| Wood slat and wire fence | Tensar snow fence | |
| Weight | 160 - 180 lbs per 100' roll | 39 lbs per 100' roll |
| Roll diameter | 18"-23" per 50' roll | 10" per 100' roll |
| Life span | 2 - 5 years 1 | 15 - 20 years 2 |
| Tensile strength per roll | random sample tested at 4440 lbs per 5-strand product width | typically 8,100 lbs per roll |
| Corrosion resistance | absorbs moisture, rusts, rots; develops metal fatigue | will not rust, rot or corrode; inert to most know acids and alkalis; ultra violet stabilized |
| performance | often too heavy to mount the bottom gap necessary for maximum drifting and control; sometimes requires top rail | specifically designed to control snow, maintain bottom gap; flat profile resists bridging |
| Versatility | uses limited by materials its made of; not good for crowd control; wire causes shorting at radar installations | multiple uses; ideal for crowd control; use at radar installations; temporary or permanent installations |
| Porosity 3 | 60% | optimum porosity: 50% |
| Visibility | blends in; appearance deteriorates over time | high visibility; maintains clean stable appearance |
| Temperature | varies | -45C to 129 C |
| Safety | heavier and more difficult to handle, splinters, has jagged wires and edges; conducts electricity | lighter, has no sharp edges, does not splinter; does not conduct electricity |
| Reliability | specifications, quality of materials vary; annual maintenance often equals cost of initial installation | consistent specs and careful quality control; minimal maintenance |
| Transportation | standard pickup holds seven 50' rolls or 350 linear feet, loaded vertically | standard pickup holds thirty two 100' rolls or 3,200 linear feet loaded vertically |
| Storage | One 50' roll requires 4 square feet of floor space | One 100' roll requires 1 square foot of floor space |
1 2-3 years before the cost of maintenance becomes greater than replacement cost
2 accelerated weatherometer tests and long term aging of similar materials indicate a life expectancy of greater than 20 years
3 Tabler, Ronald D. "Geometry and Density of Drifts Formed by Snow Fences", 1979