The Camping Forum

[malibu83]

Has anyone had any previous experience of reproofing tents?We've decided to get back in to camping now our son's old enough and have found a tent on Ebay but it needs reproofing.Is it worth buying or will it always leak?!I've never had a tent for long enough for it to need reproofing!I think it has been a factory return?Any advice would be very much appreciated!many thanks.

[marshy]

its a simple enough job to do, i've done it plenty of times.
You need to go out and buy some fabil then pitch your tent in the back garden. Then if you get the spray hold it roughly a foot or so away and spray away. You dont need to go mad and go over it too much just enough to see its on there. Might be worth getting some seam sealer too and doing them at the same time. Just make sure you do the seams on the inside and not the outside

Hope this helps

[Rob-merlin1973]

Hi
Yup as above it should be easy enough to do but be aware that once you re proof (i beleive) it has to be done at least every other season.

Others who have done it may be able to offer more advice

[nutgone]

The general consensus is not to re-proof. Most tents leak due to either incorrect pitching or the seams will need sealing.

Once you re-proof you need to keep doing it.

If this is one of those "nearly new" return tents from ebay it probably doesn't even have a fault, so to speak. I would start with a good seam sealer, do all the seams, following the instructions.

I would advise against using a general re-proofer unless it is absolutely necessary. Get the tents pitched first & give it a good spray with the hose. I'll bet it's probably fine.

P.S. It's also worth mentioning, a lot of new tents are returned as people think they are leaking. I forgot to mention above the 3rd most common cause; condensation. Especially on modern polyester based tents, & especially after the wet summer we had last year, condensation can often get the blame for tent's leaking.

[Admin]

What make and model is the tent?

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