Tent not so waterproof.....

[markie*mark0]

I recently bought a 2nd hand tent and took it out for a little camping trip, but unfortunately found out the hard way that it seems to have lost its waterproofness, the outer skin doesn't "bead" off any rain or outside condensation.

Can i get it back upto the original waterproofness? or will i always be wet when it rains

 

[Shewie]

The Nikwax tent and gear proof is pretty good stuff, it definitely makes it bead up again but I've never used it on a tent that's past it's best. You could try sealing the seams again, try the Coughlans stuff if you can find it.

 

[redandshane]

Hi
What make of tent is it ?
or perhaps more specifically what material is it made of?

 

[markie*mark0]

Its a Vaude Taurus I http://www.vaude.co.uk/tents/Trail June 08 T1.jpg

 

[treefrog]

It would help if you knew the history of the tent, like has it ever been washed using a laundry detergent. Normal detergents stay in the fabric and are not rinsed out during the washing cycle. This then attracts water and wets out the fabric even if you try to reproof.
It may be beneficial to (hand)wash the flysheet in a pure soap like Nikwax Tecwash, dry it with a little heat like a cool iron or tumbledry (but be careful not too hot or it could unstick the taped seams). Lastly a reproof with Nikwax TX product.

 

[Whittler Kev]

I did my trailer tent (canvas) with Halfords waterproofer. My little tent I bought a cheap one from a camping place. Worked just as well for half the price

 

[dasy2k1]

I prefer grangers fabsil spray for tents. but have used nickwax too in the past... both should do the job, and I second washing it first with tech wash (either by hand or on a delicates cycle (30° very slow spin) in the washing machine )

 

[Chrisj]

I used Nikwax tent and gearproof spray on, on my VauDe Hogan and it came up a treat. It wasn't actually leaking but it had well and truly stopped beading water and now it is like new again.

 

[Alan 13~7]

Hi pitched up my old ridge tents & the euro hike in the garden for the kids for their last week of the school hols, ( I didn't realize I have so many tents, ) anywho 1 dry night 1 wet night & 1 torrential turns out my 35 + year old ridge tents held up well in the wet but not so waterproof in torrential conditions. On the second night of rain both were letting in along the ridge seam... the old euro-hike didn't let me down though...

For 35+ years they are still in reasonable good nick, fly still beading up when wet.

So popular consensus seems to be grangers fabsil spray for tents or Nikwax tent and gear proof spray

But which is best Fabsil or Nikwax? & how would I go about it & how much of the stuff will I need for a large ridge tent & a little ridge tent ....

Somebody mentioned a garden pump type spray? Having not used either of these products before I am unfamiliar with both, & was thinking... wont it just bead up when sprayed directly onto the fly?

 

[decorum]

On the second night of rain both were letting in along the ridge seam...

If it's coming through the ridge seam I'd check and rewnew the seam sealing first.

 

[Alan 13~7]

Good advice decorum, Going by the damp pattern on the inner tent it certainly looked like the issue was a compromised seem along the ridge...
Would that be just a case of spraying copious amounts Fabsil or Nikwax along the inside seam of the fly when its lay flat on the ground? or is there another different product specifically for seams?

I'd rather buy a ready to use product, I really don't want to start messing with silicon & white spirit.

 

[decorum]

You can get seam sealant in tubes ~ but you can also make your own (There's a thread or two on these boards covering the wherefores )

If you can it might be easier to pitch the tents with the fly inside out*. In this way the seams are held 'flat and open' until they dry

* Or if it's fly first pitching, pitch it without the inner ~ but be aware of the vapours! :yikes:

In another thought, did you use the rain deflector/umbrella things on the ridge tents pole spikes? And if you did, are they still a tight fit? (I'm wondering whether the rain ran down the slope of the ridge until it hit a drip point )

 

[IC_Rafe]

I recently bought a 2nd hand tent and took it out for a little camping trip, but unfortunately found out the hard way that it seems to have lost its waterproofness, the outer skin doesn't "bead" off any rain or outside condensation.

Can i get it back upto the original waterproofness? or will i always be wet when it rains

This is the reason i'll never buy a 2nd hand tent, tarp, sleeping bag, vest, boots and similar items. There's always a reason they are getting rid of it, and the reason may not become apparent only when you experience the same circumstances. You never know how something was stored or treated.

(I've had the same problem with my bivy, it's ok when i spray it, but it's never completely waterproof. I didn't have the money to buy a better one though (and it still works well as a roomy overbag under my tarp, but there are better lighter things out there for that. Oh well )

 

[Alan 13~7]

In another thought, did you use the rain deflector/umbrella things on the ridge tents pole spikes? And if you did, are they still a tight fit? (I'm wondering whether the rain ran down the slope of the ridge until it hit a drip point )

yes I did use the wee umbrellas & they are not quite as tight as when new.. (two different types one plastic the other rubber)

with the big tent (plastic umbrellas) it was more localized towards the rear of the tent & it was the inner that was wetting from the top down, so the along the pole & dripping down is possible with 2 or 3 drip points....

but with with the wee tent the inside of the fly was absolutely drenched from one end to the other top to bottom but the inner was still relatively dry,

Possibly two different issues on either tent .... the fly sheets are last on after inner is up, so out side in would be easy to achieve...

& what to use?

I don't want to start faffing/making diy seam sealer, I would much prefer Just to buy ready mixed fit for purpose seam sealant... The fly is nylon construction & has a cotton like braiding running the full length of the seam the seams on the inside, so would probably take a good soaking of "whatever sealant". so Given the description of the fly sheet seams, what should I be looking for? & would I be looking at doing both inside & outside separately?

 

[Trotsky]

This stuff has come under recommendation from others: http://www.coghlans.com/products/seam-seal-9695

 

[petrochemicals]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Kampa-Sea...932467&hash=item48a0ce0ff9:g:gYsAAOSwIaFZFwSY

 

[Alan 13~7]

So basically for seams I'm looking at a tube of silicon & for rest of fly its an aerosol spray Fabsil or Nikwax , thanks guys I'm starting to formulate a plan of action now.

 

[decorum]

yes I did use the wee umbrellas & they are not quite as tight as when new.. (two different types one plastic the other rubber)

with the big tent (plastic umbrellas) it was more localized towards the rear of the tent & it was the inner that was wetting from the top down, so the along the pole & dripping down is possible with 2 or 3 drip points....

It could just be that rain is getting past those two umbrellas ~ and if it is then nothing you do to water proof or seam seal the fly will prevent water ingress :umbrella: A couple of rubberbands above the umbrellas might sort it for you as an interim measure

but with with the wee tent the inside of the fly was absolutely drenched from one end to the other top to bottom but the inner was still relatively dry,

That the inner was dry is interesting With the fly being universally wet and the inner dry perhaps the tent's not actually leaking but has a condensation issue instead? Reproofing this one might make water condensate bead to run off instead of wetting out and relying on a capilliary action to shed water ?[FONT=Roboto-Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, HelveticaNeue, sans-serif-light, Arial, sans-serif] [/FONT]

 

[petrochemicals]

So basically for seams I'm looking at a tube of silicon & for rest of fly its an aerosol spray Fabsil or Nikwax , thanks guys I'm starting to formulate a plan of action now.

Nope not silicone

Silicone for sil nylon

Pu for polyurethane

Pu works slightly for pvc

If you mix themy they fall apart without sticking

https://bushwalkingnsw.org.au/clubsites/FAQ/DIY_RNCSeams.htm

 

[mr_magicfingers]

I've just redone the seams on my 20 year old Wild Country Quasar as the seam tape was coming off. Took 3 tubes of Seam Grip to get it done. I'll find out this weekend if it's worked. Because the seams are not stitched flat, I had to effectively do each seam 3 times to get all the stitching of the different layers.