Blacktail 2 Backpacking Tent vs EMS Sagamore 6 Person 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
Eastern Mountain Sports
EMS Sagamore 6 Person Tent
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossiblePolyurethane or PVC coating degradation and microparticle shedding
PossibleVolatile organic compound (VOC) off-gassing from coating and adhesives
ReportedMold and bacterial growth if stored damp
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 Eastern Mountain Sports.
- We flag Polyurethane or PVC coating degradation and microparticle shedding, Volatile organic compound (VOC) off-gassing from coating and adhesives, Mold and bacterial growth if stored damp and Formaldehyde resin in fabric finishing on the Eastern Mountain Sports and not on the Big Agnes.
- The Big Agnes is Nylon ripstop with DWR coating (type unspecified) where the Eastern Mountain Sports is polyester fabric with unspecified waterproof 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