Tent Care and Storage

Good care makes a tent last ten seasons instead of three.

After every trip

• Dry it completely before storing, even if it means pitching it in the garden. Mildew on a damp tent appears in days and cannot be removed.
• Shake out sand and grit: it wears through floors and zippers

Cleaning

• Hand-wash with lukewarm water and a sponge; use a tent cleaner for stubborn dirt
• Never use a washing machine, a dryer, detergent or a pressure washer: they strip the waterproof coatings

Cotton canvas

• New cotton tents must be "weathered": pitch it, soak it with a hose (or rain) and let it dry, twice. The fibres swell and close the stitch holes.
• Never pack canvas wet for more than 24 hours

Storage

• Store loosely in a breathable bag in a cool, dry place — not compressed in its stuff sack and not in a hot attic

Small repairs

• Torn fabric: clean, round off a patch, and apply it to both sides
• Cracked pole: slide the repair sleeve over the break and tape both ends
• Leaking seams: apply seam sealer on the inside of the fly, let it cure 24 hours
• All of this is in our Field Repair Kit.