Outdoor
What filament should I use outdoors?
First in this ranking: Bambu Lab ASA.
- Nozzle235–260 °C
- Bed90–110 °C
- SpeedNot listed
- Dry—
- Density1.05 g/cm³
Ranked filaments
| Rank | Filament | Material | Nozzle | Bed | Price / kg | Datasheet | Retailer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bambu Lab ASAASA with a listed nozzle and bed range and a Bambu datasheet. First choice when the printer can hold those temperatures. | ASA | 235–260 | 90–110 | Not listed | Datasheet | Not configured |
| 2 | Prusament ASAThe ASA Prusa’s outdoor guidance is written around. This record lists a hotter nozzle range than Bambu ASA. | ASA | 250–270 | 100–120 | Not listed | Not listed | Not configured |
| 3 | Polymaker Polylite ASAPolymaker’s ASA datasheet is the weather-resistance source. Ranked with the other ASA spools, not above them. | ASA | 235–260 | 90–110 | Not listed | Datasheet | Not configured |
| 4 | Prusament PETGEasier print for an open printer. It is not the UV-resistant choice; use it when ASA’s enclosure and bed temperature are out of reach. | PETG | 240–260 | 70–90 | Not listed | Datasheet | Not configured |
How the ranking was chosen
Rank ASA first when the part sees sun. Keep PETG on the list because many printers in this catalog are not enclosed, and an outdoor part printed in PLA will be the one that gets replaced.
Pros and cons
Pros
- ASA is more UV resistant than ABS, warps less than ABS, and is the material Prusa points at outdoor parts.
- Polymaker’s ASA datasheet describes the material as an ABS alternative chosen for weather resistance.
Cons
- ASA still warps if the air around the part is cold, and the fumes are a real constraint on where you print it.
- PLA is the wrong outdoor default. Prusa says it degrades under UV and softens above about 60 °C.
Printer considerations
- Prusa says the ASA bed should be at least 100 °C and the printer should be enclosed, or use a draft shield, in a ventilated room.
- ASA releases fumes. Do not treat an unlisted enclosure on a printer page as proof the machine is safe to run closed up.
- Match the nozzle range in the table to the printer’s maximum nozzle temperature. A printer that stops at 250 °C may not reach the top of the Prusament ASA range.
What the community says
Threads about a part that lives outside, including sun-exposed automotive clips, settle on ASA and treat PETG as the spool people print when they do not have ventilation or an enclosure. Commenters who left PETG in direct sun report fading and, in a hot vehicle, warping. ABS comes up only if the part will be painted.
- Best filaments for extended outdoor use?, r/3Dprinting
- Which filament for an outdoor automotive part?, r/3Dprinting
Sources & notes
Accessed 14 October 2026.
- ASA, Prusa Knowledge Base manufacturer
- Prusa filament material guide manufacturer
- Polymaker ASA technical data sheet datasheet
- Bambu Lab ASA technical data sheet datasheet
- Best filaments for extended outdoor use?, r/3Dprinting reddit
- Which filament for an outdoor automotive part?, r/3Dprinting reddit
Related questions
- What is the best filament for outdoor use?Outdoor
- What filament should I use for a car interior?Automotive
- What filament should I use for heat?Heat resistance
- What filament should I use on a printer with no enclosure?Open printers
Questions
Will PETG survive outside?
It can, for a while, and it is the practical print on an open machine. The outdoor threads and Prusa’s ASA article are why it is ranked behind ASA rather than instead of it.
Where do the temperatures in the table come from?
From each filament record in this catalog. They are not copied out of the Prusa material table, and a blank cell stays blank.