Help please...!! We bought the zenobia 8 tent last year and had some really good camping trips in the dry... this year we have been out twice this year with the rain and today we have had to come home early because the tent is leaking everywhere...!! Mainly from the top of the tent. Getting different advice of tents should be waterproofed yearly to wondering whether the tent has just failed...!! So felt like chucking it in the bin today..!!
Can anyone advise whether new tents should leak like this or should they be waterproofed?? Appreciate any help!
------------- Sarah31
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Help please...!! We bought the zenobia 8 tent last year and had some really good camping trips in the dry... this year we have been out twice this year with the rain and today we have had to come home early because the tent is leaking everywhere...!! Mainly from the top of the tent. Getting different advice of tents should be waterproofed yearly to wondering whether the tent has just failed...!! So felt like chucking it in the bin today..!!
Can anyone advise whether new tents should leak like this or should they be waterproofed?? Appreciate any help!
Not clued up atall on these things but can you not take it back?
Would have thought if it was under a year old then is would still be under guarantee?
Hi, I would not say it was saggy, but maybe it could have been pulled a little tighter... I asked some of the other tent owners on the site this morning and none of them had waterproofed or had leaks..
Unfortunately, we have had the tent over a year, I think it was June last year, so gone over the guarantee year!! I will go back to Gooutdoors and ask though...
------------- Sarah31
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Quote: Originally posted by bourne31 on 20/8/2010
Hi, I would not say it was saggy, but maybe it could have been pulled a little tighter... I asked some of the other tent owners on the site this morning and none of them had waterproofed or had leaks..
Unfortunately, we have had the tent over a year, I think it was June last year, so gone over the guarantee year!! I will go back to Gooutdoors and ask though...
Worth a try as lets be honest you should get longer than a year out of a tent.
I know you will be glad of an exchange but if they do swap for a new one put on a little sob story on how you had to come home early cause of the tent etc and how you lost cash due to this.
Trust me it worked with me and the good manager at GO gave me some freebies which i was more than happy with
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A one year old tent shouldn't leak. A synthetic tent should be good for 4-6 months of cumulative use depending on the quality of the flysheet fabric. (Hi-Gear is about middling quality.) How much did you use the tent last year? It wasn't an ex-display tent by any chance?
Secondly synthetic tents don't need waterproofing till they're on their last legs and even then, it's probably better to get a new tent. Exception to this rule of thumb...high tech cost-a-mint mountain tents.
Thirdly...has the tent ever got mouldy, been treated for mould or cleaned with any sort of cleaning solution other than plain water? All of these can damage the waterproofing.
Finally, where is it leaking? If it's through the seams you can seam seal these fairly easily. If it's through the fabric then your tent might need replaced. Is the flysheet milky, crackly or crunchy, showing white streks on the inside or generally just feeling a bit brittle? If so the flysheet is starting to degrade from UV exposure. The one year guarantee is fine but if the tent has been up for four or five months in this time, whether on site or in the garden, the tent has just basically worn out.
If it's none of the above then yes, try a complaint to Go Outdoors. They're good at returns. After a year and a lot of use though if they offer you a new tent at a discount that's not a bad deal and worth considering.
We used the tent about 4 times last year... but then we did not have any rain...!! This year, we have been out twice, a few weeks ago, when it rained and leaked and then this weekend... so in total only been up for 6 breaks and then only for 2 or 3 nights each time... (plus the practice session in friends garden.. !!)
I will go back to Go Outdoors and see what they say.. I really don't want to go messing with solutions as I really lost any confidence in the tent, especially when got a 3 and 6 year old in there too....
I notice Hi Gear are the tents usually on offer... hope this is not a sign...!!
Thank you all again, advice is really appreciated..
Outed higear are made by gelert and are good tents not heard any leaking before ! Unless I'm mistaken ? Big namebrands don't alaways produce the best or quite often produce items that are bad or flawed
Sarah i hope you sort your problem and don't give up camping
Post last edited on 20/08/2010 22:30:35
------------- Tim
Harlyn August
Hopefully somewhere for a weekend in Sept
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I have phoned Go-outdoors today and spoke to someone who advised that the assistant manager has informed him that because the tent was over 12 months old, then all I could do was waterproof the tent... I have asked for the Tent Managers name to speak to him as I have explained how unhappy I am...!!
Not sure whether I have any legal rights to argue though.. I think we have thrown away the receipt, although we do have a Gooutdoors card and know the date I purchased the tent, so surely they can backdate through their records? I am going to argue I believe the tent was not fit for purpose... but its this 12 month guarantee rights...?
Hi Sarah,
Did you get anywhere with Go Outdoors?
I have a similar problem with my Hi Gear Voyager 6.
Used it last year with no issues in the rain.
Last weekend (2 years after purchase) it rained and leaked in through the seals.
Initially Go Outdoors are saying there is nothing they can do however in my eyes a 2 year old tent that's been used twice shouldn't leak.
Go on the money saving expert site and that will tell you all about your rights. It should last longer than a year so you are due a refund or replacement and you don't need a recipe a bank statement showing the transaction is proof. Don't let them fob you off.
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Topic: Leaking Hi Gear Zenobia 8
