Technology Page - MSR Xtreme Shield Tent Coating
Jan 30, 2026
Revolutionary Xtreme Shield Waterproof Coating
MSR began by looking at industries that require ultra-durable waterproof coatings to protect their products from the elements. Taking cues from their coating formulas, they developed a coating that’s revolutionary for the tent industry. MSR called it Xtreme Shield.
How is it different?
The magic is at the molecular level. Xtreme Shield’s polyurethane features a molecular chain that’s formulated specifically to hold up against heat and humidity. Therefore, it resists the premature degradation that traditional tent polyurethane coatings experience.
For MSR, this means a tent that lasts much longer, with a quality that’s maintained over time. In fact, this waterproof coating is 3 times more durable than standard coatings, providing reliable weather protection season in and season out. Developing the formula, however, was the easy part. It took years of testing to learn how to apply Xtreme Shield to tent fabrics in the production process. Now, having proven its performance, they’re excited that this coating continues MSR’s efforts to deliver long-lasting gear that can be trusted.
Durable, Long-Lasting Seams
To address the seam tape flaking issue, they use a precision-stitched, factory-sealed seam that’s not only more durable than a taped seam but can be maintained over time if necessary. This ensures it provides watertight protection throughout the life of the tent.
What makes the construction so durable?
For starters, they use a lap-felled seam, which is extremely strong. Secondly, their meticulous stitching creates a tiny, precise hole. Finally, they rely on a tried-and-true poly-cotton thread blend that swells when wet, a thread proven effective in the rugged tents of the past. As an extra measure of defense, they add a seam sealing step at the factory, ensuring the tent is rock-solid and reliably watertight straight out of the bag, regardless of the environment it will be used in.
While taped seams degrade and peel off over time, ruining the tent, their stitched seams can be cared for over the long term. As the tent ages, adding sealant to any areas affected by wear will keep the seams performing well for years to come.
Such quality construction demands the careful craftsmanship that has always been built into MSR products, and they are proud to once again offer the level of long-term performance expected from MSR.
When developing the longer-lasting coating, they knew they’d need seams that held up just as long.
Innovation Begins at the End of Comfort Zones
While dropping seam tape may feel like a bold move, they have never been ones to follow the status quo when a better solution exists. Their goal has been singular: to deliver gear that can be relied on long-term. In today’s lightweight tents, seam tape is often a short-term solution, like a band-aid over the seam.
Instead, MSR believe the tent is an investment and should be built to last. With the Xtreme Shield waterproof coating and a far more durable stitched and factory-sealed seam, they’re proud to say MSR’s lightweight tents deliver superior quality for longer—staying in the field, out of repair shops, and out of landfills.
Xtreme Shield System FAQ
What exactly is the Xtreme Shield System?
The Xtreme Shield System is a superior construction that combines two premium elements: a revolutionary waterproof coating that lasts up to 3x longer than standard coatings; and durable, precision-stitched seams. Working together, they create a system that ensures the weather protection and quality of your tent lasts longer than ever before.
Why did MSR develop it?
As backpacking tents have gotten lighter, they've brought with them two challenges: Their waterproof coatings are more susceptible to hydrolysis, the breakdown of the coating due to moisture, heat and humidity - which causes the coating to become sticky and fail. Secondly, their seam tape eventually falls off, leaving users stranded with no defense.
What makes the seams so durable?
For starters, we use a lap felled seam, which places one edge of the fabric inside a folded edge before it’s stitched down. This creates a very strong seam. Secondly, we use a meticulous stitching technique that creates a tiny, precise hole. Finally, we use a poly-cotton thread blend that swells when it gets wet. Together, they work to create a robust seam that lasts the life of our tent.
Why doesn't MSR seam seal at the factory?
Under most conditions, MSR tents deliver excellent weatherproof protection. From our experience and testing, water infiltration tends to be mainly on the rainfly and on small sections of the seams. By allowing the customer to apply seam sealer themselves only when and where necessary, we reduce the use of chemicals used in our manufacturing process.
How big of an industry issue is this?
Companies industry-wide cite coating degradation and seam-taping failure as one of their biggest contributors to warranties and frustrated customers. For over a decade, MSR has been researching solutions to the problem. Several years ago, we identified a coating that is specifically formulated to combat hydrolysis, and worked to refine it for our manufacturing process. Now proven in the market, we’re expanding this Xtreme Shield solution to more models.
What makes the waterproof coating different from others?
The coating formulation is unique in the industry at the molecular level. To develop it, we researched industries that required ultra-durable waterproof coatings that resist hydrolysis. This led us to our specially formulated Xtreme Shield polyurethane, which has a molecular construction designed specifically to resist degradation due to heat and humidity.
Do I absolutely need to seam seal the tent?
In most conditions, the Xtreme Shield System offers excellent weather protection from the elements. If you anticipate periods of heavy or extended rain, we do recommend seam sealing to ensure you won’t get any drops in your tent. In such conditions, some drops can work their way into the rainfly seams. We believe this isn’t reason enough to sacrifice the longevity of your tent for the short-lived performance of seam taping, which leaves you with a leaky tent when it fails.
MSR began by looking at industries that require ultra-durable waterproof coatings to protect their products from the elements. Taking cues from their coating formulas, they developed a coating that’s revolutionary for the tent industry. MSR called it Xtreme Shield. How is it different? The magic is at the molecular level. Xtreme Shield’s polyurethane features a molecular chain that’s formulated specifically to hold up against heat and humidity. Therefore, it resists the premature degradation that traditional tent polyurethane coatings experience.