What EN ISO 5912 is
EN ISO 5912:2020 replaced the 2011 edition and sets requirements and test methods for camping tents, covering safety, performance and fitness for use. The correct name is EN ISO 5912, not “EN 5912”, although the short form is often seen. Caravan awnings are excluded and have their own standard, ISO 8936. The standard itself is a paid document, so check any detail you plan to quote against the original text.
Is it mandatory?
We found no sign that it is cited in the EU Official Journal, so we read it as a voluntary standard that can help show a product is safe under the GPSR. That is our interpretation, not legal advice. We also did not find a CE requirement for tents, so treat any supplier promising “CE tents” with care.
“Certified” or “tested”?
The standard describes requirements and test methods, and we did not find a certification scheme based on it. A useful statement looks like this: “test report to EN ISO 5912:2020, laboratory name, report date, model tested.” Ask to see it, and check that it matches the model and fabric you are buying.
Questions about waterproofing
- What is the hydrostatic head of the flysheet, and of the floor? Ask for separate figures
- Is it a figure from a fabric test, or from a finished tent?
- Which test method was used, and is there a report?
- Is the coating PU, PE or something else, and what is the fabric weight?
Questions about seams
- Are the seams taped, and on which parts?
- Is the floor a tub design, or does it have seams at ground level?
- What thread and stitch density are used at stress points?
Questions about poles
- Fibreglass, steel or aluminium? For aluminium, which alloy, diameter and wall thickness?
- Have the poles been wind-tested on the finished tent?
- Can you buy spare sections later?
The check you can do yourself
Pitch a sample outdoors, pour water over it or spray it, and leave it overnight. This does not replace a laboratory test, but it does show up poor seams and door design before you order in volume.
Other things to ask
Fire-related marking for children’s tents or for the UK market should be stated only where evidence supports it, so ask for the evidence. If the fabric has a water-repellent finish, ask about PFHxA: Regulation (EU) 2024/2462 applies limits to other consumer textiles from 10 October 2027. Tents are not named in the act, so applying it to them is our reading.
On our tents page you can see the models we supply, and we tell you which data exists for each. The quality page covers other categories.
