Blacktail 2 Backpacking Tent vs Elixir 4 Tent: which is safer?
MSR Elixir 4 Tent is our pick: better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.
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
Our pick
MSR
Elixir 4 Tent
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossiblePolyurethane/synthetic backing degradation and flaking
PossibleVolatile organic compounds (VOCs) from adhesives and coatings
PossibleMold and bacterial growth in interior backing
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 MSR.
- We flag Polyurethane/synthetic backing degradation and flaking, Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from adhesives and coatings and Mold and bacterial growth in interior backing on the MSR and not on the Big Agnes.
- The Big Agnes is Nylon ripstop with DWR coating (type unspecified) where the MSR is polyester ripstop with DWR coating (type unspecified), 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: 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