Flame Retardant Free Camping Tents
Enjoy the great outdoors without the harmful chemicals
Camping is such a great way to disconnect, relax, and enjoy being with friends and family in nature. As much as we love the idea of sleeping under the stars, at the end of the day you’ll probably find us fast asleep in a tent. Having a tent provides a cozy sleeping space that is private and away from any mosquitos and other critters. Whether you’re looking to replace an old tent or getting one for your first camping trip, you may want to consider a flame retardant free tent. You’re probably thinking “Wait… flame retardants in tents?”. Yep, that’s right! Most tents are coated in chemical flame retardants. Once upon a time, tents used to be made of canvas that was coated in oil or wax, but this made tents more expensive to manufacture and required more upkeep. Recent textile innovations make tents lighter and more durable, but they’re often also coated in flame retardants. While this may seem like a good thing, it doesn’t really make sense anymore, especially given all the health effects associated with flame retardants (cancers, infertility, disrupting hormones, and lower IQ and hyperactivity in kids.
Unsurprisingly, it turns out that camping in a flame retardant coated tent actually does increase your exposure to these harmful chemicals. A 2016 research study measured campers’ exposure to flame retardants and found that after setting up their tents, they had 29 times as much of the chemicals on their hands afterwards. The study also showed the chemicals are inhaled while in the tent.
The good news is that tent manufacturers have since stepped up and have been making tents without flame retardants, and there are more and more coming on the market every year. We rounded up these well-reviewed, easy to purchase, and flame retardant free camping tents that are available now. Pick one up if you’re in the market for a tent and enjoy the great outdoors!
all tents by these brands are flame retardant free. For other brands, only the models listed are flame retardant free.
- North Face: all tents
- Mountain Hardware: all tents
- Fjallraven: all tents
- REI Coop: Arete ASL 2 Tent, Half Dome SL 2+, 3+
- Diamond Brand Gear: Free Spirit tent
- Nemo: Dragonfly, Aurora, Chogori