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What kind of durability are you all getting out of your lightweight tents? How often are you treating seams? Looking at getting something but curious how many years it might last assuming a dozen or so backcountry nights a year and taking decent care of it but not babying it. Thanks. -jr

If taken care of good tents last a long time.

I have a $18 2 man nylon pup that bought new in 1983, and two used 70's vintage nylon tafetta 3-man tents that I picked up used in the early 90's. The latter had cotton tabs for the stakes. I've also got a 4-man Eureka Timberline that's been used regularly since 1984.

The nylon parts of all these are as fresh as the day I bought them.

The cotton tabs on the 3-man tents will rot before the rest of it. They're fine now, but I wouldn't expect them to last another 5 decades.

The 2 man nylon pup has a cheap polyethylene bathtub bottom. It will probably cease to hold water in another decade.

The Eureka Timberline was used the most of any of them. It's been everywhere from the Boundary Waters to the Smokies. I always kept a tarp under it and another tarp for the floor. It has been holed and patched numerous times, but it still keeps the rain out. I also had to replace a couple of poles, because about 25 years ago, my son decided the side of the tent looked like a trampoline and tried to use it as such.

I have a Eureka 3 man Tetragon that I've been using for 20 years and it hasn't been babied. For a $100 tent, it's been great. I've had to replace 1 pole section but the tent itself has never failed.

If you use a modern extremely light weight tent hard in mountain conditions I'd expect 2-3 years only. The light weight zippers and fabrics wear quickly especially in rocky habitat.

There are a lot of variables. Type of fabric, quality of fabric, quality of construction, color, type of use.

Example, bright nylon tents are affected a lot more by UV degredation then muted colors. Some fabrics like Dyneema Composite are NOT impacted by UV at all, but more by how they are stored and stuffed.

In general, I would expect about 700 - 1000 days of field use for a good nylon tent in muted colors. Bright ones could degrade in a month at altitude with high UV. Some other tents may be more like 200 times being stored / stuffed .

I've done a lot of testing on various tents, and fabrics over the years. In general though more often than not, you get what you pay for within reason.

Kevin

Careful use, cleaning, repairs and storage will prolong life span.

Air'em before storing them. NEVER wear boots in them.

To replace/repair your tent poles, etc.:

https://tentpoletechnologies.com/

This is a bit what I'm worried about. I assume when you go for the really lightweight stuff that you end up sacrificing some longevity, no?

My current go-to tents for 3-season backpacking are a pair of Big Agnes Copper Spurs UL-1 & UL-2. I've been using both tents for 3-season backpacking for several years. They are ultralight tents so the materials are very lightweight. They are still going strong despite the flimzy appearance. I try to take care of them and avoid mistreating them. I guess it's these current ultralite tents that I think I might actually wear out because the materials are so lightweight. We shall see.

I don't think I have ever worn out a tent.

I have had a couple of cheap standup dome tents ruined by the wind. You get what you pay for. I had a Sierra Designs Origami-4 (TIPI) ruined by the wind also.

I had a North Face VE-25 (that's a bombproof expedition dome tent) ruined by a friend because he ran a stove inside the vestibule and cooked the rain fly.

After many years of service, I gave an REI Quarter Dome T-2 to my grandson. He's still using it and I expect he will get many more years out of it.

I over-stressed the zipper on a Cabelas XPG-4 tent. But that was my fault, not the tent. I've had a new zipper installed and expect many more years of service.

I have an REI Base Camp-6 tent that's several years old. I have used it many times in situations that it was not designed for and it has weathered them all.

I have owned a Sierra Designs "Clip Flashlite" tent since sometime in the '80s. It's still in like new condition, but I haven't used it much in later years. There are lighter alternatives on the marker.

I even have a couple of canvas gable tents that have been taking up room in my storage shed for several decades. But they have not been used much for a long time either.

For winter backpacking, I use a KUIU Storm Star 2P. I bought it three years ago when the traveling KUIU show came to town.

So I agree with those who have said that a good tent will last a lifetime if you take good care of it. But beware of the newest ultralite tents made with ultra light materials. I think we all have to take good care of them to make them last.

UV rays will deteriorate anything if left up long enough. Ask anyone with RV canopy's and boat covers. Here where I live I can get about 9 months of full time use out of canvass canopy's and tarps, boat covers will last a little longer.

Phil

Thanks guys, appreciate the insight!

My Mountain Hardware Skyledge 2.1 bought new in 2013 lasted about 4 yrs of BC backpack stone sheep hunting. The sil nylon fly fabric was shot from UV after that...probably 50 nights max. MH sent me a replacement tent but I sold that one.