Guide to tent maintenance
Yous've reached your pitch and you lot're about to put up your tent, already dreaming almost relaxing and enjoying the great outdoors. Notwithstanding, when it comes to actually putting your tent up, yous notice it'south damaged.

Cease of your camping trip, right? Not necessarily.

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If your tent is literally falling to pieces, so you lot may take a big problem, simply for most smaller damages, yous may well be able to fix them yourself and carry on with your trip with the minimum of fuss.

We've put together a guide to tent repair and maintenance so you don't become caught out in the wilderness with a leaky tent or broken poles.

How to fix a tear in a tent

Small-scale rips

This is probably your biggest problem. If you have a rip or tear in your tent and so it's not actually fit for purpose. Current of air and pelting (and maybe even wild animals!) volition go far and brand the whole feel utterly miserable.

If you but have a small rip or hole, and so tent repair tape will probably do the trick, at to the lowest degree as a quick ready. Apply it to both the inside and the outside of the tent earlier covering with seam sealer .

Notwithstanding, be certain to choose the right kit. If yous have a nylon tent, then y'all'll demand tape and sealer fabricated specifically for nylon tents. Similarly, canvas tents will demand taffeta repair tape and seam sealer for sail. Using nylon seam sealer on a sheet tent could impairment it.

Tent maintenance equipment checklist

Big rips

If y'all have a large rip, then things get a bit more complicated and y'all may have to do a flake of crocheting.

In areas where the cloth is relaxed and tin can handle a niggling extra pressure level, then you can pull the two sides of the textile together, folding i side under the other, and sew tightly. You should use a sewing awl and waxed thread, ensuring the stitches are shut together, before applying seam sealer.

If you aren't able to pull the material together, you'll need to use repair tape. Cover the damaged area with the tape, ensuring it about 1.5 inches longer and wider than the tear. Liberally apply seam sealer around the edges.

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If y'all happen to have spare patches of tent cloth, and so yous can use these to fix the holes. This can be a little trickier than using repair record, and this guide provides you with detailed info on how to fix a tent with a patch.

At the end of the day, if you're really stuck then duct tape may exercise the trick!

How to fix leaks in a tent

Leaks may be caused by tears in the fabric of the tent. In which case, use the steps above to gear up it.

However, the most commonplace to get a leak in a tent is on the seams where ii pieces of the textile encounter. If you find h2o coming in through the seams, give them a wipe with alcohol or tent cleaner to make clean them and then utilize seam sealer.

Nigh modern tents are coated in a waterproof membrane, and after a while, you may find this starts to let water in. Liquids such as detergents can erode the membrane, then exist conscientious if washing clothes nigh your tent. If necessary, yous can re-apply the coating using a h2o guard .

Leaking tent

Fixing broken tent poles

A mutual problem when camping is broken or bent tent poles. This could happen for myriad reasons - strong winds, overzealous when putting the tent up, someone standing on your tent, wear and tear, etc.

The most sensible thing yous can practise is just pack a couple of spare tent poles so y'all can quickly supervene upon whatever breakages.

HOW TO Set BROKEN FIBREGLASS TENT POLES - DOWNLOAD OUR HANDY GUIDE

However, if you don't have whatsoever spares, so our onetime friend duct tape is a proficient way of strengthening the poles. This tin work peculiarly well if you don't demand to curve the pole. You tin can fix the poles properly when you lot go home, merely yous might simply be better off buying some new ones.

If you're really stuck, then you may accept to become full-on Bear Grylls and employ tree branches and twigs every bit makeshift poles, although this really is a worst-case scenario!

Fixing a broken tent zipper

Which part of the zip is broken will dictate how you lot go virtually fixing it. If the teeth are broken in whatsoever way, and so you're better of just replacing the whole zip, which is non something we'd recommend doing mid camping trip.

If the teeth are just misaligned, however, then running the slider upward and downwardly a few times will fix this almost of the time.

If it'southward the slider that'd broken, then you may be able to repair that. This guide will show you 1 way of doing it, using a pair of pliers. If the slider is jammed, then y'all may be able to loosen it using some WD-40, although be very careful non to become whatsoever on your tent's flysheet.

How to ready bent tent pegs

Bent tent pegs are a pretty common occurrence, especially if they're cheap and have been subjected to a off-white bit of hammering. If your tent pegs go bent, then yous can try bending them back or knocking them back into shape with a mallet (taking intendance, of grade). If that's not working, then you could rut them up over a camping stove, making them much more malleable. Take extra care when doing this.

It's always handy to have a few spare tent pegs anyhow, just in example.

Bent tent pegs

Prevention is better than cure

Equally with most things in life, prevention is much ameliorate than cure, then if you lot can try and guard against damaging your tent in the showtime identify, you tin save yourself a great bargain of hassle later.

How to store a tent properly

If you store your tent away properly then yous're giving yourself a fighting chance the side by side time you come to go it out once more.

You should e'er endeavor and pack away your tent when it's as dry as possible. This isn't always possible (specially in the United kingdom), just if you lot leave your tent wet then mildew will more than likely get-go to course, which is impossible to remove. If you practise have to pack your tent away moisture, then it's incredibly important to unpack and dry out it out as soon equally you get home.

Ensure that all of the tent is dry. Areas such as pegging points and guy lines can be deceptive, so always double-bank check.

If you lot notice whatever breakages or damage to your tent, then prepare or replace before storing away. The final thing yous want is to forget almost that tear until you're about to go camping again.

Cheque your tent before you go away

Even if everything was fine and dandy when you concluding put your tent away, it'due south essential to get it out again before you go abroad. And don't just get it out of the bag - actually pitch it.

This fashion you'll run into if there are any damages you didn't notice last time or if any mildew has started to build up. It's besides skillful to refresh your retentiveness well-nigh how to put information technology upward, and so yous're not struggling when yous reach the campsite.

Campers fixing a tent

Tent pitching tips

How and where yous actually pitch your tent can have a big bear upon on its durability and lifespan. E'er effort and pitch your tent on level ground, clearing abroad any rocks or other items that may lead to tears.

Exerting besides much pressure level on the tent is 1 of the biggest causes of damage, so endeavour non to stretch or force it too far. Always make sure it has a bit of room to give, peculiarly if information technology'south windy.

Finding somewhere slightly secluded or sheltered is a good thought when pitching a tent. This should ensure protection from the wind, and staying abroad from thoroughfares should reduce the chance of something standing on your tent.

E'er be prepared

You never know when disaster could strike and you may need to repair your tent. Always carry the necessary equipment with you, so yous tin ready damages and stay warm and dry. See our equipment checklist above and check out our full range of tent repair products.

Nonetheless, if your tent really is beyond repair and you need a new one, then our fantastic range of tents will most definitely have something for yous.

Do you accept whatever tips on tent repair and maintenance? Permit us know in the comments below or on Facebook or Twitter .

Take a look at our full range of tent accessories or unabridged tents collection including:

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