And yet more tents

[RST Scout]

 I've just unpacked my old tent to see if it can be reused. All the poles are fine and the fly is good. The only problem is that the waterproof tape sealing the seams is perished. Can it be resealed? Can't send it back to the maker because its an old Phoenix Phreeranger and Phoenix don't exist any more. I have seen a company online that makes new flysheets for the tent but there's nothing wrong with the fly other than the above. Also, the cost is so high I might as well buy a new tent. However, this tent is quite roomy and only weighs 1.75Kg. Very few (2 man) tents are this light these days.
Any ideas?

Janet

[Danneaux]

The only problem is that the waterproof tape sealing the seams is perished. Can it be resealed?

Yes! Surely!

McNett Seam-Grip is one option, but there are others. It is best to do the seam sealing oudoors, as the fumes are toxic. A good result can be had after just an hour or two of work.

Before going to the trouble, be sure to check for a musty smell and if the urethane coating on the floor and inside of the fly are sticky...those are signs of mldew and breakdown, so a manual seam-sealing may not be worth the effort. If your tent passes those tests, then it is well worth the time to seal it up again and the results are almost always good. I usually do the inside and outside to be certain of waterproofness.

True story:
Before my first long tour out-of-state in my early Uni years, I helped my friend seal the seams on his single-wall tent (no fly). We finished the lower section, leaving only the ridge unsealed when he lost interest and took the tent home "to do later". One night on-tour during a torrential thunderstorm, we discovered he had forgotten and we ended up testing the efficacy of our sealing when the bottom of the tent accumulated 5cm of rain water in a matter of minutes as the rain leaked in the top and was caught by the "bathtub" floor. I had to open the zippered door and pinch-lift the floor to drain the water...a largely pointless exercise because the rain just kept coming.

It was a long night made worse by the camp ranger driving through the area at 04:00 bellowing evacuation orders through a megaphone as Mt. St. Helens erupted. Exhausted by that time, I turned over and went back to sleep in my soggy sleeping bag. We were on an island during a holiday with severely limited ferry schedules. Nobody was going anywhere for most of that day. We ended up chartering a small aircraft that had its own share of problems, making for an eventful tour.

All the best,

Dan.

[rualexander]

Scottish Mountain Gear charge £4 per metre to re-tape seams.
Give them a call to see what they say, https://www.scottishmountaingear.com/repair-service/tent-repairs

[bobs]

I've used them for something else and can  recommend them.

Bob

[RST Scout]

The only problem is that the waterproof tape sealing the seams is perished. Can it be resealed?

Yes! Surely!

Before going to the trouble, be sure to check for a musty smell and if the urethane coating on the floor and inside of the fly are sticky...those are signs of mldew and breakdown, so a manual seam-sealing may not be worth the effort. If your tent passes those tests, then it is well worth the time to seal it up again and the results are almost always good. I usually do the inside and outside to be certain of waterproofness.

All the best,

Dan.

Funny you should say that about a smell. It does smell 'orrible but I can't see any sign of mildew. Usually its like a white powder isn't it? Not sure about tackiness. I'll check further.

Janet
PS you do have 'exciting' tours, don't you

[RST Scout]

Also thanks, Rual and Bob.

[John Saxby]

Janet, when I bought my new Tarptent a couple of summers ago, I had to seal the seams. (The maker advises customers about this wee chore.)

The sealant recommended by Tarptent is: clear silicone sealer, thinned 2 parts mineral spirits to 1 part silicone, mixed in a tuna tin (or similar), applied with a soft sponge brush.

This was no hassle on my tent: (i) pitch the tent; then (ii) apply the sealant, seal both the inside & outside of each seam, as Dan said, and (iii) let dry thoroughly.  Because my tent was new, I also put a couple of swathes of sealant on the inside floor of the tent, to reduce the tendency of mattress and/or sleeping bag to slide around.

Cheers, John

[DAntrim]

If it is only the inner which has gone, have you thought to just replace it instead of the whole tent ?

Carlos

[RST Scout]

Its not the inner that's gone, Carlos, it's the fly/outer. I think I'll try reproofing. If it doesn't work I'll just have to get a new one.

Janet

[leftpoole]

I've just unpacked my old tent to see if it can be reused. All the poles are fine and the fly is good. The only problem is that the waterproof tape sealing the seams is perished. Can it be resealed? Can't send it back to the maker because its an old Phoenix Phreeranger and Phoenix don't exist any more. I have seen a company online that makes new flysheets for the tent but there's nothing wrong with the fly other than the above. Also, the cost is so high I might as well buy a new tent. However, this tent is quite roomy and only weighs 1.75Kg. Very few (2 man) tents are this light these days.
Any ideas?

Janet

Hello 'Classic tent' owner!
I use a Force Ten Nitro Lite which weighs 1.3 kg and is a two person tent. Large porch too.
http://www.pbase.com/leftpoole/nitrolite200
Regards,
John

[RST Scout]

Yes I've looked at those new ForceTen tents and I want one......................but the price! Guess I really need to save up
I've got a very old Force Ten tent hanging up in the garage. Bright orange, all cotton, weighs a ton Definitely NOT one for the bike

Janet

[jags]

Mad money .

[bikerta]

I have the Vango Spirit 200 which is the same as the nitro lite but made from heavier materials. Mine weighs around 2.1kg so significantly heavier. Would really like one of the nitro lites though as I have been very impressed with the vango spirit, but would like something  a little lighter without having to go to a 1 man tent.   

[jags]

And a hell of a lot more money.mind u janet 2kg aint bad I would settle for that.must check that tent out.I dont trust the.naturehike I bought but saying that I won't know until I try it out .

[leftpoole]

I cannot help but smile at some comments regarding price of decent tents.
Cyclists spend thousands on bike related frames/parts/wheels but sniff at a low hundreds price for a proper tent. Pay out and enjoy camping, enjoy lighter weight.
Maybe I will bring up the price of a decent down filled sleeping bag or Thermarest sleep mat next? Oh and the variety of expensive stoves................
John