Don't Forget to Waterproof - Page 3

pastywhite · 07-23-2012, 02:24 PM

I have never had to "retreat" a factory seam sealed tent.

As for tarps, I have used them when car camping to keep the front of the tent dry. I'd prefer not to track mud into the tent. This works as long as you don't lay the tarp directly ON the tent. Major sauna thing going on if you do that - all your stuff will get moist.

Grandpa · 07-24-2012, 12:19 PM

Had a pair of new boots at work that fit well, so I brought them home and rubbed some good old mink oil into them. Next rainstorm, my feet were wet in short time. I found out that boots are either silicone treated or oil treated for weatherproofing. My boots were silicone treated and the mink oil broke that barrier down.

Same thing with tents although I don't know the variations. A guy on one of our trips a couple years ago had an MSR Hubba tent. He had sprayed some kind of waterproofing on the fly and it really messed the fly up. It was sticky, hard to unfold, and water seeped right through. Follow manufactures guidlines before adding anything to your tent. Just because a store sells it, doesn't mean it will work on everything.

I've never added any treatment to a tent and have gotten over 100 nights out of cheap tents before any seam leaks appeared.

Mudder · 07-27-2012, 01:58 AM

I've read that spraying a tent with a "spray-on waterproofer" is bad for tents, unless it's a last resort for an older tent. Tarp and seam-sealer is all you should do. Again, make sure the tarp doesn't touch the tent's fabric, as you may get a condensation leak if you have all the windows zipped up. And make sure nothing is touching the tent's fabric from the inside, also (bed, pillow, tv, totes, etc), as this will cause leaking also.

Edit: I posted this in another camping forum: http://www.campingforums.com/forum/s...t.-Which-order

As a newbie, myself, I hope this helps with info. I got some good tips from that post.

Here's a thread on OutdoorBaseCamp.com that I posted about one of my tents: Coleman 8-person 13x9 Tent Leaks -- It's nice to have an outdoor area outside of tent in case it rains -- In that case, an oversized tarp & pvc tubing & guy lines are an excellent extension of the tent.

Marshmallow · 07-27-2012, 05:16 AM

I was surprised to learn that many tents are intentionally not waterproof, except for perhaps some of the bottom parts. This allows them to breathe and let air in and out. A tarp is a good idea in addition to the tent.

CabinFreak · 07-30-2012, 04:44 AM

I never camp unless I have a tarp over and under my tent,regardless if the tent is brand new.I'm not taking the manufacturers word that their tent is waterproof.

TroyS · 07-30-2012, 05:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChadTower

All lightweight waterproof materials require some refreshing after a certain amount of time. That's the price we pay for being both lightweight and waterproof. If we want just purely waterproof we have to go to heavier materials like thicker plastic and canvas.

This applies to clothing, too. Lightweight waterproof clothes need to be refreshed after enough wear and tear.

So is it okay to waterproof a tent before and after a camping trip, or will that be too much? Sorry for sounding like a complete dunce. The last time I went camping with a tent was back with my dad during my teens and during that time he was always the one in charge of the tent (his rule).

pastywhite · 07-30-2012, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TroyS

So is it okay to waterproof a tent before and after a camping trip, or will that be too much? Sorry for sounding like a complete dunce. The last time I went camping with a tent was back with my dad during my teens and during that time he was always the one in charge of the tent (his rule).

There's no reason to treat a tent unless it is leaking.

ChadTower · 07-30-2012, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TroyS

So is it okay to waterproof a tent before and after a camping trip, or will that be too much? Sorry for sounding like a complete dunce. The last time I went camping with a tent was back with my dad during my teens and during that time he was always the one in charge of the tent (his rule).

Yeah, I agree with the above. I wouldn't mess with the waterproofing unless it gets some real mileage and starts to need it.

Pathfinder1 · 07-30-2012, 06:55 PM

Hi...

Haven't waterproofed any tents yet. Have waterproofed outer (non-waterproof) gartments and shoes with Camp Guard, for example. Worked very well. Do NOT use it indoors, though...!!

Esperahol · 08-19-2012, 05:43 AM

I bring a tarp along when I go camping in case of rain. There is no point in waterproofing or the like since it wears off and if you don't know what you're doing you may screw yourself over. A tarp works fine and it can be put to multiple uses depending on the situation.