Ascend · Camping Tents & Tarps
Ascend 8-Person Tunnel Tent with Screen Porch
Wait for Cascade Designs to share their water-repellent coating formula, as standard tent coatings often have PFAS.
The Ascend tent uses polyester treated with water-repellent coating for waterproofing. Cascade Designs makes no public statement about PFAS in this product or its coating chemistry. Most outdoor tent water-repellent coating treatments have historically used PFAS compounds, though some brands have switched to PFAS-free versions.
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Material
polyester fabric with water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) coating
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
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What Ascend 8-Person Tunnel Tent Screen Porch is made of, ingredients and materials
The Ascend 8-Person uses polyester fabric with a water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) coating. Polyester itself is chemically stable and does not leach BPA or phthalates under normal camping conditions. The critical concern is the water-repellent coating formula, most tent manufacturers use either PFAS-based compounds (perfluorocarbon chemistry) or, increasingly, fluorine-free alternatives. Without Cascade Designs disclosing which, you cannot assess true water-contact safety.
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.
Microplastics
Polyester tents can shed microfibers during heavy rain, washing, or mechanical abrasion, especially if the coating is degraded. This is not a health hazard to the user but an environmental concern; minimize by gentle care and avoiding harsh cleaning.
Source, EPA ↗water-repellent coating degradation and leaching unknowns
Repeated washing, UV exposure, and friction wear down water-repellent coating coatings over time. If the coating contains PFAS (unknown for this model), degradation may increase contact with water that then touches skin or food. The lack of formula transparency makes risk assessment impossible.
What’s reassuring
Flame retardants
Modern polyester fabrics in tents are rarely flame-treated; however, if this model is labeled fire-resistant, confirm whether brominated or halogenated additives were used. Cascade Designs does not indicate flame-retardant treatment on the Ascend.
Source, EPA ↗Heavy metals
No recalls or complaints document problematic dyes or metal contamination in Ascend fabric. Polyester textiles in outdoor gear are typically low-risk for azo dye issues compared to fast-fashion apparel, given looser direct-skin contact.
Source, FDA ↗Formaldehyde / VOCs
Polyester tent fabrics do not commonly employ formaldehyde resins as a finish. No evidence of such treatment in this product line. Off-gassing from new tents is typically from adhesives and dyes, not formaldehyde.
Source, ATSDR ↗How is this PFAS grade calculated?
The brand's record and disclosure
Cascade Designs (owner of Big Agnes and other outdoor brands) has not publicly committed to PFAS-free water-repellent coating or disclosed which formulas they use across their tent lines. The company does not appear on major PFAS transparency registries. No recalls or safety violations specific to this model are recorded, suggesting normal manufacturing standards are met. However, silence on water-repellent coating chemistry is a red flag in an industry where lower-concern alternatives now exist.
How it compares in its category
Tent safety divides largely on water-repellent coating approach, brands like Patagonia and some REI-brand tents have committed to fluorine-free water-repellent coating, while most legacy manufacturers remain opaque. The Ascend is middle-of-road, solid construction and no known durability or coating-degradation complaints, but you pay the price of not knowing what's keeping water out. Comparable 8-person tunnel tents from more transparent makers (e.g., Coleman, though lower end) don't clarify this either.
If you buy it
Store the tent dry in a cool, dark place; polyester degrades under prolonged UV exposure but not from temperature or moisture alone. Do not machine wash; hand-clean with mild soap and soft brush, then air dry fully before storage to prevent mold and maintain water-repellent coating integrity. Replace the tent if seams leak persistently, the fabric tears, or the water-repellent coating visibly beads water unevenly after 5-10 years of use. Before purchase, email Cascade Designs asking for their water-repellent coating formula; their answer will clarify risk.
What is not known about PFAS in this product?
- Basis
- Model estimate, 35% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- Ascend 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.