Tarptent · Camping Tents & Tarps
Trekker Shelter Tent 2
Skip until brand discloses water-repellent coating chemistry.
This shelter tent uses silnylon, which typically requires water-repellent treatment to function properly. The brand withholds details on that treatment's chemistry.
Still want this one anyway? Check the price on Amazon. We’d swap it.
Material
Silnylon (nylon + silicone coating), unspecified water-repellent coating treatment
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
What Trekker Shelter Tent 2 is made of, ingredients and materials
The Trekker Shelter Tent 2 uses Silnylon, a nylon fabric laminated with silicone on one or both sides. This material is chemically stable once cured and does not off-gas formaldehyde or volatile organics the way polyurethane-coated fabrics sometimes do. The silicone coating provides water repellency and UV resistance without relying on fluorocarbon treatments, but Tarptent has not publicly disclosed the water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) pre-treatment applied to the fabric, which is the primary PFAS risk vector in modern tents.
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.
Silicone coating degradation
Silnylon tents are known to develop adhesion failure and peeling after 5-10 years of regular use or extended UV exposure. While degraded silicone does not release known toxins, it compromises waterproofing and can shed microparticles; this is a durability and functional hazard, not a chemical one.
Nylon fiber shedding (microfiber release)
Nylon fabrics can release microfibers during abrasion or washing. For a tent, this is primarily an environmental concern (fibers enter waterways), but inhalation during setup or breakdown is theoretically possible in enclosed spaces; magnitude of personal exposure is low.
Adhesive or tape off-gassing (seams)
Seam sealer and any fabric tape used to bind panels may release volatile organics during the first few days after factory production or after repair. Airing the tent before first use and during storage reduces exposure, but this is typically low-level and brief.
PFAS
Although graded separately as PFAS, the lack of transparency on water-repellent coating treatment is the single largest safety unknown for this product. PFAS is standard in waterproof shelter textiles unless explicitly certified otherwise, and Tarptent provides no such certification.
Source, ATSDR ↗What’s reassuring
Formaldehyde / VOCs
No public records of formaldehyde finishes or flame retardant treatments on Tarptent Silnylon products. Silnylon itself does not require these additives for function, and the brand does not advertise flame resistance.
Source, ATSDR ↗The full breakdown
The brand's record and disclosure
Tarptent is a smaller, direct-to-consumer ultralight tent maker with no published material safety disclosures, OEKO-TEX certification, or PFAS commitments on record. The company does not appear in publicly searchable recall databases or safety controversy archives. This silence on water-repellent coating chemistry is typical of the ultralight backpacking industry, where PFAS-free waterproofing alternatives remain rare and expensive, but it leaves buyers without confirmation of what they are purchasing.
How it compares in its category
Silnylon tents occupy a middle ground, they weigh less and pack smaller than polyester or polyurethane alternatives, but they involve chemical tradeoffs compared to some alternatives. Most three-season tents in this weight class (under 2 lbs for a solo shelter) use either Silnylon with undisclosed water-repellent coating or polyester with similar waterproofing treatments. Ultralight shelter options with lower PFAS concern are rare and usually cost significantly more or sacrifice durability.
If you buy it
Store the tent dry and unrolled or loosely packed to prevent prolonged silicone-to-silicone contact, which can degrade the coating over time. Avoid machine washing; hand-rinse with cool water and mild soap if needed, then air-dry completely before storage. Inspect the seams and silicone surface annually for peeling, cracks, or white powder (degraded silicone), which signals replacement need. Do not expose to prolonged direct heat (e.g., near a campfire) or to harsh UV when not in use, as this accelerates silicone brittleness.
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
- Tarptent 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.