Are There Any Downsides To Waterproofing A Tent?
Here on TentBroker we talk a lot about waterproofing your tent. I would even say we are a little bit too obsessed. We talk all the time about the pros of waterproofing a tent. However, are there any possible downsides to waterproofing a tent?
In 99% of the cases there are no downsides to waterproofing your tent.
In my humble opinion it is much better to waterproof your tent one too many times instead of waking up in a water soaked tent. Wet gear can not perform anywhere near at the level it needs to. Not to mention getting wet and cold is the surest way to ruining your camping trip.
There are two types of waterproofing you might need to performs:
- Applying a waterproofing spray to the rainfly
- Sealing the seams.
Are there any downsides to waterproofing your tent?
Downsides To Tent Waterproofing
Waste of Money and Effort
As a fairly lazy person I definitely care about both. I don’t want to invest effort into something that doesn’t work. Much less do I want to spend my hard earned money on something that ultimately will not bring any satisfaction or results.
If the tent fabric is already solid and waterproof, there is no need to waterproof it again. You can do it as a precaution at the beginning of every camping season.
Breathability
When you apply an extra layer on a tent, you inevitably reduce its breathability. This can be an issue especially with single layer tents.
As the breathability of the tent reduces, it might feel ever closer to a sauna inside. Similarly you might experience condensation issues. Double wall tents get less issues with condensation, however you still need to take it into consideration and not tempt faith.
Damaging the Environment
Silicone based waterproofing agents can damage the environment.
Waterproofing sprays often contain perfluorinated compounds (PFCs). These PFCs are not biodegradable. They inevitably contaminate the soil and the local water supply.
Unsolvable Waterproofing Issues
Certain tents leak not due to the waterproofness of the rainfly or the seams. Simply because the fly doesn’t cover the mesh windows, or there is a gap under the vestibules where the water can seep in at times of heavy rain. No amount of waterproofing spray will fix this!
Does Waterproofing A Tent Work?
Yes, it works in the vast majority of times. Otherwise this blog would not exist.
Keep in mind though that no tent is perfect. There is a point from where it is almost impossible to make a tent more waterproof.
If your tent is a three season tent, even really heavy additional waterproofing will not make it a four season model.
However if you choose to waterproof your tent, I would go with the Nikwax waterproofing spray.
