Black Diamond · Camping Tents & Tarps
Black Diamond Eldorado Tent
Skip unless Black Diamond confirms they use PFAS-free waterproofing coatings.
This tent uses water-repellent coating waterproofing typical of outdoor gear, but Black Diamond doesn't publicly state whether their coating contains PFAS. High-end outdoor tents historically relied on fluorocarbon water-repellent coating for durability.
Still want this one anyway? Check the price on Amazon. We’d swap it.
Material
Nylon/polyester fabric with water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) coating, type unspecified
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
What Black Diamond Eldorado Tent is made of, ingredients and materials
The Eldorado uses nylon and polyester ripstop fabrics with a water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) coating applied to the exterior. water-repellent coating coatings on camping tents have historically relied on PFAS-based chemistries to achieve water shedding without adding weight. Black Diamond has not publicly specified whether this tent uses PFAS-free or PFAS-containing water-repellent coating, making the coating composition the primary safety unknown. The base nylon and polyester fibers themselves are not known to leach harmful substances under normal camping use.
What’s concerning
Category baseline
The starting point for this type of product, before anything specific to this product is counted.
No PFAS disclosure
No public statement from the brand about PFAS in this product.
Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment
Water-repellent coating treatments have historically used PFAS.
PFAS
The unspecified water-repellent coating may contain PFAS compounds used in water repellency. Black Diamond has not published the chemistry, making assessment of exposure risk during use or laundering impossible. Graded separately per your PFAS protocol.
Source, ATSDR ↗What’s reassuring
Nylon/Polyester Fiber Degradation
Nylon and polyester ripstop fabrics do not release toxic monomers or heavy metals under normal camping conditions. Microplastic shedding from synthetic fabrics is a known environmental concern but presents no direct user health hazard during typical tent use.
Chemical Off-Gassing (VOCs)
No independent testing or field reports of volatile organic compound release from Black Diamond tents have been documented. New tents may have mild solvent odor during unpacking, but this dissipates within hours and is not indicative of hazardous off-gassing.
Seam Sealing Compounds
Seam sealers used on factory-sealed seams are typically polyurethane-based and do not present user exposure risk. Black Diamond does not list seam sealer chemistry on product documentation.
Flame retardants
Tent fabrics are not typically flame-retardant treated. The Eldorado is not marketed as fire-resistant, and no halogenated flame retardants have been reported in industry use for this product class.
Source, EPA ↗The full breakdown
The brand's record and disclosure
Black Diamond (owned by Clarus Corporation) does not maintain a published PFAS or chemical disclosure policy for its apparel and shelter lines on its main website. The company has not issued public statements about switching to PFAS-free water-repellent coating coatings or committing to transparency on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance use. Other outdoor brands (e.g., Patagonia, The North Face) have published PFAS reduction roadmaps; Black Diamond's silence on this issue is notable given industry movement toward alternatives. No recalls or documented health incidents specific to the Eldorado tent have been reported.
How it compares in its category
Most backpacking tents in the mid-range segment (REI Co-op, MSR, Big Agnes) use similar nylon/polyester fabrics with water-repellent coating coatings. A growing subset of brands (e.g., Hyperlite Mountain Gear, some REI Co-op models) now offer PFAS-free water-repellent coating options, usually disclosed on product pages. The Eldorado is a established design with positive field reviews for durability and weather performance, suggesting the water-repellent coating system has proven longevity. Without chemical disclosure, it cannot be ranked as a leader in lower-concern alternatives within its price and performance class.
If you buy it
Nylon and polyester tents are not affected by heat limits during normal camping use; water-repellent coating coatings degrade gradually over 3-5 years of heavy use and can be reapplied with commercial PFAS-free treatments (e.g., Nikwax water-repellent coating). Do not machine wash or dry clean; rinse with cold water and air dry to preserve coating life. Request Black Diamond customer service to disclose the specific water-repellent coating chemistry; if they cannot or will not, consider this a signal to compare PFAS-free alternatives before purchase. Storage in cool, dry conditions slows fabric degradation.
What we don’t know
- Basis
- Model estimate, 45% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- Black Diamond has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
More camping tents & tarps grades
How we score, every product runs through the same public 0-100 rubric based on materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls. See the full methodology → Spotted a mistake? Report an error.