Thank u!!
mycanvas connection
Very interesting article, I really appreciate it.
Every event and venue can be accommodated by a waterproof gazebo from Gazebo Tent Singapore. They’re not only beautiful, but they’re also really easy to put together.
tamra
Corinne, On the Therm-a-Rest Mondoking sleeping pad they do say on their web site a warning with chemicals for Calif. with Prop 65. I wondered your thoughts on that?
Tamra
Corinne, On the Therm-a-Rest Mondoking sleeping pad they do say on their web site a warning with chemicals for Calif. with Prop 65. I wondered your thoughts on that?
Tamra
Wondering if you looked at Alps Mountaineering air mattress? They have good reviews, and are listed on some sites as a non toxic PVC free yet also have prop 65 warning. I noticed even their sleeping bag has this warning?
Sam K
Do you know of any low odor awnings, canopies, gazebos?
Virginia
Do you put a tarp under your tent if on grass or dirt?
thank you.
Corinne
I gave up on tarps and only use tents raised off the ground. If thre ground is super dry you can get away with no tarp.
Virginia
You are an inspiration. Thank you so much <3
Virginia
Wow thank you so much. Will definitely supply some coffee. What brand do you prefer? I love a local brand that is organic and fair trade but I am concerned about the mold.
Also, why no cotton? Is organic okay?
Finally, what do you think about smoking organic cannabis?
Corinne
Cotton is just really prone to going moldy in outdoor conditions unless you are in a desert and or are drying it out with a wood stove used inside a canvas tent.
J
I heard Bullet Proof coffee is mold free. Dave Aspery the owner of Bullet Proof delt with mold illness.
Megan
Here is what Sierra states in their FAQ section: ā Do you use fire retardants on your products?ā
ā…In order for the materials to be fire resistant, we do need to add fire retardants to make them so when making the fabric. So, while there are no additional chemicals added after a fabric is finished, the fabric is made originally with fire retardants to meet or exceed the CPAI-84 standard.ā
Updated August 2020.
Can you provide some clarification. Would the Tensegrity model be the exception to this statement? Also, I cannot find the Tensegrity tent on their site. Maybe they discontinued the line?
Thanks for all the research and information you have provided!
Megan
Corinne
The tensegrity was a nylon tent that they claimed was free of FR, it’s no longer made so I just took it off the list. thanks for letting me know.
Ben Farrell
Hello, thank you for your article. However, I encourage you to recheck the accuracy of your list of flame retardant free (FR) tents. I have just contacted Nemo directly who have advised that currently the only FR free tent in their range is the Chogori. If you look at their website you will also notice that the Chogori is the only tent where they specifically mention that it is FR free together with the message “Restrictions prevent us from shipping this item to CA, LA, MN, and NJ”. I was extremely close to buying a Nemo ‘ Hornet’ tent based on the information on this webpage, thankfully I checked with the manufacturer before purchase.
Corinne
hi, I haven’t listed the Nemo Hornet, but I do have the Nemo Aurora listed as FR free. They are still saying that it is FR free. I added the Chogori.
Jason Cornish
I just wanted to say thanks for posting all this information. It is so valuable to check learn from others that have gone before!
Corinne
You’re welcome!
Jamie
I have been to this page several times over the past few days and I just want to say thank you for all of your research and for sharing it! I’d like to add to the list of Flame Retardant free tents, The North Face. I spoke with a representative via chat on their website today who confirmed it. They sent me a link to a page about sustainability within the company which led me to their parent company’s restricted substance list which includes flame retardants. https://s3.amazonaws.com/content.stockpr.com/vfcsustainability/files/pages/resources/policies-standards/VF+2019+RSL+May+edition.pdf
Corinne
Thank you!
Mieke
Is there an easy pop-up tent that is smaller than the 4-5 person one you linked to on Amazon?
Corinne
there are two person ones, but I haven’t tried that style. They always run small too. A 3 person tent is really a 2 person tent.
Kirsten
If you want a truly chemical free tent, Kodiak Canvas does not use flame retardants or Polyurethane in their tents, Their tents are heavy because they are made out of cotton mostly, the floor is PVC but I slept fine in it without a reaction, it is good for bad weather- when we had a really bad rain storm, mine was the only one that did not leak, so no need to rain seam seal with more chemicals. They are expensive but worth it in my book, made camping more enjoyable.
Susan Koeppl
Can u tell me if polyurethane offgasses quicker than silicone coated tents. This is my first tent and i am clueless. Please help. Which is less toxic and offgasses quicker
Corinne
I would go with which one is best for your sensitivities. Folks are very different, the most sensitive prefer one over the other. Some could never get a silicone treated tent to offgas. There is such a huge variance in reactivity with tents. You can get a sample of moonlight.
Unknown
Your heated blanket is the most toxic thing you can put next to your body it confuses the cells in your body…that's any and all electrical and emf gadgets….
Corinne
I haven’t found that to be true at all. Mold (and some other big toxins like outdoor toxins, pesticides) and flame retardants are the biggest toxins based on who gets better and how. Avoid those and you will most likely heal from EMF sensitivity. Many people have healed and are living normal lives this way.
Segue
I had an electric blanket as a child. I had nightmares every night and my waking life was also often nightmarish. I do not doubt that blanket played a role. Some of us humans don’t do well with electric blankets due to the EMF’s emitted. On the contrary, there are now silver strand grounding sheets you can buy that you plug into your ground outlet and can be very healing for people who have troubles staying grounded. They don’t shield from electrosmog; for that you need a crinkly silver-colored blanket. The grounding sheet I’m talking about is mostly a cotton percale with just a grid of silver strand embedded. Very comfortable to have against the skin
Eunos Technolink
Hey, I just read your article, it was mesmerizing. So if you are seeking for the best tentage Singapore then visit Excellence Canvas and Trading store to purchase the best quality products at the very affordable price.
Unknown
Hi thanks for the useful information and advice
tentpitched.com
Unknown
Thermarest sleeping mats are treated with flame retardants… did something change since this article was written??
Corinne
That's not what I heard from the company. Where did you see they are treated with FR?
Corinne
I have confirmed with them again, yes thermarests are FR free from when I first wrote this, and still now in 2019.
Wild Swan
Iād also recommend using wood for the platform. Oiled. The put reflectix on top to lie on. Lift and dry daily. The reflectix might help with EHS. Hope it works for you. Good and cheap. Aluminum sheeting could make a good roof, too. Do not recommend your current idea re insulation exterior and manufactured board due to mold. We tested the materials extensively before redoing the roof due to mold. Btw, we had good luck with embark brand sleeping bags at target. Oddly. Oh, hey, canvas and oil will burn easily w an interior stove. Small fire extinguisher
Wild Swan
Plywood, OSB, and luan mold easily, sometimes you have to pull the sheeting apart to see it. Wood tongue and groove or overlapped would be better. If the lumber is clean, you can use linseed oil to seal it, it has to be the pure linseed oil from Europe or similar, check the msds. If you go with your current idea, keep an air gap of a few inches between all the materials and make sure you can monitor it. The air gap also keeps you warmer.
If you tolerate reflectix, use under the sleeping bag. And insulation. If urgent, use a blue tarp exterior, then reflectix air gapped like interior tent… no flame inside this.
Shapeshifter
I'm on my 2nd handmade canvas tent, this time coated with hemp oil and a hemp oil tarp over, silicone on the seams and under the bottom, and on a tent platform. Used it for a few months then we got our seasonal heavy rains (southern Arizona, never though combating molds would be so hard, but we get the really tough molds, as soon as there is any moisture they go to town!), and after a few rains mildew started up at the corners and some water got inside on the bottom and now there are a lot of dark grey streaks. So will probably try one of your tent recommendations next! But in the meantime winter is coming and it gets down to 20s at night. I did a stove in my last canvas tent but had a lot of trouble with temp control and getting cold in the night when it went out and ash and smoke mess, etc. So this winter we were thinking of trying an A frame sleep structure from plywood which has now off gassed for half a year and I don't smell it now and some rigid foam insulation. We heard the insulation could be used on the outside as rain protection and we could silicone the cracks. But I don't know if foam right up against the plywood would cause any moisture and mold issues. I just need something to sleep in. Been sleeping outdoors a few years now because of MCS and EHS, house isn't tolerable enough for good sleep and I sleep really far from the house. But the rain in summer and cold in winter have made this all very challenging because my tents keep getting mold! So I found your site, thanks for all the great info. Just wondering if you know anything about making a small sturdy insulated sleep structure. Oh and btw, I also heat rocks on the kitchen stove, put them in cozies I made and put them in my sleeping bag at night, very helpful! But still need more insulation for those really chilly nights. Thank you!
Corinne
You could look up the exterior insulation with foam method to see how much you need to not cause dew point in the walls in winter. If you don't use AC in the summer you could put the foam on the inside. This project needs some thought to it though as neither plywood nor foam can brave the elements on their own. I suppose it depends how long you want it to last.
Jeah Kessha
There is a WAY better way to go. I have invented a complete line of organic natural fiber camping gear at http://www.lucky-sheep.com I use organic cotton and eco wool as the insulation. Also have wool sleeping mat and organic cotton tent with beeswax coating. Do yourself a favor and ditch the plastic!
Corinne
There is no way I would use cotton in my camping gear that will mould up fast. I wouldn't use wool either personally.
Shapeshifter
I've tried the beeswax coating on my own homemade canvas tents and it got mold FAST!!! And very extensively AND did not keep water out, my tent flooded a lot!! I found hemp oil to be better but still no good in heavy rains. And I have made alpaca wool stuffed blankets and some have gotten damp and the musty. Right now I use the Exped airmattress (I had also made a wool stuffed small futon which went moldy and had used natural latex, also went moldy!) a synthetic pillow and down sleeping bags.. and need to get a new tent! Loved the feel of the canvas and the look and how quiet it was in the wind, just wish I could make it work. The waxed canvas might work okay, haven't tried it yet, but got a sample of the material and wasn't smelly. (I'm very sensitive btw)
Segue
Check out propolis-based Obenauf’s Heavy Duty LP used for waterproofing forest firefighting boots. Just try it on a small patch of canvas and see if it works. I’ve been usign this product on my leather boots for 25 years. I don’t know what the results will be with canvas but i have a feeling it will work better than the beeswax
Lauren
Exped mats are nice, insulted mats that REI sells. Verified they do not have flame retardants on them at all. They have down insulation and work great to keep you warmer. Also Kelty sleeping bags are flame retardant free as are Big Agnes. Other brands may be as well but I'm not sure. For some reason Polyester is better for me than nylon so I go with bags lined with that Kelty. though I also have a REI brand one that seems to be fine as well. (Haven't heard about the flame retardants on that one though. We go with a big agnes tent (only for camping not living) and it's great, though they still do have flame retardants. If you buy a Nemo tent from Colorado they will be Flame R free I read on their website.
Corinne
Thanks! Some of the exped mats have polyurethane, which works well for me after about a week, but would take a while to offgas for someone super sensitive.
Shapeshifter
yes Exped is the one I use! Did take a little time to off gas, maybe a week or so, but have been using it for about a year and works great for me! (Big MCS sufferer here) š Good to know about the Kelty bags since that's one of the ones I've been using for a long time and I also use another REI brand that seems ok. I'm also very reactive to flame retardants, so I was happy to find this site and the links for different tent options. Thank you!
Thomas Venney
Thanks