With an increasing number of people coming to terms with our responsibility to Mother Earth, there has never been a greater need for products that reflect these beliefs.
Companies like REI Co-op and the North Face are making new tents out of recycled plastic bottles retrieved from rivers, oceans, and rubbish dumps. Otherwise, this waste would be in oceans and landfills for tens or even hundreds of years.
Sustainable Tent: Eco-Friendly Designs From Recycled Materials
Best Budget Tent: North Face Storm Break 2
The North Face Storm Break 2 is a well ventilated two person tent that performs remarkably well in rainy weather
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The North Face Storm Break 2 Tent is a solid choice for backpackers who need a reliable, high-quality tent at a budget-friendly price point. The tent is small and relatively light, so it won’t take up too much space in your pack or weigh you down on the trail. It’s also impressively waterpoof and can handle heavy rain and wind without leaking inside.
FEATURES
- Capacity: 2 person
- Seasons: 3-Season
- # Doors: 2
- # Vestibules: 2
- Minimum Trail Weight: 5.3 lbs (2.4 kg)
- Floor Dimensions: 87 x 50 inches (221 x 127 cm)
- Peak Height: 3.5 ft (109 cm)
Best Functionality: Beluga 6-in-1 Sustainable Tent
The Beluga 6-in-1 converts from a tent into a tarp shelter, a covered hammock, or 2 hammocks
The Qaou Beluga 6-in-1 tent for two people is waterproof and built from 125 recycled plastic bottles. The finest feature of this modular, shape-shifting tent is its six various configurations. It may be a tent, a cocoon hammock, a tent with an awning, a tarp, or two open hammocks. So you can simply adjust the tent to meet the needs of your camping trip, including location, weather, and number of people.
FEATURES
- Capacity: 2 person
- Seasons: 3-Season
- # Doors: 2
- Minimum Trail Weight: 6.6 lbs (3 kg)
- Floor Dimensions: 82.6 x 49.2 in (209.8 x 124.9 cm)
- Peak Height: 3.5 ft (109 cm)
Best Waterproof Tent: NEMO Dagger OSMO
The NEMO OSMO can withstand severe rain, with a rainfly that has 3 times longer water repellency than comparable tents
NEMO is committed to sustainability, and puts these values to practical use in the OSMO. The 2-person tent is lightweight, spacious, and created with recycled fabric that is free of PFCs, PFASs, and fire-retardant chemicals. The tent is constructed from 100% Global Recycled Standard (GRS)–certified yarns. The tent elevates the experience of the great outdoors while minimizing the environmental impact.
FEATURES
- Capacity: 2 person
- Seasons: 3-Season
- # Doors: 2
- # Vestibules: 2
- Minimum Trail Weight: 4.2 lbs (1.9 kg)
- Floor Dimensions: 90 x 50 in (228.6 x 127 cm)
- Peak Height: 3.5 ft (106 cm)
Best Solo Tent: Kammock Mantis Recycled All-in-One
The Kammock Mantis is a great solo bike packing tent, weighs less than 3 pounds and doubles as a tent and hammock, with an integrated bug net
The Kammock Mantis Recycled All-in-One Hammock Tent reduces weight and increases comfort when camping. Its breathable hammock body, integrated bug net, and featherlight rainfly make it a great choice for backpacking and camping trips. The hammock tent is constructed from Kammock’s proprietary GravitasXTM fabric that is from 100% recycled pre-consumer waste.
FEATURES
- Capacity: 1 person
- Seasons: 3-Season
- # Doors: n/a
- # Vestibules: n/a
- Minimum Trail Weight: 3 lbs (1.3 kg)
Best Setup Time: Vango Joro Inflatable Tent
The Vango Joro has an effortless setup and quickly inflates and deflates with a double action pump
The Vango Joro Air 450 is a 4-person inflatable tent constructed using Sentinel Eco Fabric, created from 100% recycled single-use plastic. Vango has recycled more than 8 million plastic bottles through their camping tents and sleeping bags. The Joro has multiple king-sized, nightfall bedrooms, pre-angled beams for more head room, a built-in vestibule with awning and a huge front door. The Vango Joro Tent can be set up and taken down within a matter of minutes, using the Vango AirBeam®.
FEATURES
- Capacity: 4 person
- # Doors: 1
- Minimum Trail Weight: 43.2 lbs (19.6 kg)
- Floor Dimensions: 19.6 ft length X 9.8 ft width (600.0 cm length X 300.0 cm width)
- Peak Height: 6.7 ft (204.5 cm)
- Material: 70D recycled polyester shell
Best All-Weather Tent: North Face Assault 3 FutureLight
The North Face Assault 3 FutureLight can handle any weather situation, including severe snow and wind
The North Face Assault 3 Futurelight tent is a single-wall tent made from recycled nylon. The tent accommodates 3-people and can be used during all 4 seasons, winter, spring, summer and fall. It is made with tough, waterproof, and breathable materials so that it can be used in high-altitude camps.
FEATURES
- Capacity: 3 persons
- Minimum Trail Weight: 6.5 lbs
- Dimensions: 60 x 90 in (152.4 x 228.6 cm)
- Peak Height: 3.5 ft (106 cm)
Sustainability Resources
- The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides information on sustainability and its importance in protecting the environment.
- The Conversation website has a section dedicated to articles on sustainability
- Columbia University’s Earth Institute has a section on sustainability and the growing awareness of environmental issues. [source]
- The United Nations has a Small Grants Program that supports local communities and non-governmental groups working on sustainability initiatives.
- Nature Sustainability has research articles on topics related to sustainability, such as clean energy and resource use efficiency.
FAQs
How eco-friendly are tents?
A camping tent made of canvas, organic cotton or cardboard materials is biodegradable and environmentally friendly. These tents will decompose in nature once they are discarded in a landfill.
Tents made of nylon or polyester are not biodegradable and can remain in the environments for decades. However, these materials can also be manufactured by recycling post consumer plastic and other waste materials.
What materials are used to make a tent?
Nylon and polyester are the most common materials used in contemporary camping tents. Cotton or canvas tents are still available, but owing to their hefty weight, they are far less frequent. Aluminum and fiberglass are the most widely used materials for tent poles.
What material is best for camping?
Nylon with a silicone coating applied is an optimal tent material for lightweight camping tents because of its durability and effective protection from the weather.
Canvas is well-ventilated and breathable, making it a good choice for warm, dry conditions.
The majority of low-cost camping tents are made of polyester, which is well-suited for short-term camping trips. However, polyester is less breathable than canvas and can produce poor ventilation in warm conditions.
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