Anybody that understands what Fluorocarbon-based processes are will understand and how this will break down over time causing wetting-out. Also known as DWR.
So, to state a tent proofed with Fabsil is 'one big flammable rag!' is the same as saying that a brand new tent is 'one big flammable rag!'.
Some people are under the impression that the PU coating on the inside is the only proofing process applied before manufacture.
Actually Gareth you are wrong, but wikipedia is quite handy eh?
I've a number of tents, some canvas, some polycotton and some synthetic. I've had my oldest synthetic tent for nearly 20 years now and its NEVER needed fabsil or any other proofing - and that was the tent that I used right through the 90s. Its been used as recently as last summer by friends and it never let in either - Now that kind of discounts your fabsil obsession. It has had seam seal over the years, but the fabric has kept its waterproof properties since new. Not an opinion - but fact.
As for the canvas tents. I have treated them with Fabsil on patches like the roof when wetting out occured, but only once and it was effective.
Im not disputing the benefits of Fabsil, just the crazy idea that folk should be proofing their tents from new. Its simply not true and crazy. There are many novice tenters come on here for information and advice and the last thing they need (in my opinion) is another job to do before they can go out and camp!!!
As for the fire retardent qualities. I mentioned fire retardent - NOT fire proof. These are 2 totally different things and in all honestly no synthetic tent should ever be used to cook in.
I have seen tents go up in flames and Its not a pretty sight. I certainly think that a tent covered in chemicals that are there unneccesarily is just asking for trouble. I can help but think that if you spray fabsil on an already PU coated tent that the material is not properly absorbing the fluid, so therefore most of it is going into the air or just running off. Bit like putting tea in a chocolate teapot.
Anyway, we'll just need to agree to differ.
If it floats your boat, then you go ahead, Me I'll just stick to sucking eggs.
------------- Always forgive,Never forget;Learn from mistakes,But Never regret;People change,Things go wrong;Just remember life goes on
Cool campers use Delta Pegs.
The happiest people aren't the ones who have everything they are the ones who make the most of everything they have
It was from Vango actually! Take it you went straight to wiki.
I'm wrong? How can my personal experiences of Fabsil and what I've personally found be wrong!? Are you saying my tent doesn't bead water better than before or does not dry quicker? Are you saying Fabsil doesn't contain UV protection? Are you saying it damages my tent? Are you saying that the PU coating is the only proofing used on synthetic tents? Or are you simply saying that fabsil is used by thousands of people to waterproof many types of synthetic to no effect?
DWR is applied to the fabric before manufacture. The DWR will deteriorate over time - fact, Fabsil will replace this coating - fact. Is fabsil flammable when dry? No - fact.
If you'd read my earlier post you'd realise I said it was not essential that it was done, but was simply sharing my experience. I did not say tents need doing from new!
A polyester tent can last years and years if it's only up occasionally. Was it your small Eurocamp tent?
Anyway, I'll continue to protect my tents with Fabsil, as many do and we'll agree to disagree.
No Gareth, I meant you are wrong about the assumptions made about me or my knowledge. If you believe you are doing your think to protect your tent then as i've mentioned, thats your call. Not my thing though - I prefer to use reproof when it actually needs it rather than waste my money coating a tent thats not got a hope in hell of absorption due to the PU coating and the proofing already on the tent. So well done all you who keep Fabsil in business all these years. "money for old rope" comes to mind
------------- Always forgive,Never forget;Learn from mistakes,But Never regret;People change,Things go wrong;Just remember life goes on
Cool campers use Delta Pegs.
The happiest people aren't the ones who have everything they are the ones who make the most of everything they have
Ok Dezzie, if you say so chap. I don't feel the need to be rude about it though with your smug remarks and insulting nature. I've got my reasons (as stated) and you've got your 'opinion' on the matter.
Neither of us can prove anything either way and just have to use our own personal experience on this one I suppose.
Sorry if you feel i've been rude,smug or insulting, im only expressing my opinion and unfortunately as emotions cant really be expressed via a keyboard, sometimes they can be taken the wrong way. For example, I thought your posts were rather sarcastic, but again its difficult to determine via an internet forum so it would be wrong of me to assume that, but I certainly havent intended to come across that way and if you feel I have then I apologise. We just have different opinions and both feel strongly enough to put our own across. Each to their own.
Happy Camping.
Dezzie
------------- Always forgive,Never forget;Learn from mistakes,But Never regret;People change,Things go wrong;Just remember life goes on
Cool campers use Delta Pegs.
The happiest people aren't the ones who have everything they are the ones who make the most of everything they have
Would it be worth doing a small 4 man dome tent that only has 1,000 HH?
I'm not interested in comments oh how it would be cheaper to buy a better tent, I want to use this one, so my question is, would it improve the waterproofing.
I'm not expecting any magical results, but if say it would lift it to 1,500 HH, then I would be happy with it. Looking at the tent size/flysheet area, one large spray can should do it.
We found our sunncamp vario 5 was not as waterproof as it was new. 5 years old. So brought a can of thompson water seal, 5L. For £12/13. Spray container lidl £3, job done. Worked a treat!! Can suggests it can be used on canvas and just about anything.
as said on the other thread it is only the old style thomsons that can be used on canvas/material.if you can find an old supply it is as good as fabsil but not alot left out there anymore.
I used to give our tents a coat during the "pre-season" check(..just used a small garden sprayer and a rag)..
Our Gelert Cadiz must be about 7-8 years old now,has had loads of abuse at festivals and is still going strong!..as has alrady been said,once treated the water beads off.
I just can't understand the "..it isn't worth the effort.."(..in our case an afternoon spent playing with the tents in the garden!) or the "..it's cheaper to buy a new tent.." (..I think I spent about £10-15 on a 2.5ltr tin,which did three tents and lasted us several seasons,although I don't know what it costs now.)..
Okay,maybe if the tent was really old and badly damaged, fair enough but if we're talking about perfectly good tents,then it just seems very wasteful to talk of just replacing them...!
Quote: Originally posted by Road_Hog on 16/2/2011
Would it be worth doing a small 4 man dome tent that only has 1,000 HH?
I'm not interested in comments oh how it would be cheaper to buy a better tent, I want to use this one, so my question is, would it improve the waterproofing.
I'm not expecting any magical results, but if say it would lift it to 1,500 HH, then I would be happy with it. Looking at the tent size/flysheet area, one large spray can should do it.
Yes it will improve waterproofing as it is designed to repel water, obviously people have differing results, so the only way to know is give it a good spray, wait for it to dry and then give it a good soak with a hose pipe and see if your getting any leaks. Remember Fabsil isn't a seam sealer, so if it's leaking through the seams then it'll be seam sealer you need and if it's a brand new tent it prob won't make much difference at all.
I'm going to revive this post as we have just bought a 2013 outwell Montana 6p which is an ex display and came with a big tub of fabsil.
We have put up the tent to clean it and when we fabsil the tent in a few weeks time was thinking of getting a sprayer but Im assuming I will need to cover the windows just like when a car goes to be sprayed?
once done this year and prob be used for 2 weeks, when will it need to be done again or is it a case of just seeing what its like.
We hadn't intended to buy the ex demo tent but we were on our way to see a 2nd hand tent that was 4 years old but when hubby saw tent in showroom decided wanted that style.
Is it like shaving once you start you have to do it regularly or is this a mith my tent has a couple of patches where it doesnt repel water.its a pollycotton cabanon.
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Topic: Fabsil
