Blacktail 2 Backpacking Tent vs Wawona 6 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
The North Face
Wawona 6 Tent
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
LikelyPFAS in water-repellent coating (fluorinated water repellent)
ReportedCoating degradation and microparticle shedding
PossibleVOC emissions from manufacturing finishes (including water-repellent coating application)
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 The North Face.
- We flag PFAS in DWR coating (fluorinated water repellent), Coating degradation and microparticle shedding and VOC emissions from manufacturing finishes (including DWR application) on the The North Face and not on the Big Agnes.
- The Big Agnes is Nylon ripstop with DWR coating (type unspecified) where the The North Face is nylon ripstop fabric 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 →
More camping tents & tarps, see the full ranking