Tent Maintenance - How to Maintain a Camping Tent

Maintaining your tent won't make it last forever but it will help you make the best use of it and make it last much longer. Your tent will deteriorate due to sun exposure, moisture, wear and tear. The worst to take the toll is the fabric of the tent.

One expert suggests that to ensure that your tent lasts as long as possible, you need to do three things. First is to keep it in the shade, away from harmful UV rays. Next is to keep it clean at all times and last is to keep it dry when storing.

Maintaining a tent starts from the moment you bought it. The first thing you should do after making the purchase is to set it up at home (out of direct sunlight) and make sure you have all the components. If you find that some parts are flimsy but can be replaced (e.g. the stakes) then do so if you can.

Seam sealing can improve the ability of a tent to keep you dry in heavy rainfall longer. Refer to the manufacturer's instructions on seam sealing before doing anything. All seams on the tent fabric which is exposed to the weather should be seam-sealed unless the manual warns against it. Even so, you should check if the tent leaks by sprinkling an adequate amount of water over it.

Get a seam sealer as recommended by the manufacturer or one that gets good reviews like the ones from McNett. There are two types of seam sealer, liquid and viscous types. When using a liquid seam sealer, apply two thin coats on the seams. You only need to apply a single coat if you're using a viscous seam sealer, also known as Seam Grip.

There is no need to apply seam sealer on taped seams except for single-wall tents because the seams on the outside are exposed.

After you've applied the seam sealer, allow it to dry for at least 24 hours in a dry area. Once dry, test the tent by sprinkling water over it for an hour or so to see if it leaks. Reapply seam sealing if required but make sure the tent is dried thoroughly first. Make sure the tent is completely dry before storing it.

Moisture can result in mildew which can discolor the tent fabric, create an unwanted smell, remove the water-repellent coating and even damage the fabric. Try to keep the tent as dry as possible before packing it between trips. As soon as you arrive at the next site, set up the tent immediately.

When packing the tent, simply stuff it inside the stuff sack. Rolling or folding the tent may cause repeated wear on the same area and weaken the waterproof coating.

If you're going home, set up the tent when you arrive to make sure it is completely dry but first clean the tent with water. Use mild soap if necessary. Never wash your tent in a washing machine. Remember to set up the tent in the shade and don't leave it outside for days.

To prevent damage and reduce wear and tear on the tent floor, use an appropriate ground cloth. It can be made of plastic or other waterproof material or you can use the optional tent footprint if available.

Make sure you tuck the ground cloth underneath the tent so that it doesn't collect rain. Rain water should run under the ground cloth and soak into the ground. Before setting laying the ground prior to setting up the tent, make sure the area is clear of any sharp objects like sticks and stones.

Using a ground cloth also helps to protect your self-inflating pads and sleeping bag from damage and adds a little bit of insulation.