There are so many different types of tents available today, each catering to slightly different needs – whether it’s a huge canvas tent you need for a car camping trip or the lightest tent possible for your next backpacking adventure. And it’s tough to find the ones that are truly made in America. We did the research to break it all down for you and find the manufacturers that are making American made tents. Check out our research below, along with our shopping tips for finding the country of origin and where some popular tent manufacturers are actually made.
Complete List of Tent Brands Made in the USA
Warmlite is based in Maine, and makes high-performance camping tents for climbers and serious hikers. They also offer sleeping bags, camping mattresses, and other accessories and gear.
Longevity and lifetime access to any needed repairs are two of the things that customers love most about their tents, says Kim Cunningham, an awesome manager at Warmlite. “We have customers who use our gear for 20 or 40 years and can come back decades later and have us repair gear. We believe in our product, our designs, and our customers. We want our customers to be happy with their gear, we want them to create amazing memories and experiences while on expeditions, and we want to do everything we can to get them there. Customers want their gear to work and to last, and they know they can get that from us.”
We spoke with Kim about why they love manufacturing in the U.S.: “We believe in this country, we want to keep the entire company as domestic as possible. Even our materials, from the fabrics to the zippers, are manufactured in the US. We want to support American manufacturing, American jobs, American families, and the American economy. We at Warmlite feel that our nation is great, and we want to help keep it that way.”
Hummingbird Hammocks have protection, breathability, strength, and ease of setup. It has a durable bottom layer and you can pair it with one of their bug nets that keeps you well protected and is great during the summer months. For colder conditions, you can pick up their Puffin Underquilt to provide additional protection and warmth. Overall, a great choice for hammock camping during any season.
You can use the code MICHY5 for 5% off your order.
Tarptent sews high-quality tents at their manufacturing facility in Seattle, Washington. Not all of their tent models are made here though, but we still thought they are worth mentioning. Look for the Scarp 1 or Cloudburst 3 tents as some good American-sewn options (some materials are not sourced here, though). I have the Cloudburst 3 tent and love it – I use it every time I go camping.
Seek Outside is a great outdoor brand making some very cool teepee tents for camping. Seek Outside also has tent stoves (also made in the USA) that you can tote along with you for cooking a great meal.
Bear Paw Wilderness Designs makes a wide variety of tents and canopies for campers. They are pretty fairly priced as well. They do all the seam sealing for you and will even do some custom work if you need adjustments made to your tent order.
Zpacks makes great ultralight tents, and sews a lot of them at their Florida facility. They use some imported materials, but it’s tough to find tent brands that use 100% US suppliers (because some materials simply aren’t made here). Zpacks got started in 2005 and also makes sleeping bags and other gear.
Mike’s YouTube Video on American Made Tents
How To Find Tents Made in the USA
Nothing can put a damper on your camping trip quite like a poor-quality tent. Tents made from poor-quality materials will often leak, tear, or simply be a nuisance to try and set up. That is why you should invest in a tent made in the USA.
Here’s our guide to help you find tents made in the USA.
What Does “Made in the USA” Mean?
Searching for tents made in the USA helps you understand exactly what it means for something to be “made in the USA.” According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), it means the product is “all or virtually all” made in the United States. This includes sourcing raw materials for the actual manufacturing of the product–the entire manufacturing process must take place domestically.
Check out our detailed “made in the USA” guide to learn more about the FTC guidelines.
Materials
When looking for tents made in the USA, you should first look at the materials used. Understanding where these materials come from can go a long way in finding American-made tents.
Tents are typically made from cotton, polyester, and nylon. The tent rods are made of aluminum and fiberglass.
Cotton
Cotton canvas tents are much thicker and more durable than other common tent materials. Finding a cotton canvas tent made in the USA shouldn’t be too difficult, considering that the USA is the third-largest producer of cotton in the world. In fact, cotton is a 21 billion dollar industry in the USA. However, China and India are still the leading manufacturers of this material, so it’s definitely worth double-checking the country of origin before purchasing.
You must make sure that a cotton canvas tent is treated to be waterproof as cotton canvas on its own is not a waterproof material.
Polyester
Polyester tents are becoming increasingly popular thanks to their tear-resistant and water-repellent qualities. China is currently the world’s largest producer of polyester, and a lot of the polyester used in the USA is from China. However, it is still possible to find US-made polyester as the USA manufactures around 1.4 million tons of polyester annually.
Nylon
Nylon tents are the most popular type of tent because they are lightweight and low maintenance. Finding nylon tents made in the USA may require a bit of research, but it is not impossible. The USA produces roughly 2.4 million tons of nylon yearly and is the fourth largest nylon manufacturer in the world.
Aluminum
Aluminum is a common material used for tent rods. The USA does produce some aluminum domestically. However, most aluminum found in products is more likely to be made in China or other top aluminum-producing countries. However, with that said, it’s not impossible to find aluminum made in the USA, as there is still a sizeable aluminum industry here. You will just need to do some extra research when purchasing aluminum rods.
Fiberglass
Fiberglass is often used in tent rods because of its strength and flexibility. Currently, China is the world’s leading producer of fiberglass, but the USA does have a couple of the world’s largest fiberglass manufacturing companies in the world. Many companies looking to cut down on manufacturing costs may use fiberglass from China. Still, companies that are more focused on the quality of the materials may use American-made fiberglass. So while finding American-made fiberglass shouldn’t be too difficult, definitely double-check the country of origin.
Labeling
On top of researching the origins of the materials, you should also look at the labeling of the product. The Textile Fiber Products Identification Act helps determine where products are made. This act dictates that companies must be transparent about the fiber content of their textile products and where the material originates from. Title 19 Chapter 4 Section 1304 of the US code also states that imported products must be appropriately labeled with the country of origin on the product’s labeling or the packaging.
When looking for USA-made tents, you should look specifically for the FTC-protected “made in the USA” label. But keep in mind that there is no pre-approval process for companies to use this label for their products. Instead, it’s up to the companies to determine whether their products are truly made in the USA. And as a consumer, if you come across any false or incorrect usage of the “made in the USA” label, it’s up to you to report it to the FTC.
Be wary of labels like “manufactured in the USA” and “designed in the USA,” as companies use these to trick consumers into thinking the product is made in the USA. But in reality, these labels mean only a portion of the manufacturing process occurs in the United States. Other well-used labels are “made in America” or “made in the USA with imported materials,” but neither truly means the product is made in the USA.
You should also be wary of the American flag sticker on labels. Just because you see the flag on the label does not automatically mean the product is made in the USA.
Other Tips
Here are some other helpful tips that you can use to find tents that are made in the USA.
Check Out The Company’s Website
When shopping online, the easiest way to check where a business manufactures its products is to check out its website. If the product is truly made in the USA, you should find this advertised on the company’s website. Specifically, check out the “About Us” page or the product page.
Conversely, if you can’t find any information regarding the country of origin, it’s best to assume to product is made abroad. Companies are not required to state the country of origin on their online or promotional materials.
Phone Them
If you’re still not sure where a particular tent is made, simply call the company and ask. A representative should be able to answer all of your questions regarding the manufacturing process of the tent.
Tents Not Made in the USA
There are several big brands that are not making their tents in the USA. To help you make an informed decision, we’ve included the full list below as well as where their tents are being made.
- MSR – The company says it makes its products in Seattle and Ireland, however, its tents are listed as “imported”.
- NEMO – Their tents are described as “manufactured overseas”. If you want to find out where a specific item is made, you need to contact the customer service team.
- Big Agnes – Made in China.
- REI Co-op – Made in China and Vietnam.
- Durston – Made in China and Asia (they say they use the same factories that make MSR and Mountain Hardware tents).
- Black Diamond – Made in China.
- Marmot – Primarily made in China and Vietnam.
- Kelty – Listed as “Imported”.
- Sea to Summit – Made in Vietnam, China, and Taiwan.
- Mountain Hardware – Made in Vietnam, Bangladesh, and Indonesia.
