This Waterproof Ultralight Fabric Might Be the Best Outdoor Innovation in Years

Renowned camping brand Big Agnes has unveiled some mind-boggling tent technology that could have huge ramifications for other types of gear.

closeup of wet Big Agnes HyperBead Fabric

By Sean Tirman

Published January 15, 2025

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It’s no secret that “forever” chemicals, like PFAS, are horrible for the environment and human and animal life. However, they’ve long been used in outdoor gear, as they help with waterproofing and other resistances.

Luckily, many brands have been moving away from them (like Nemo with its Osmo fabric). But this has proven tricky. Customers still expect the same performance levels but with sustainability and environmental friendliness in mind, thus requiring the development of alternative technologies.

Well, the folks at Big Agnes, an industry leader in camping gear, may have cracked the code with their new HyperBead fabric. It might just be the best outdoor innovation in years, and it could be a major boon for the entire industry.

Man and dog on sleeping pad and bag outside Big Agnes Tent at campsite — This remarkable fabric is completely waterproof without any harmful forever chemicals.

Lighter, stronger, better

This new fabric is built on the back of the brand’s HyperBead technology, a new, proprietary kind of waterproofing. According to the brand, it’s 25 percent more waterproof, 50-100 percent stronger and six percent lighter than traditional tent fabrics.

That means it’s stretch-resistant, boasting “improved dimensional stability” that prevents sagging or fabric distortion, even under a heavy load.

According to Big Agnes, HyperBead is 25 percent more waterproof, 50-100 percent stronger and six percent lighter than traditional tent fabrics.

But here’s the real kicker: Big Agnes managed this without any “intentionally added” PFAS chemicals (this tricky wording is necessary, as, unfortunately, PFAS are found in almost everything, even the human bloodstream, so they’re impossible to completely avoid). It also uses no DWR (or similar) treatments or coatings. Thus, it’s much more environmentally friendly than its chemical-laden predecessors.

The lack of DWR has another additional benefit. Since the fabric doesn’t rely on coatings, it never needs to be re-waterproofed. It will stay just as waterproof on day one as it will on day one thousand.

Closeup of man setting up Big Agnes tent — Along with its waterproofing, HyperBead is also 50-100 percent stronger than traditional fabrics.

Future-facing technology

Big Agnes is a camping brand, so it makes sense that it has first applied this technology to a collection of camping tents. However, I wouldn’t be surprised to see it applied to the brand’s other offerings, such as sleeping bags, backpacks, and even apparel.

It could be a real game-changer for the brand, especially if it can be made breathable. If Big Agnes can utilize HyperBead fabric in ultralight, incredibly durable, and entirely waterproof jackets without forever chemicals, it might mark a sea change across the entire outdoor industry.

It remains to be seen whether the brand has the wherewithal to pursue something so ambitious. That said, this remarkable innovation is an incredible achievement in and of itself, and it spells big things for Big Agnes’s future.

Man making a camp meal in a Big Agnes tent on a mountain — You’ll never have to worry about getting soggy in a downpour inside a Big Agnes HyperBead tent.

Available now

Big Agnes has already launched its HyperBead fabric. You can currently find it in the brand’s Copper Spur UL, Copper Spur UL XL, Tiger Wall UL, Tiger Wall Platinum and Fly Creek UL tents. Prices for the new HyperBead tents start at $330 and go up to $900.