Is it true that left in the sun, the tent fabric will deteriorate?
The simple answer is ‘Yes’. Not only in direct sunlight, but also on bright days the fabric of all tents will degrade. The speed it will degrade is based on a number of factors; camping near the sea or at altitude will accelerate the speed of degradation. Some fabrics contain UV inhibitors to slow the rate of degradation. Some colours, particularly reds and purples, but not all reds and purples, degrade faster than other colours. Today most tents are tested for UV degradation, but the weather is not predictable and as such it is not possible to indicate how long a tent will last. In some conditions, a tent may last for 15 years, but the same tent may only last 6 weeks in say, equatorial Africa.
