Easy way to stop your tent leaking through the fabric
If you have an older tent, moisture might leak through the fabric. This is annoying, but don’t throw your tent away yet. Here are some easy ways to fix your tent leaking through the fabric.
- Get a tarp. Set up a tarp that covers your tent from the outside. This is an easy solution, and cheap. On the flip side it adds time to setting up your tent. Also if you are an ultralight backpacker, you don’t want to carry around a tarp with you every time.
- Get a new fly for your tent. Your best bet is to email the company and ask for a new fly. Most companies take good care of their customers and will send you one free of charge.
- Make sure that the fly is pegged out, with no sagging. The fly bust be completely straight to wick the moisture away. Otherwise the waterproofing qualities of the tent don’t work. When you are inside the tent, nothing should make contact with the walls.
- Use a tent waterproofing spray. Make sure you apply it from the outside. Set up your tent in the open before applying it.
What you will need:
– Wash your tent clean. Wait for it to dry.
– Apply the water repellent with a spray.
– Wait a few minutes and wipe off any waterproofing material you might have on the outside of the tent.
– Keep your tent set up until it dries completely. Now you are ready to pack it away. - Don’t set up your tent in humid terrain. Avoid low spots with a lot of vegetation, or setting up close to water. If you struggle with leaking anyway, it is best to give your tent the easiest conditions to do the job.
Now the above points assume that there is no one point where your tent leaks. Of course if the problem is not with the overall fabric, but with a specific hole in the fabric, the easy way to stop your tent leaking is to close that hole. If you find the leak, you can just apply a waterproof sealant to the outside of the tent.
