We have jsut returned from 5 days in not so sunny North Devon. we are semi - virgin campers and could do with some advice please~? The very first camping trip was abandoned after one night as out tent "leaked" or so we thought. We were advised by others that we hadn't pitched it properly, so took extra care this time. We have a Gelert Lakesbury 5 man, which is a couple of years old but as I say has only been used once before (in a v big storm!!). The problem we had is that the weather was vary changable, and it rained alot. The tent seemed to stand up to the wind, but the rain was just seeping through. Not on the seams, but through the membrane itself. We had been told to be careful that nothing touched the tent as this would let the rain in so were really careful, but the rain just oozed through. Something like a J cloth, like it had reached capacity. Did we do something wrong? Can it be fixed or should we just buy a better tent? Any advice would be good as we really did enjoy camping, but I was shocked when we packed up this morning, moved the bedroom compartment and there was a huge amount of water just sloshing about!!!!!
If the tent isn't very old and hasn't had much use, you should notice the water forming little droplets on the material and running off. When the material gets older you tend to see patches of wet that will grow larger over time. Our last tent reached the patch stage but never actually leaked.
We eventually treated with Fabsil (or similar, I don't recall) which renewed it's droplet ability.
I am surprised that yours actually let the water through the material if you hadn't touched the material itself though.
Treating the tent with the above waterproofer should be rights solve the issue you are having. If you do it with the aerosol version, you will notice that most of it blows away in the wind. I personally prefer the liquid..
Hope it hasn't put you off camping though.. That shouldn't happen..
Are you sure it wasn't condensation? If it's cold outside compared to inside, you will get condensation on the inside of your tent, usually starting with the roof, then moving down the sides. Even with all of the vents open on our Icarus, it is not unusual to wake up to a soggy roof inside, which usually dries within a couple of hours of the sun coming up. Using a microfibre towel to partially dry this can be really helpful.
We too have experiences a small amount of water under our bedroom pod - condensation again from the heat of our bodies on the airbed (although not enough to 'slosh' as you describe it). Can you see any holes in the groundsheet where the water could have come through?? If rainwater gathered underneath and you have even a small pin hole the water could come up through it.
It would be very unusual for your tent to absorb water the way you seem to describe, unless of course it is faulty. Perhaps contact the manufacturer to see if there were any batches made from faulty material, it does happen occasonally.
Certainly sounds like condensation to me. The cold of the rainwater landing on the outside of the tent will cause any water vapour on the inside to condense. The temptation in bad weather is to 'seal' yourself in with all the vents, doors etc shut. Your breath, plus any cooking you may have done (both the steam from the water and the water vapour from the burning gas), as well as the fact that the air is probably very damp anyway will all add to the problem.
Did you use the built in ventilation, it's tempting to zip them up but you shouldn't ever. Also, if you air the tent out every morning and occasionally put your bedding inside out on top of the car in direct sunlight (should you be so lucky) that will help to reduce moisture.
Maybe the tent is done, but you can reproof it using fabsil.
It is possible that the wind was driving the rain into the fabric of your tent at a pressure that would push moisture through the membrane but as has already been said, the first thing to discount is condensation, especially with the warm storms we've been getting.
To alleviate condensation;
Open all vents to the max.
Leave wet items outside or in the car - as they dry, the moisture is only headed for one place - the fabric of your tent.
Reduce breathing to a bare minimum ;)
Reproof your tent with Fabsil/similar. If rainwater isn't 'beading and rolling off' your tent, then it forms a cold nonbreathable condensation layer on the outside which massively increases the condensation on the inside.
Thanks for the advice folks. I don't think it was condensation as all the vents were open, we cooked outside and for most of time had the tent open. Looking at the blurb of the tent it says it has a HH of 3000. I think that it is more of a summer tent, as the wind was really driving the rain through. I have got a tin of fabsil, just waiting now for everything to dry out!!!!! Also have an eye on an outwell, as they seemed to stay dry. When we packed up, I compared our tent to the outwell next door. Theres was bone dry on the outside, wheras ours was still covered in rain!!!!
Quote: Originally posted by twiggy100 on 05/8/2012
I compared our tent to the outwell next door. Theres was bone dry on the outside, wheras ours was still covered in rain!!!!
This is a definite sign that your tent needs reproofing. (reproofing is a bit of a misnomer - it is actually a water repellent treatment that makes your tent shed the rain - like the Outwell you saw).
There is a chance that reproofing will not solve your problems - but (especially as you already have some Fabsil) it is the cheapest option available to you at this point.
3000 should be fine, I have tents that are 2000HH and they stand up to a lot of rain. Good for you for using the ventilation, so many people think bad weather equals keeping out the drafts but it's the opposite, you need those ventilation panels all the more in bad weather. One person, according to someones wisdom on here (can't remember who) breathes out and sweats one pint of fluid every night. So in practice you pee less than you sweat and breathe through the course of the night. Depending on how much beer you've had I suppose.
It could be condensation, but it also not unknown for a tent flysheet (or a panel of it) to escape proper proofing in the factory. Could you pitch the tent in the garden (or borrow a garden) and see whether rain or water from a hosepipe penetrates the flysheet? If its not lived in and there is no moisture in the tent to start with, this should reveal whether the tent fabric is leaking or it is condensation. 3000HH should stand up to very heavy weather, as 1000-1500HH is regarded as "waterproof" for the UK.
You do get quite a volume of water from condensation, which will gather and drip from any low points and similarly gather in dips in the groundsheet. Damp warm breath, wet clothes and heaters all add up to quite a lot of moisture...
------------- Love our set-up and need no more tents or gear, so trying to stop looking!
My very old Campus Borneo 4 is 2000 HH and has NEVER let any rain through, and I've had it out in all weathers from March to October. More than that, it has never been the slightest bit damp inside. I think they just don't make tents like they used to. I've never had to air my bedding, and I very often have gas heater and stove in the tent.
I do like ventilation though and I never spend time in the tent without opening the front door (I keep the mesh door closed against insects). Even at night I leave the top part of the door open, more because I like to go to sleep looking at the stars.
My tent is about 15 years old and I've Fabsilled it 3 times in that time.
You seem to be doing all the right things, try Fabsilling it; that should work.
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Topic: back from 5 days camping advice please!!!
