Advantages of Canvas, Cotton or Polycotton
WHY Canvas, Cotton or Polycotton
The last few years has seen the camping market flooded with many cheap and not so cheap POLYESTER Tents & Awnings.
Tents that have many flaws and that we feel have led to many disappointing Holidays
So, what are the advantages of Canvas (Cotton) & Polycotton Tents & Awnings
1. CANVAS tents are more durable and sturdier. They will stand up to the elements and offer better protection, although sunlight will damage most fabrics, Cottons are much more resilient to the damaged caused. Cotton tents will start to leak as the UV starts to break down the Cotton Fibres after a few years use, but this is easily remedied by reproofing the tent with one of the many a propriety reproofer on the market, Polyester tents dry out and this damage is irreversible. Also, as the Cotton becomes wet it gets heavier, this also serves a purpose, making the tent sturdier.
2. CANVAS tents are made surprisingly from "Cotton" a material with Two very cool tricks. Trick 1, As it gets wet the individual fibres expand, closing any holes in the fabric. This means that the stitching or small pin sized holes caused during manufacture or because of wear and tear, become watertight. Trick 2, as the individual Fibres expand, the larger sheet of fabric shrinks, making the pitched tent tighter, so reducing any flapping noise, and making the tent more resilient to the wind, so it stays pitched
3. CANVAS tents are breathable. Because cotton has lots of tiny holes naturally woven into the fabric it can breathe better. This means less condensation.
4. CANVAS tents stay significantly cooler in the day and warmer in the evening. Cotton is a thicker and breathable material; it therefore can keep out the suns heat for longer. As the temperature drops in the evening the heat cannot escape as quickly resulting is a warmer tent.
5. CANVAS tents are quieter, because the material is thicker and softer it is Quiet, so no annoying crisp packet noise that you experience even in a moderate breeze in a polyester tent
6. CANVAS tents are easier to repair. Even a rudimental piece of cotton sewn over any damage will be waterproof especially if you spray a proofer on it. Any repair to a Polyester tent is best stuck on, if you put a stich hole in a Polyester tent it will leak.
How about Polyester Tents
1. POLYESTER tents get ridiculously hot in even moderate sunshine. You will find it uncomfortably hot in a POLYESTER tent, to the point that will find it to warm to stay in bed very early in the morning, why would you want to get up- you’re on holiday!
2.POLYESTER tents do not retain any heat in the evenings. Once the sun has gone down you will get cold.
3 POLYESTER tents do not breath-result condensation, most complaints about leaky POLYESTER tents are traced back to condensation. To prevent condensation the tents are designed with lots of ventilation, result again cold, draughty tent.
4. POLYESTER tents are noisy. Even in moderate winds the rustling noise will keep you awake.
5. POLYESTER tents will not last, POLYESTER as a manmade fabric is affected by UV rays which dry out the fabric, causing it to become brittle and easily ripped.
6. POLYESTER tents are harder to repair. Any stitch hole in a polyester tent will leak. As the fabric, unlike Cotton does not naturally expand to tighten around any holes, the manufacturers when they make the tent must put a heat-sealed tape over any seams. This can only be done on specialist machines in the factory. On the campsite if you have an issue you can stick a repair patch on, but on seams this does not work well. There are very few repairs that will repair a polyester tent and if you do sew on any repair will need apply a liquid seam sealer over the stitch holes to prevent leaks.
Also look at our Page Condensation - Why and How to Minimize