We have decided that we need to water proof our tent this year for the first time. Any ideas how much we should buy to proof a 6 berth, 3 pod dome tent (Hi Gear Sahara 6) please? Also, any suggestions on which brand of water proofer is the best? Many thanks
What makes you think it needs re proofing
Is it letting water through the fabric
How much use has the tent had
------------- April Peak District Beech Croft Farm
May Peak District Duke of York
May Holland Delfse Hout
June Cotton Arms Nantwich
july/aug Cornwall Pentewan Sands
And quite a few local weekenders
We waterproofed our tent last year. It has made a huge difference, with water beading on the fabric after rain and it now drys a lot quicker. I will now do it every year. Went through a large can of waterproofer and it was a bit expensive but cheaper than a new tent. Our tent is a 5 man tunnel tent.
The tent does get a lot of use early in the year when it is exposed to rain and then also stays pitched in the summer for 2 weeks at a time in the sun.
For us it has been well worth reproofing the tent.
My 6 man tent was an ex display model and had been erected outdoors for possibly 6 to 9 months. I got it for peanuts but it obviously needed reproofing because it looked like a wet rag when it was raining with no beading. Still wasn't leaking though.
I used 3 x 600ml spray cans of Fabsil costing a total of about £22.
Most tents don't need waterproofing for years unless they have been used heavily for months on end. If water is still beading and running off then waterproofing is not required and will be a waste of money and time.
Hi, we have only used it 4 times in 2 years for weekends only, one of those times in pouring rain in delightful Dawlish. However we bought it secondhand, and although I was told it was only used twice before it was sold to us and it was in immaculate condition, I can't be certain that it was only used twice. It's not leaking, but we have decided to use it for 2 weeks this summer and I would just rather do it before it does leak! I'm just not sure what brand to get or size can to buy - looking at 2.5l Fabsil...
Quote: Originally posted by Ryan0210 on 10/2/2015
... but we have decided to use it for 2 weeks this summer and I would just rather do it before it does leak!...
I guess a sentence of that nature can be quite fearful, but I'd suggest, at this stage, to leave well alone... and that coming from a guy who Fabsilled his guy lines, for Pete's sake!
How about a compromise, for now? How about a garden pitch, and a bloody good soaking with a hose pipe?
Any leaks, then get to work (Can't advise on best water proofer, or amount needed, as I've never done it, sorry!), but otherwise, I'd leave alone.
Maybe, if there's no leaks, but it's showing signs of water soaking into the material, rather than beading off, then come back and someone will no doubt advise accordingly.
I get the impression (I've seen your newer, similar thread in the tent section) you're panicking about leaks this coming holiday, and that you are adamant that you want to do this, despite the majority verdict being "If it don't leak, don't waterproof it". I understand that, of course, and it goes without saying that "The decision is yours", but from what I've read on here over the past 2.5 years, I fear you may be wasting time, effort and money.
Clearly, if it ain't leaking now, but then leaks in the summer, you will come looking for each and every one of us, who have told you not to bother... no doubt carrying a baseball bat!
I'm still prepared to take that risk... with the proviso that you try the garden soaking first!
Whatever your decision, and whatever the outcome, please let us know how your holiday went... and don't forget the pics!
I bought an ancient Hartford M on eBay and re-proofed it with about £15-worth of Nikwax Tent & Gear. It took less than an hour to clean and treat the tent (and a day or two to get the excess gunk off my hands - it really is tenacious stuff). It improved the look of the tent - it saturates and deepens the colours, if that's your bag - and rain beads off it beautifully - which is great if you have to move or pack up in the wet: you're carrying less water and drying is much faster.
I use nikwax you water it down and can re proof when the tent is wet too! A 1lt bottle does our bell tent well and truly.. We've used it a few times over this winter(we live in the tent at the mo)where I've washed parts of the tent and the nikwax proofed is fabulous! I also use the nikwax wash which waterproofs at the same time. I bought mine from bell tent uk but I'm sure you could google 😁👍👌
I am assuming the Hi-gear Sahara 6 is polyester in which case if it starts leaking through the material itself it will be knackered and no amount of waterproofing will seal it.
Polyester is waterproofed during manufacture with a polyurethane waterproof membrane on the inside. The coating on the outside is just to make the rain run off quickly without soaking into the material, aid drying, and in more recent years it also contains UV protection which helps to preserve the material longer. If the inner waterproof membrane fails then the tent is a write off.
If a synthetic tent is going to leak at all it will do so through the seams...through the stitching holes. The seams of new tents these days are taped on the inside to help prevent leaks through the stitching holes. On old tents or those not finished very well, the tape can start peeling off in which case you will need a seam sealer applied to the leaking seams on the inside of the tent.
Seam sealer is basically a clear rubberised glue and usually comes in a tube or a small bottle. It is applied with a small brush or a sponge applicator. It sticks peeling tape down and seals any exposed stitching holes.
I sprayed the outside of my tent with Fabsil because it had clearly lost it's outer protection after being erected for months in all weathers. Rain was soaking into the material and not beading. Rain now beads on the surface and runs off and makes it look cosmetically better as well as aiding drying and hopefully preserving the material for a little while longer on a tent that has probably already had a lifetimes use under normal circumstances. A newish tent or one that hasn't seen much use shouldn't need respraying but as Mucker has said, give it a hose down and see what it looks like if you are worried.
I have a Voyager 6 which I've had from new, in total it has been up for around 4 or 5 weeks, over 2 summers. At go outdoors recently they said to reproof it after 3 weeks of it being up. I was going to reproof ours with Fabsil. Can I pour fabsil into a 5 ltr garden pressure sprayer (one that needs pumping)and apply it with that?? I can't see that I'll be able to get to the top of the tent otherwise, unless I apply it whilst the tent is flat on the ground.
Also I haven't done the test in the garden with the hose, I can't really say that it leaks massively, I do remember a few drops of water in the tent one morning, possibly where something was pushed up against the side of the tent?? I don't know if I should reproof it or not? Does Fabsil work or should I go with Nikwax or something similar??
kirky80 yes you can use that but it will go everywhere but the tent fabric, it also kills the grass, and you will use far to much and cost a lot of money, you are best putting it into a decorating paint tray, and either using a roller or get a paint brush (new one) and brush it on, it then ends up where you want it to be.
Quote: Originally posted by kirky80 on 28/2/2015I have a Voyager 6 which I've had from new, in total it has been up for around 4 or 5 weeks, over 2 summers. At go outdoors recently they said to reproof it after 3 weeks of it being up.
Of course they did...they want to sell you some waterproofer at about £7.00 for a spray can. They tried to sell me some waterproofer when I bought a new anorak from them. I told them if it needed re-proofing that soon perhaps I should buy one somewhere else. They didn't push the issue.
Also bear in mind that under certain weather conditions a tent can suffer quite badly with condensation. This means the inside of the flysheet will feel damp and in some cases can get quite bad, dripping onto the floor and causing little pools giving the impression you have a leak. Good ventilation day and night will help prevent this problem. Always leave the vents open no matter what the weather is like outside.
Lovely, cheers for that!! I think i'll leave off buying any reproofing just yet, We are using the tent for 3 nights at the end of April and then again in July. I'll see what happens with regards to leaks etc in April.
Have to say, if I was buying a new tent and was told it needed reproofed after 3 weeks of use, I'd think twice about buying that tent!!! Sounds like a shocking sales pitch to me. We are going to pitch ours in the garden over the Easter hols when rain is forecast and see what happens, and will certainly consider all the advice given by experienced campers - thank you. I have bought seam sealer and will use that on all the seams before it rains, so hopefully that will do the trick and save me cash, effort and time.
Thank you Ryan, clearly they didn't say that at the time of purchasing the tent, and to be honest I am not sure that the employee had a clue what he was on about, which is why I thought I'd ask on this site. As I said I have had about 4 or 5 weeks (looking at pics, it is probably more like 5-6 weeks) of use out of it over the last couple of years and never had a problem with it.
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Topic: Water Proofing a tent
