Big Agnes Review, Is Big Agnes Non-Toxic?
PFAS Authority is a scoring system, not a laboratory. We do not test products ourselves. Grades are model-based, built from published ingredients, materials, certifications, brand disclosures and third-party lab results where they exist. See the rubric.
Across 4 graded products, Big Agnes averages Bad (20/100). On disclosure, the brand says nothing publicly about PFAS. None of its products grade Good or better yet. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab results.
Graded and flagged Poor and Bad, we’d swap these
Big Agnes
Copper Spur UL1 Backpacking Tent
ripstop nylon fabric with water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) coating
PFAS
Ripstop nylon tents at this price point almost certainly use legacy PFAS-based…
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Nylon ripstop may use formaldehyde-based dyes or finishing resins for color fastness and…
VOC off-gassing from adhesives and coatings
Seam sealing and fabric treatments may release volatile organic compounds when new or…
Tent likely treated with water-repellent coating; Big Agnes provides no PFAS disclosure.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Big Agnes
Tiger Wall UL1 Backpacking Tent
Nylon ripstop with water-repellent coating waterproof treatment
PFAS
Nylon ripstop water-repellent coating treatments commonly use legacy PFOA/PFOS or…
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Nylon ripstop fabric may be treated with formaldehyde-based resins for shape retention or…
Coating degradation and microparticle shedding
water-repellent coating coatings on nylon tents naturally flake and shed over 3-5 years…
Volatile organic compound (VOC) off-gassing from sealed storage
New nylon tents may emit low levels of VOCs (including residual solvents from…
Tent uses water-repellent coating; Big Agnes discloses nothing about PFAS content.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Big Agnes
Wyoming Trail 2 Person Tent
ripstop nylon with water-repellent coating water-repellent coating
PFAS
Ripstop nylon tents almost always use fluorinated water-repellent coating treatments…
Coating degradation and secondary leaching
water-repellent coating coatings on nylon degrade over 3-5 years of field use. As the…
Tent likely has water-repellent coating; Big Agnes does not disclose PFAS status.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Big Agnes
Copper Spur UL2 Camping Tent Tent
Nylon fabric with water-repellent coating waterproof treatment
PFAS
Nylon water-repellent coating treatments historically used C8 or C6 fluorinated…
Nylon degradation and microparticle shedding
Over years of use, nylon ripstop can degrade and shed microfibers, particularly at stress…
Tent fabric likely treated with water-repellent coating; PFAS status undisclosed by brand.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Every grade uses the same public rubric. How grades work →