Journey | Camphelp
| Gear
gear.tents
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Even if you're a camp-o-holic & sleep out 15-20 times
per year, your average tent can still last 5-10 years if ya know
how to care for it properly. This page describes plenty of ways
to help you stretch your tent's life. And we link to some awesome tents by top brands like Kelty, Sierra Designs & Eureka.
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Buying a New Tent
Before your new tent purchase, determine the need. The future
expectations of where & when you will use the tent. Buy the
least expensive tent that meets all your needs. Look for a tent
with a large rain fly that closes completely & shelters the
majority of the tent. On your first rainy night, you will value
the importance of this. Vestibule for storing hiking boots out
of the rain is also an added convenience. The 3-season dome
tent
should suit most needs, which can handle moderate winter
& rainy conditions.
Why spend hundreds of dollars on a lightweight high tech backpacking
tent, when the most you do is car camp right out of your trunk.
Don't pay for overpriced name brand specialty gear, when a good
old Coleman dome tent is way cheaper
& will do the job just fine. There are large family
cabin style tents
for all the room you can imagine. They
even make tents for children now.
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If you plan on mountaineering on extreme expeditions the use,
a 4-season backpacking tent, created
to withstand extreme weather & heavy winds, could be a better
option. Bivy sacks are the smallest,
lightest & are made for one person.
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NOTE:
Make sure you know how to set
up your new tent before you take it into the wilderness. Practice
in your living room or backyard. Last thing you need on your
vacation is to be setting up your new tent at night with your
car headlights on for 30 minutes. (usually disturbing
other campers)
Wash your tents to lengthen their lifespan.
- Heavy Use (10-20 camp trips/ year) - wash once a year, at the end of the fall season.
- Occasional Use (5-12 camp trips/ year) - wash once every other year.
- Mild use (2-6 camp trips/ year) - wash once every few years.
Set up your tent outside at home on a nice sunny day. Put on your swim suit or old clothes. Make an afternoon of it. Invite your camper pals all over & have a BBQ afterwards. Use the hose, mild detergents, sponges, terry cloth rags. Use a scouring pad only on hard to clean spots. The thin tent screens are very fragile, so be careful when cleaning them.
waterproof: surviving a rain storm is an art form in the wilderness. If you rain fly is properly secured on your tent & all your windows are zipped up you should be able to withstand some downpours. If the rain is heavy, you may wanna tie the sides out to make the rainfly more taut. These guy lines can be staked to the ground or to nearby trees. ( this is what that extra nylon rope is for that came with your tent originally )
A cheap plastic tarpcan also be a lifesaver in these kinda weather conditions. String up the tarp above your tent for added protection. Neoprene seam sealant is a great tool for preparing for the rain in advance!
"Tent Seam Sealant" can be found at camp supply stores & will help in leaky areas of your tent.
patch your tent: cut a piece of nylon a little bit larger than the tent's hole is. Cut it in a square, cuz nylon will unravel. Seal the edge of the patch by lighting a candle and passing the edges of the fabris patch through the flame. A sewing machine is an option, if you have one available, but tight stitching with thin needle & thread. Sealant for your stitch will help it be water proof. A simple iron on patch will also work for your patching needs, but you have to be exteremely careful in testing the warm iron temperature & fabric resistance.
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- Before hand: This is a perfect time to get
that sewing kits out to repair any holes or weak spots. An large
'iron on' patch can also be used for extreme damage. The iron
should be set on a low temperature as to not burn the delicate
synthetic tent fabric. Test a small piece first.
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- Rain Fly: This separate piece can be washed
in a large commercial front loading washer (at a laundromat).
Mild non-bleach detergent. Best to wash with a blanket &
choose the cold water 'gentle' setting on the washer. Don't even
think of puting it in the hot drier.
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Stuff Sacks: What a way to break camp &
damper a good weekend: Having to cram a dusty hot tent into the
a tight flimsy bag and potentially damage to the tent. If the
original storage bag falls apart or is way too, tight of a fit,
you may want to find a big old zipper sack. A duffel bag or old
garment bag works. These can be found easily at any thrift store
or sporting goods store.
- NOTE:
Remember not to store food in your tent. Bears
& wildlife have a great sense of smell. Plus cook downwind
or away from your tent all together. In the middle of the night
after a long day hike, you are finally getting some much needed
sleep & nothing worse than having bear rip through that thin
tent wall after a left over energy bar. No toothpaste, no
deodorant, no lip balm, NOTHING that has a scent!
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