Just come back from my first weekend camping away in Brighton. Really enjoyed it and loved the Vango BETA 350XL we bought. The only down side was the weather. It rained heavily each night. Come to pack up sunday morning and the tent was soaking!
We dried it off best we could with a towel but it inevitably went away wet. I've just got it out of the bag this evening to try dry it but it's really wet and already beginning to smell a bit.
Anyone any advice on the best way to dry a tent?
I live in a small flat on the top floor in Manchester so don't really have anywhere I can set it up again outside to dry :(
Even piled loosely in a bath/shower and turned occasionally it will dry out slowly and prevent the dreaded mould. If you get a day off work you could always take it for a picnic in a local park to dry out while you eat.
Have you furniture you could drape it over, wardrobe? or bannister. Good idea about putting it up somewhere, do you know someone with a garden? Must be totally dry before you put it away, or one ruined tent. I would do it as soon as possible as it has an odour already, which should disappear in the fresh air
I could take it to my parents garden but they live almost 100 miles away and so it may be a week or 2 before I go see them. I might take it to the park at the weekend to dry it out. For now I'll just have to keep turning it in the bath or something I think :(
Do you have a shower rail you could hang it over? We used to live in a small house and often dried tents over the banister or drapped over a couple of chairs in the living room! I would usually go over it with kitchen towels at home to get most of the droplets off it then it seemed to dry a bit quicker!
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I dried my dd's DofE (borrowed) tent draped over our small kitchen table and chairs with the fan heater going. I propped the part of the tent on the table. Turning/moving frequently.
I also took the guys off (only 2 so quick) and dried them on the radiator.
The sooner it's done, the better.
The more air flow it gets to and through it, the better.
Preferablky fresh air, with sunshine, but inside is better than nothing.
Hassle your friends, your relatives, your workmates, or even that nice old lady at the bus stop, who you know damn well has a garden around the corner which is far too big for her needs anyway!!
Offer flowers, chocolates, or financial reimbursement if need be, but for now at least, just hold fire on any thoughts of sexual favours... save that for when you are really desperate!
I separated the inner tent from the flysheet last night and draped both parts over furniture as close to the open windows as I could over night. The flysheet was dry this morning and smelt like new again.
I hung the inner sheet up in a rough tent shape from the light fitting last night and had it spread over furniture too. The ground sheet which is fastened to the inner tent is the bit that smells so I've left that out all day facing up now. I'll try take it out tonight or tomorrow evening and let it air out as long as the weather is nice
After two days draped over furniture etc it seems dry and the smell has gone from the tent (unless you get your nose right in on the ground sheet!)
I'll set it up outside at first opportunity for a couple of hours to properly air out but I'm happy it's dry and has seen some air now! Thanks for the advice all!
Good to hear your ingenuity paid off. If/when you have to pack up wet again, it is worth taking the inner tent out before you pack the main tent down. That way there is one less thing to have to dry off.
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Topic: Drying a tent?
If/when you have to pack up wet again, it is worth taking the inner tent out before you pack the main tent down. That way there is one less thing to have to dry off.
