Tent waterproofing

hardkore

hardkore

hardkore

Soldato
Joined
13 Mar 2004
Posts
3,038
Location
Norfolk
hey people!

Ok so the deal is i brought myself a gelert quickdraw tent a few weeks ago. Just looked online at some reviews and apparently they are pretty bad for leaks around the zip and condensation.

Now condensation i dont mind but a leaky tent sounds crap! Im off to bugjam this weekend at santa pod and i just hope my tent will hold out (just noticed its single skinned aswell :()

Ive seen some stuff on millets website called nikwax tent and gear solarproofing. Just a spray that waterproofs the tent and protects from UV. Anyone had any experience with it? I know it will only do so much but anything to make it abit more waterproof cant hurt.

I can't take it back because ive lost my proof of purchase so any ideas on how to make this puppy survive the inevitable storm this weekend? :D

cheers :cool:
 
0_0


A dire situation.


The solution is to get down on your knee's and PRAY!



Nah, seriously, im sure you will be fine, and if you are not: then you can vent your anger at me ;)
 
The spray is kinda ok but you should have spent a few more pennies on a double skinned tent :D

Santa pod not been to that place for over 30 years.
 
Nikwax is incredibly good but it is more designed for technical fabrics, you won't notice much on a very basic and somewhat cheap-nasty (sorry :( ) tent like that. Nip into your local camping store and pick up some Fabsil. Its basically liquid silicone so don't put it on anything decent as it will remove any hope for breath-ability, but it is the best you will get for this particular situation and works a treat on umbrellas. There's several types available but depending on the size of the tent look for the large 750ml spray tins or even better Fabsil seam-sealant for zips/stitching

- Pea0n
 
Should have

Got the more expensive pop up gelert tent.
I paid 50 bucks for mine 2 years ago and it has a built in fly sheet - second skin.
Last time I used it the weather was dire and it lashed down, but I was happy and dry.
A very good buy is also the http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gelert-Eiger-2-Man-Tent/dp/B001329FLY.
I picked one up for 20 quid last year as a spare tent, rain is also no problem to it.
Just recalled the best pop up tent is the http://www.yeomansoutdoors.co.uk/pr...UP+Tents&Product=Outwell Jersey M Pop-Up Tent

The hh rating is 3000 and that is real good for keeping the weather out.
 
Last edited:
Hmmm, does anyone know where I could find/buy a really huge reflective sheet to go over my tent, to act as an outer skin, but also to reflect the sun off and hopefully keep it cooler inside?
 
depends on were it leaking, if it the material letting water threw get a new tent. if it just the seems leaking, buy a tube of silicone, and smear it round the seems
 
i used to have a seriously cheap single skin tent years ago when i started festivaling - a can of fabsil spray waterproofing and some seam sealant will do wonders. Spray the tent inside and out with the waterproofing and cover all the seams inside and out with the seam sealant and your good.

The bigest problem you then have is the condensation: you'll get loads of water forming on the inside of the tent and running down the inside, causing puddles etc so try and keep everything away from the edges otherwise it'll get wet, even if its dry outside your breath etc will warm up the inside and unless its warmer outside it will form up on the inside :(

CDj-Rossi said:
Hmmm, does anyone know where I could find/buy a really huge reflective sheet to go over my tent, to act as an outer skin, but also to reflect the sun off and hopefully keep it cooler inside?
Click to expand...

adding something over the outside won't really work - it needs to have a decent gap between the outer and inner skin otherwise you'll lose the benafit... your best bet is to either waterproof it up as above, or get a cheap two skinned tent and ebay the old one.
 
Last edited:
CDj-Rossi said:
Hmmm, does anyone know where I could find/buy a really huge reflective sheet to go over my tent, to act as an outer skin, but also to reflect the sun off and hopefully keep it cooler inside?
Click to expand...

buy a couple of rolls of kitchen foil? :p

That or one of those emergancy foil blankets found in most large first aid/survival kits.

PK!
 
timmy222 said:
Got the more expensive pop up gelert tent.
I paid 50 bucks for mine 2 years ago and it has a built in fly sheet - second skin.
Last time I used it the weather was dire and it lashed down, but I was happy and dry.
A very good buy is also the http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gelert-Eiger-2-Man-Tent/dp/B001329FLY.
I picked one up for 20 quid last year as a spare tent, rain is also no problem to it.
Just recalled the best pop up tent is the http://www.yeomansoutdoors.co.uk/pr...UP+Tents&Product=Outwell Jersey M Pop-Up Tent

The hh rating is 3000 and that is real good for keeping the weather out.
Click to expand...

Cheers for the link to the outwell popup tent, i've just been to buy one from my local yeomans, going camping in wales this weekend :D
 
If water runs onto the zip it will soak into it (it's only cloth) and drip inside, it's a problem any single skin tent can have if the wind is blowing the rain into it.

Nikwax is perfect for this, used it on my mahoosive sunncamp and it stopped the water coming through the cloth of the zip instantly, even while it was still raining.

Don't bother spraying the rest of the tent, Gelert make good (but cheap) stuff and it won't leak. If your really concerned buy some seam sealer to go over any seams that aren't taped (but being gelert and small I'd expect they are all already taped)
 
I just camped out in a Gelert Quickpitch single skin and it rain through the night on Saturday. It leaked a bit and condensation was pretty bad but overall it wasn't anything to worry about.
 
thanks for all the replies everyone!

Im still going to buy the nikwax stuff just to be on the safe side. The seams are taped anyway so hopefully if i just pay abit of attention to the zip area i should be all good to go.

Ill take some paddles and a anchor just incase ;):D
 
thepharcyde said:
Nope because they cannot be beaten.
Click to expand...

The old Force 10's a a legend amongst tents, sturdy enough that they have been used by our scout group for years. However, their modern range is nothing more than average of what is avaliable out there.

PK!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom