Are you planning a camping trip during the rainy season? Then, it’s essential to ensure your tent is up to the challenge. Nothing is worse than a tent which lets in all of the cold rain and ruin your camping mood!
With this in mind, we’d like to provide you with a practical, step-by-step guide which makes it easy for you to waterproof a tent.
Use a Tent Sealing Product
There are plenty of tent sealing products in the marketplace which make it simple to seal or re-seal tents for the purpose of waterproofing them. You should be able to order this type of product online or buy it offline. Look for a tent sealing product which comes from a trusted manufacturer and is highly-rated by real-life customers.
Pros & Cons of Resealing
- PROS: Resealing will extend the product life of a tent and
- CONS: you’ll need to do the hard work yourself, rather than just shelling out for a brand-new tent which already has sealed seams.
Which Products to Buy?
There are plenty of great tent seal products. Tent Fabrics & Outdoor Gear Waterproofing Spray is one option. It’s a strong seller and comes in a spray bottle which makes it very easy to apply. Another tent seal product to consider is LIBERTY MOUNTAIN Tent Sure. Before you buy one of these products, or another tent seal product, compare prices and customer reviews. Also, look at application instructions online to see which one is right for you.
How to Use
Once you have your tent sealing product, here’s what you should do: reseal all of the seams.
Seams get leaky over time. Resealing them is therefore a vital component of effective waterproofing. Bear in mind that the majority of tent sealing products will need a full day and night to dry, so be sure to perform this process at least twenty-four hours before you go camping. Also, you’ll need a bit of space to set out your tent and get the job done.
While it’s true that typical tents come with sealed seams, which may have seam tape pre-applied, these seams tend to degrade over time. Start the process by inspecting your seams. You should be looking for signs of damage. If your seam tape seems to be failing, take it off where it’s old and peeling.
You’ll find that a residue from the tape adhesive remains. This is why you’ll need to apply the tent seal product to the outside of the material, which is the opposite side from the tape residue! As well, if you spot any holes in the tent fabric, use the tent seal product to fill them up.
Sometimes, the waterproofing coat on material fails. If this seems to be the case with your tent, re-apply this coating or buy a new tent. If you find that your fly or floor is beginning to peel, re-coat the worn-out sections if you like. First, take away the flakes. Then, add thin layers of the sealant to create a strong barrier against water.
Replace Your Tent’s Rainfly
Another option for waterproofing a tent is replacing its rainfly. You’ll know that this method is needed if the coating of your tent has a gooey texture and smells bad. Some tent companies offer replacement “rainflys”. Check online to see if one is available for your specific make and model of tent. If your floor is failing, you should shop for a new tent, as the cost and effort of repair just won’t be worth it.
It’s important to find a rainfly which is a perfect match for your tent’s material, as well as its various coatings. Typical rainfly materials are nylon or polyester and they are coated via polyurethane. Some are made from nylon-silicone blends which don’t have to be re-coated. When you replace a rainfly, you’ll need to to find the right product for your tent. If you want to reseal, you’ll need to buy a sealant which is made for the particular material in your rainfly.
Pros and Cons of Rainfly Replacement
You’ll improve the quality of water protection when you do this form of replacement. However, the cost of replacing a rainfly may mean that replacing the whole tent is a better option. Then you just have to weigh between the pros and cons.
The actual work involved with replacing a rainfly shouldn’t be too bad. As long as you’re not spending an amount which is close to what you’d spend on a new tent, you’re probably making a smart decision when you do replace a rainfly.
Rainfly Replacement Product Options
Vigor Waterproof Rainfly 10×10 ft Large Tent Tarp is one option and it’s available at the world’s largest online retailer. Another choice to consider is the [Camping Essential] Himal Waterproof Sunshade Tent Rain Fly Tent Tarp. There are lots of products out there. Your job is to find one which is a good match for your existing tent!
Now that you know the two most common and popular ways to waterproof a tent, as well as how to perform each of them and what the pros and cons are, you’ll be ready to take care of waterproofing your tent.
Also don’t forget to check out other tips of hiking in the rain. Trust me, the rainy season never can stop an avid hiker and camper from amazing adventures.