The Appalachian Trail is rainy and wet in the late winter and throughout the springtime. Because of its soggy nature, I want to know the best tents for repelling moisture (highest hydrostatic head) that will keep me and my equipment dry on my 2024 thru-hike.
According to a survey done by The Trek for 2022, the most popular tent brands on the AT were Big Agnes, ZPacks, Nemo, Gossamer Gear, REI, Six Moon Design, Durston Gear, and MSR.
For our purposes, I’ll compare the hydrostatic head or the water-repellency of tent fabrics used in these popular tents to know which tent “may” perform best in rainy/ wet conditions.
Before We Start: What Is Hydrostatic Head?
Hydrostatic head is the measurement where a tube is placed over a fabric and water is poured in slowly adding pressure to that material. When three drops penetrate the material the measurement is recorded in millimeters of water. This is the hydrostatic head and the higher the number the more waterproof a material.
It is widely understood that a hydrostatic head measurement of over 1,000 mmH20 is considered waterproof and enough to keep the inside of your tent dry during a moderate rainstorm.
Let’s take a look at the different hydrostatic head ratings used by tent manufacturers. I lined them up with the lowest to the highest hydrostatic head rating below.
Hydrostatic Head Of The Most Popular Tents
| Company | Tent | Hydrostatic Head |
|---|---|---|
| Big Agnes | Copper Spur HV UL 1 and 2 | 1,200mmH2O |
| Big Agnes | Fly Creek HV UL2 | 1,200mmH2O |
| Big Agnes | Tiger Wall UL2 | 1,200mmH2O |
| Gossamer Gear | The One | 1,800mmH2O |
| Nemo Equipment | Hornet 2-P | 2,000mmH2O |
| REI | Quarter Dome | 3,000-4,000mmH2O |
| Durston Gear | X-Mid 1P | 3,000-4,000mmH2O |
| Six Moons Designs | Lunar Solo | 5,000mmH2O |
| Z-Packs | Altaplex/ Duplex | 15,000mmH2O |
| Durston Gear | X-Mid Pro 1P and 2P* | 15,000mmH2O |
Upon first glance, if the higher hydrostatic head is more waterproof then why wouldn’t you just buy a Z-Packs Altaplex or Durston X-Mid Pro? They have the highest hydrostatic head ratings. Well, because it is more than just the hydrostatic head. But before we get to that, let’s take a look at each tent and see what materials it is made out of.
Comparison Chart Of Tent Fabric And Hydrostatic Head
Gossamer Gear – The One:
| Component | Material/ Fabric | Hydrostatic Head |
|---|---|---|
| Tent | Custom 10D Nylon Ripstop SIL/PU fabric | 1,800mmH2O |
| Floor | Custom 10D Nylon Ripstop SIL/PU fabric | 1,800mmH2O |
| Seams | Factory-taped seams | |
| Other | Bathtub floor, both doors open for max ventilation |
ZPacks – Altaplex and Duplex:
| Component | Material/ Fabric | Hydrostatic Head |
|---|---|---|
| Tent | Dyneema Composite Fiber/ Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (HMWP) fiber | 15,000mmH2O |
| Canopy | Single wall tent – no canopy | |
| Floor | Dyneema Composite Fiber/ Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (HMWP) fiber | 15,000mmH2O |
Six Moon Designs – Lunar Solo:
| Component | Material/ Fabric | Hydrostatic Head |
|---|---|---|
| Tent | 100% Silicone-Coated Polyester material | 5,000mmH2O |
| Canopy | 20D polyester | 3,000-4,000mmH2O |
| Floor | 40D polyester | 5,000mmH2O |
Durston Gear – X-Mid 1P:
| Component | Material/ Fabric | Hydrostatic Head |
|---|---|---|
| Tent Body | 20D 420 thread-count 100-percent polyester | 3,000-4,000mmH2O |
| Mesh | Peak reinforced w/ 210D black nylon | |
| Seams/ Sealing | Sil/PEU coating | 2,500mmH2O |
Durston Gear – X-Mid Pro 1P and 2P:
| Component | Material/ Fabric | Hydrostatic Head |
|---|---|---|
| Tent Body | 0.55 oz Dyneema® Composite Fabric (CT1E.08) in Spruce Green | 15,000mmH2O |
| Tent Floor | 15D Sil/PEU nylon in grey (floor) | 2,000mmH2O – 5,000mmH2O |
| Zippers | YKK #3 AquaGuard water-resistant zippers (fly and inner tent) |
Big Agnes – Copper Spur HV UL 1 and 2:
| Component | Material/ Fabric | Hydrostatic Head |
|---|---|---|
| Fly and Floor | silicone-treated proprietary ultralight double ripstop mixed denier nylon; | 1,200mmH2O waterproof polyurethane |
| Tent body | ultralight double ripstop mixed denier nylon breathable and polyester mesh | |
| Seams | taped with waterproof, solvent-free polyurethane tape (No PVC or VOC’s) |
Big Agnes – Fly Creek HV UL2:
| Component | Material/ Fabric | Hydrostatic Head |
|---|---|---|
| Fly and Floor | solution-dyed water-repellent silicone-treated nylon ripstop with a water-resistant, polyurethane coating | 1,200mmH2O |
| Tent body | solution-dyed nylon ripstop breathable and polyester mesh | |
| Seams | Waterproof, solvent-free polyurethane taped seams (No PVC or VOCs) |
Big Agnes -Tiger Wall UL2:
| Component | Material/ Fabric | Hydrostatic Head |
|---|---|---|
| Tent | solution-dyed nylon ripstop breathable and polyester mesh | |
| Rainfly | solution-dyed water-repellent silicone-treated nylon ripstop; water-resistant polyurethane coating | 1,200mmH2O |
| Floor | solution-dyed nylon ripstop breathable and polyester mesh | |
| Seams | waterproof, solvent-free polyurethane taped seams (no PVC or VOCs) |
Nemo – Hornet 2-P:
| Component | Material/ Fabric | Hydrostatic Head |
|---|---|---|
| Canopy | 15D Nylon Ripstop/ No-See-Um Mesh | 2,000mmH2O |
| Floor | 0D OSMOTM* Ripstop | 1,500mmH2O |
| Rainfly | 0D OSMOTM Ripstop | 1,200mmH2O |
REI – Quarter Dome:
| Component | Material/ Fabric | Hydrostatic Head |
|---|---|---|
| Canopy | 20D Ripstop Nylon | 3,000-4,000mmH2O |
| Floor | 20D Ripstop Nylon | 3,000-4,000mmH2O |
| Rainfly | 15D Ripstop Nylon | 2,000mmH2O |
Primary Tent Fabrics Used On Our AT Tents
Tent fabrics are primarily nylon, polyester, and now, Dyneema.
Nylon
Nylon has been used for a long time for a few reasons. First, it is less expensive than polyester and Dyneema, has a high strength-to-weight ratio, is flexible, and is light. However, flexibility or stretchiness comes at a cost. During a rainy night, the tent may stretch causing it to sag. I am sure that you have woken up in the morning and had a low-sagging tent.
Many nylon tents are pre-treated with waterproof coatings to prevent water absorption and ultimately produce a less-sagging tent.
Polyester
Polyester is not as light as nylon, is a bit more expensive, and doesn’t have the strength-to-weight ratio of nylon. But it doesn’t stretch as much as nylon. Therefore, is a better option than nylon (that hasn’t been sealed) during a rainy backpacking trip.
Dyneema or Dyneema Composite Fabric
The last material is Dyneema, or Dyneema Composite Fabric (DCF). According to Wikipedia, DCF is a laminated fabric constructed from ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber monofilaments and polyester, polyvinyl fluoride, and other films.
DCF is super light, highest strength-to-weight ratio, and is wicked waterproof. So much so, that the water beads and rolls off your tent. However, being waterproof also means that condensation is unable to escape. The tent becomes very wet inside if not well-ventilated.
Another Factor: Price
| Company | Tent | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Big Agnes | Copper Spur HV UL 1 and UL 2 | $449.95/ $549.95 |
| Big Agnes | Fly Creek HV UL2 | $399.95 |
| Big Agnes | Tiger Wall UL2 | $449.95 |
| Gossamer Gear | The One | $299.25 |
| Nemo | Hornet 2P | $429.95 |
| REI | Quarter Dome | $329.00 |
| Durston Gear | X-Mid 1P | $240.00 |
| Six Moons Designs | Lunar Solo | $260.00 |
| Z-Packs | Altaplex/ Duplex | $675.00/ $699.00 |
| Durston Gear | X-Mid Pro 1P and 2P | $609.00/ $689.00 |
In the chart above, I have kept the hydrostatic head order and instead added the price. What we see is that the highest-priced tents (Durston and Z-Packs) have the highest hydrostatic head (HH). But this can be misleading. They are also single-wall trekking pole tents that are the lightest on the trail.
The next highest HH is the Six Moons Designs Lunar Solo tent. This is also a single-wall tent but uses heavier fabrics than the Durston and Z-Packs. But the price is super low.
As you can see, going by price and HH alone won’t be the only way to make the decision. Other factors to consider are weight, single-wall vs double-wall, construction and design, how easy it is to set up, etc.
Final Thoughts About Hydrostatic Head On Popular A.T. Tents
I will do another post comparing more tent characteristics. As for now, the DCF has the highest HH, the highest price, fair to poor ventilation with condensation, with little stretch overnight.
Stay tuned for another post comparing tents.
Other Questions That You Should Ask About Your Tent
- Does the tent have good ventilation for breathability and to reduce condensation? Nylon and Polyester tents vent better than Dyneema.
- Does the tent soak up water? Nylon soaks up the water and increases carrying weight the next day while Dyneema is waterproof and doesn’t.
- How quickly does the tent dry out? Because Dyneema doesn’t absorb water, it is the clear winner.
- Does the tent have a tub bottom? This will reduce rain splash and keep the floor of the tent dry.
- Is the tent free-standing? Ultralight tents are single-wall and not free-standing requiring tent pegs and trekking poles.
- Does the tent sag after a rainstorm? Nylon tents tend to sag after a rainstorm due to their stretchability.
- Does the tent come with factory-taped seams? Some do, some don’t, it is worth knowing.
The backpack is the last big-ticket item to purchase. When you are ready to learn more, check out our recent article about wanted features for an A.T. backpack here.