When you’re out camping, one of the last things you want to worry about is whether your tent will hold up against the elements. UV rays can cause severe damage to your tent and 2 weeks of direct UV exposure might decrease tear strength in 50%, according to Nikiwax.
Therefore, it’s essential to learn how to protect your gear! But what does UV protection for tents mean? UV protection for tents is essentially any coating or material that helps block out harmful UV rays. It can be done via sprays, fabrics, and even special coatings that are sprayed onto the tent’s exterior.
Let’s go through a detailed review of tent UV protection in this article.
Why is UV protection necessary for your tent?
UV rays are known to cause fading and deterioration in various materials – including your tent’s fabric. This damage might become irreparable over time, and your tent will eventually become unusable.
In addition, UV rays can also cause health problems, such as skin cancer, premature aging, and even damage to your eyers.
Fortunately, there are a few different ways to protect tent from the sun. One of the easiest ways is to simply buy a tent with built-in UV protection or you can use UV-protective sprays or coatings that you can apply to your existing tent.
How to DIY Tent UV Protection?
First of all, if you are about to buy a tent, you should check whether your tent already comes with some sort of SPF (sun protection factor) and UV coating applied to it. Overall, we recommend tents with at least a 30 SPF (ideally above SPF+50).
If you have had your gear in a while or are not sure whether it has any protective coating, you can easily protect any tent from dangerous UV radiation by following these three easy steps:
Step 1 - Set up the tent
First and foremost, pick a spot for the tent. Make sure to choose a shaded area, clear of any rocks or sticks. Then, lay down a ground tarp to help keep your tent’s bottom clean and dry. Also, don’t forget to stake it down, so it doesn’t blow away in the wind.
Step 2 - Rinsing with water
Rinsing the tent with cold water before applying the UV protection spray is a great idea. It will eliminate all the dust and dirt from your tent’s fabric and will make the protective coating more efficient.
Step 3 - Applying the UV protection spray and let it dry
Now, pour a UV coating, such as Starbrite spray (more options are detailed below), into a clean spray bottle and spray the solution evenly over all exposed areas of your tent and let it dry completely for at least 30 minutes.
Wait until it dries, and that is it – you can enjoy your summer camping trip easily.
Best Options for UV Protector Tent Sprays
We have made a list of some of our favorite UV Protection sprays for tents. Check them out and find the most suitable one for your camping tent.
- Compatible tent fabric
Nylon, Polyester, Canvas
- Available in Sizes
22 Oz, 64 Oz, 128 Oz
- Compatible tent fabric:
Nylon, Polyester, Canvas
- Available in sizes:
17 Oz, 34 Oz
Budget-Friendly
- Compatible tent fabric
Nylon, polyester, Canvas
- Available in sizes
10.5 Oz, 21 Oz, 42 Oz
How often do you need to use UV Tent Sprays?
The frequency of use will depend on the severity of the sun’s rays and how long you plan on using the tent.
Overall, If you’re camping in an area with intense sunlight for consecutive days, you may need to reapply the spray every week.
However, if you’re only going to be using your tent for short periods and have low sunlight exposure, you may only need to apply the spray once before storing it away.
How to know whether my tent already has UV protection?
Most tent manufacturers will indicate if a particular model has UV protection on the label. However, it’s always best to check with the manufacturer for double safety.
What are UV Protected Tents?
UV-protected tents are tents that have been treated with a UV-protective spray or solution. They help reflect the sun’s rays, making it less likely for your tent to suffer from UV damage.
Overall, beach tents already come with some level of protection, but you will need to re-apply a protective coating every now and then.
What are the best tent fabrics for UV protection?
Synthetic fabrics, such as nylon and polyester, have better protection against UV rays and last longer than canvas tents (even though these are thicker and more robust).
However, regardless of the fabric that you choose or have (read our detailed article about tent fabrics), you will need to maintain and re-spray to make them last longer constantly.
Benefits of using a UV Protected tent
There are a lot of benefits of switching to a UV-protected tent instead of a traditional camping tent. Here are its top 3 benefits:
1. It helps to keep the tent cool
UV Protected tents can help to keep you cooler in the summer months, as they reflect the sun’s rays, keeping it cooler. However, summer camping can be challenging even with UV protected tents, therefore it might be worth considering a camping air conditioner.
2. It extends the life of your tent
They can help extend the life of your tent by protecting it from harmful UV rays and minimizing the damages to your gear.
3. It is an intelligent purchase
UV protected tents that can help you save money in the long run, as they will last longer than tents that are not protected from UV damage (but ensure to re-apply the protective coating).
UV Protected Tents: Our Top Recommendations
Here are our top 4 recommendations for UV Protected tents available in the market:
1. OutdoorMaster Pop Up Beach Tent - Best for Beach Camping
If you’re looking for a UV protected tent that is easy to set up and take down, the OutdoorMaster Pop Up Beach Tent is a great option. This tent offers 50+ UV sun protection and is made with water-resistant and breathable polyester fabric.
Additionally, the tent comes with its carrying case, making it easy to transport. This tent has a versatile design with large mesh windows for ventilation and a built-in zippered door for secured privacy.
The lightweight structure weighs just 8.15 pounds and is ideal for camps and beach use.
- Lightweight
- Easy to use and set up
- Strong build quality
- Some Issues around durability
Best for beach camping
- Material: Polyester, Glassfiber
- Weight: 8.15 pounds
- Product dimensions: 53 x 95 x 51 inches
2. Abco Tech Pop-up Camping Tent - Best for 2 people
An ideal choice for 1-2 people, the Abco Tech Pop-up Camping tent is a compact and secured option. The pop-up design becomes ready to use in a blink of an eye.
This camping tent comes with UV 50+ protection. It is waterproof and has mesh windows and flaps for air circulation and privacy.
It is made from nylon to ensure added durability. The tent weighs only 3.7 pounds and is perfect for campers and hikers.
- Easy to set up
- Easy to carry & move around
- Lightweight
- Not ideal for extreme weather conditions
- Fabric issues
Best for 2 people
- Material: Nylon
- Weight: 3.7 pounds
- Product dimensions: 27 x 27 x 2 inches
3. Core 9-Person Instant Cabin - Best for a family camping group
Camping is all about big groups and families. So, here comes the next option, which is the Core 9-Person Instant cabin.
It has a zipper closure and an instant 60-second setup. Upto 9 people can easily fit in this instant cabin without any discomfort.
The coolest feature of this UV protected tent is that it has a room divider, wall storage pockets, and an electrical cord. What else can anyone ask for in a camping tent, right?
You can easily air condition these types of tents by learning through our article- How to air condition a tent?
- Very spacious
- Highly durable
- Waterproof
- Durable and reliable
- None identified
Best for a family camping group
- Material: Polyester
- Weight: 27.62 pounds
- Product dimensions: 48 x 11.5 x 11.5 inches
4. Naturehike Cloud-Up 3-Person Lightweight Backpacking Tent - Best for backpacking and hikers
The most suitable backpacking tent for hikers is the Naturehike Cloud-up 3 person lightweight backpacking tent. It offers the most spacious and comfortable accommodation for hikers, making their trip more enjoyable.
The tent is made up of reliable and strong YKK zippers, and mesh pockets with full coverage to enhance the overall experience.
Furthermore, it includes a 20D tent polyester rainfly which makes it extremely waterproof even in extreme weather conditions.
You can learn how to make your tent waterproof in our article- Are tents waterproof? (And how to waterproof them!)
- Lightweight
- Freestanding
- Super breathable
- Not ideal for large groups
- Not enough ventilation
Best for backpacking & hikers
- Material: Nylon, Aluminum
- Weight: 2.69 pounds
- Product dimensions: 17.13 x 6.69 x 6.69 inches
Conclusion
When camping, it’s essential to take steps to protect yourself from the sun’s harmful UV rays. One way to do this is by using a UV-protected tent. These tents are treated with a UV-protective spray or solution, which helps to reflect the sun’s rays.
Our top choice for a UV-protected tent is the OutdoorMaster Pop Up Beach Tent. It is a perfect overall choice due to its robust build and high SPF protection.
The Core 9-Person Instant cabin and Pop-up camping tent are other great options for large groups and couples respectively.
Furthermore, always be sure to choose a tent specifically designed for UV protection and follow the instructions on the label carefully. This will help to ensure that your tent stays in excellent condition for years to come.
