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 Many
of us go on camping trips and many find it an great way to
spend their spare time. However, a camping holiday can be
ruined through damaged tents through poor maintenance.
Most modern tents only require a minimum amount of maintenance
and with a little care your tent will last you for many camping
trips and holidays.
It is well worthwhile spending a little time checking your
tent out at home before you use it on a camping trip. If it
is a new tent its worth pitching it in your garden and many
people add tapes to the poles to show how to pitch the tent.
There is nothing worse than trying to pitch a tent in the
dark in heavy rain and not knowing how the tent goes together.
Even if you are a seasoned camper you should take a quick
look at your tent before your camping holiday as finding a
hole in it (or that you have left the pegs at home) at the
start of your holiday (in the rain) is never a good start.
Here are our top tents to make sure your tent lasts you for
many camping holidays.
- Never put your tent away wet. If you have to pack it
wet , then set it up at home and air dry it before storing.
Mildew will ruin any tent.
- Hose down a tent after every third or fourth trip. Dirt
and grit can wear down zipper sliders and the coatings -
but make sure you thoroughly dry it after.
- Never put a tent in a washing machine. If it needs a
bath, do it in a bathtub with a mild detergent and a scrub
brush.
- Slide — don't snap — poles together. Rough
treatment can damage the internal shock cord or snap critical
pole parts. Replacing poles can be difficult and expensive.
- If you camp near the beach or any other salty environment,
be sure to rinse your poles thoroughly when you get home.
While the aluminum is treated to protect it from corrosion,
a saline environment will accelerate a pole's demise.
Leaky tent flies can be revitalized
with waterproofing sprays - don't be tempted to
use other products with water proof properties.
We heard of one story where a man sprayed his new
tent with WD40 to waterproof it - that was the end
of the tent.
- Avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight. The UV radiation
in sunlight — which is especially intense at high
altitudes favoured by backpackers will degrade the nylon,
fading and eventually weakening the fabric. Don't leave
your tent set up in the garden for days on end
- Pitch a tent so that the fabric is tight. Taut tents
stand up to the weather and wind better. You don't want
to overstress seams and stitching, but don't be afraid of
making it snug. Tension the tent body correctly and the
rest will follow. You've achieved perfect pitch when you've
staked the tent such that the floor is smooth and all ridges
or wrinkles have disappeared.
If you have any hints and tips for camping please let
us know and we'll add them to the site and share them
with other campers.
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