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Hi Rex

The main reason for using polycotton over the full cotton/canvas fabric is cost. A good polycotton is more than good enough for most family campers. It will last for many years and far far longer than the polyester fabrics. If we want tents that are made out of full cotton/canvas we would be looking at a cost of about £1500 for a good family sized tent. Most of the canvas/cotton fabrics are still made in europe which increases the cost but thats a good thing as the cotton/canvas fabrics coming out of the far east are still not top quality. The polycotton fabrics coming out of the far east are ok though.

If you like the full cotton/canvas tents then look at the costs of tents like the DeWaard brand from Holland.  

Some of the uk brands who are putting polycotton tent in the range are missing the point though. They are putting to much waterproofing solution on the fabric which then reduces the breathability and causes condensation just like the polyester fabrics. Make sure if your looking for a pollycotton tent that the fabric feels the same on the inside as the outside, if it feels and looks shiny on the inside in my opinion it has to much waterproofing.

This is only my opinion so please do not take this as gospel.

Gary

Well I would welcome seeing more Cotton/Polycotton tents on campsites, as we use an Easy Camp Kos 6 we always feel in the minority when we pitch up and I must admit that we get some strange looks as if to say 'Look at that old outdated frame tent', point is it we have only had it for 5 years (so not so old) and at a quick count have spent about 90 plus nights in it.

Good points about it are it has never leaked, though did reproof it this year, it never feels like it's going to take off in the wind, great for cooking inside as the material is breathable and fire retardent, never any condensation as in polyester tents and the head height in constant throughout the tent.

Bad Point, Heavy at 47Kgs, but we do use a trailer.

Have I sold it yet, sorry but we may me old fashioned but we love it and would never swap it for a Polyester Tent.

Hi Rex

All very valid points.

I think we can all agree a cotton/polycotton tent is the way to go as long as cost and the pack size are ok.

I would mention that cotton/polycotton tents do take more looking after which maybe something people need to think about as well.

I always try to camp in a cotton/polycotton tent whenever i can.

Gary

Rex

I think the Biscaya is a slightly different situation.  The all season polyester is more expensive than the traditional cotton yes; but on paper the Ten Cate all season polyester is superior.  They haven't waterproofed with a polyurethane coating on the inside like ordinary polyester.  It's a polyester/PVA weave (all synthetic) where the PVA fibres swell up and make it waterproof.  So this fabric is behaving like cotton/polycotton but has no natural fibre content:

If you compare the technical specs on the Ten Cate website you can see that for equivellent fabric weights it is stronger and more waterproof than cotton yet is breathable and won't shrink.

The downsides are cost and a question as to how long it will last.

Steve