Blacktail 2 Backpacking Tent vs Half Dome 2 Tent: which is safer?
REI Co-op Half Dome 2 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
REI Co-op
Half Dome 2 Tent
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
Possiblewater-repellent coating (fluorocarbon base, likely PFAS)
PossibleOff-gassing of volatile compounds from coating or adhesives
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 REI Co-op.
- We flag DWR coating (fluorocarbon base, likely PFAS) and Off-gassing of volatile compounds from coating or adhesives on the REI Co-op and not on the Big Agnes.
- The Big Agnes is Nylon ripstop with DWR coating (type unspecified) where the REI Co-op is Polyester ripstop with DWR (durable 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 →
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