5 ways to take better care of your tent
Use strong material tents
An obvious factor that shouldn’t be overlooked is your tents material which can vary depending on what type of tent you buy. Pay close attention to what type of tent you are buying because some tents are made to be used for pro backpackers.
These people use lightweight or ultralight backpacks to save weight but they aren’t as durable since they are so light. Instead look at the denier level which determines how durable the fabric is, especially around the floor where sticks can puncture the bottom of the door.
Clean your tent
You should wash your tent every season to keep it clean which helps your tent last longer. Don’t wash your tent in the washing machine, you need to clean your tent in by following these specific steps.
- Fill up the tub with enough cool water to completely engulf the tent.
2. Add soap
3. Swish the water around for about five minutes
4. Let it soak for 20 mins
5. Squeeze the water out, don’t twist it out
6. Rinse the fly in the same manner
7. Hang it on a shower rack, clothes drying rack, but don’t hang it by its corners this could put stress on the fabric and rip it.
Water repellent
Some tents are very durable against the rain since they have high mm. MM stands for millimeters, it is the measurement that tents use to determine how water resistant they are.
If 2000 mm is dropped on a tent then it allows for 2000mm water resistance.
Some tents have enough mm protection for certain conditions but other tents have faulty design features, or they completely lack them.
Some have poorly implemented inverted seams, the seals don’t work well, the rainfly wears off over time or the rainfly is simply poorly designed and lets water in. Water repellent is an excellent idea to fix these issues, find the best repellent for you.
Storage
One of the most overlooked factors to keeping your tent in good condition is what happens after you use it. You have to store the tent, and some people don’t let it dry.
Another big thing you have to do is keep your tent out of UV light (sunlight). Make sure your tent is dry and its in a dark place.
Re-seal your seams.
This part may not apply to you if your a casual camper, but for hardcore campers who spend 2-3 months backpacking, or if your into thru hiking a lot. Well you may need to reseal your seams every 8-10 years.
