Blacktail 2 Backpacking Tent vs 6-Person Instant Cabin Tent: which is safer?
Big Agnes Blacktail 2 Backpacking Tent is our pick, better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.
Our pick
Big Agnes
Blacktail 2 Backpacking Tent
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleFluorinated water-repellent coating residues (PFOA/PFCs in historical treatments)
PossibleMold and bacterial growth in stored damp fabric
ReportedHeat sensitivity of water-repellent coating-coated nylon near fire or stove
Core Equipment
6-Person Instant Cabin Tent
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleWater-repellent coating (unspecified chemistry)
PossibleFormaldehyde resins in polyester finishes
PossibleAzo dyes in colored polyester
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Fluorinated DWR coating residues (PFOA/PFCs in historical treatments), Mold and bacterial growth in stored damp fabric and Heat sensitivity of DWR-coated nylon near fire or stove on the Big Agnes and not on the Core Equipment.
- We flag Water-repellent coating (unspecified chemistry), Formaldehyde resins in polyester finishes, Azo dyes in colored polyester and Coating degradation and microparticle release on the Core Equipment and not on the Big Agnes.
- The Big Agnes is Nylon ripstop with DWR coating (type unspecified) where the Core Equipment is Polyester fabric with unspecified water-repellent coating, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
- These two are level, close enough that price and fit should decide it rather than our grade.
Both products run through the same public rubric, which covers materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls, plus a beyond-PFAS hazard analysis. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests. How grades work →
More camping tents & tarps, see the full ranking