I have just bought a Hi Gear Cirrus4 air tent & have received conflicting views as to whether or not to waterproof the tent before use. I know it should already be waterproofed but wondered if I should Fabsil it. Any thoughts please ?
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Firstly, a brand new tent should not need waterproofing, if it does then it is not "fit for purpose".
Secondly, if it is a polyester tent then it will have a polyurethane coating on the inside and the only other proofing required from time to time will be seam sealing.
Give it a test pitch and soak with a hosepipe. That way at least you will know if you're safe on that first real trip during rain. And you will not be worried on that first day/night of rain if you're going to end up damp/wet. Or you will know whether to take it back for a refund/exchange as already mentioned.
I heard the same mixed reviews about my Hi Gear Rock 5 years ago. Mine doesn't/never has leaked. Looking into it, my guess is those experiencing leaks may of not pitched the tent tight/correctly. Plus of course if people are new to camping, as well as not ensuring the tent is pitched correctly. They often are not aware of the need to ventilate the tent. Both can lead to the inside of the tent getting damp/wet.
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We are very careful when pitching a tent, so shouldn't be a problem there.
I have noticed that some newer tents do not have as much ventilation as the older ones, especially in the bedroom area. Our Minnesota 4 was great for ventilation.
The Cirrus 4 has a 6000 hydrostatic head, so I have great expectations.
Can't wait to put it up !
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Topic: Waterproofing a new tent
