This tent is a real fixer upper...

March 30, 2009 2:11 PM

I've got a nylon tent with 4 sides, 2 of which are giant mesh windows with no covering. I want to retrofit my own interior covering...

...with the option of having it open or closed or half-open, etc. Since there is also a bit of a leak problem from the rainfly touching against these interior tent windows this needs to be waterproof.
I am thinking buy some inexpensive shower curtain, cut it to size and then use some kind of tape to tape it all along the bottom so that any water that trickles down won't get inside the tent. Then glue some velcro at strategic points along the window frame to seal up the window when I choose.
Does anyone have any experience with patching nylon tents and what types of adhesives will work? I've only got 1 tent so if the nylon doesn't like something it's game over...

posted by who else to sports, hobbies, & recreation (13 comments total)

1. If you're going to be encountering rain, you need to make sure your fly doesn't touch your tent, either by staking out the tent as tautly as possible or by staking out the fly itself (there should be loops around the bottom of the fly for this purpose). Staking out the tent also helps increase airflow into the tent to keep condesation from occuring. If neither of these options is possible, you just have a crappy tent. It would actually help others who may try to answer your question if you provide the make/model of your tent.

2. If you're going to install your waterproof layer at the inside of the tent, water will be in the tent already when it encounters the waterproof layer. Taping the bottom of the flap, even if done perfectly, will just delay water's entry into the tent. I can kind of understand what you're trying to do, but I would think it would just be easier to hammer in a couple more stakes.

3. The sides of your tent are mesh because of the condensation issue - this isn't a feature you necessarily want to defeat.
posted by LionIndex at 2:28 PM on March 30

What is the goal of this change? Are you trying to prevent water from getting in (in which case you should stake out the fly properly, as LionIndex says)? Are you trying to raise the interior temperature of the tent (for warm or rainy weather use: not a great idea due to the condensation issues)? Are you trying to increase privacy (e.g. if the fly does not go all the way to the ground)?
posted by ssg at 2:38 PM on March 30

I would go ahead and buy a tent for whatever season you are planning to use it in. I would not trust my retrofits out camping, unless maybe I had a car to retreat to.
posted by Danf at 2:48 PM on March 30

It is this tent except the 4 person model. It was like $150 bucks and most of that was probably for the solar panel and LED lighting system, so I would say it is a cheap tent. The reason for this retrofit as I said are twofold: 1, it leaks, and 2, with two sides being mesh it is basically only good for the summer.
The leaking is caused by the rainfly touching up against these mesh interior windows. I am staking it out properly, I think it is just poor design. The tent didn't get very good reviews due to leaks. The rain leaks through where the rainfly touches the interior tent right on the mesh window and therefor all of the water drops right into the tent.
If I modify the way the rainfly is supposed to be staked so that it won't have a chance of touching this only solves 1 problem. So I thought with the idea I had I could potentially solve both problems. We are only talking about a small trickle leak in a specific spot. If this window is sealed at the bottom I don't see why this small trickle wouldn't go back out the mesh window that it came in.
posted by who else at 3:02 PM on March 30

Your link doesn't work. Which is a bummer because I am intrigued by the idea of a solar powered LED lit tent!

If the leaks are caused by the fly touching the tent the easiest fix is to get some lightweight foam chunks and stick them inbetween the two layers at strategic locations. They sell them at camping stores or you can just make them.

The temperature thing is another problem entirely. You can get a lightweight nylon to cover up the mesh which will make the tent a bit warmer but it won't make it a four season tent because those are able to withstand higher winds, snowload etc and are just generally better made.
posted by fshgrl at 3:16 PM on March 30

The trickle of water from the fly will run down the interior window you plan to install and pool along the bottom against whatever tape you use and then soak into the interior fabric of the tent. That fabric isn't waterproof and your camping experience will be miserable because a good part of the interior of your tent will be wet.

Canadian Tire tents are well known for being cheaply designed and cheaply made of cheap materials. Adding some vinyl isn't going to help much. If you can't upgrade to a real tent and still want to do this, I think duct tape and self-adhesive velcro will work as well as anything.

Even if you do this, you won't have a tent that you would want to use in any kind of winter conditions. Get a real tent if you intend to camp in winter conditions. You might consider it a sign that this is your third question asking how to fix your crappy tent.
posted by ssg at 3:32 PM on March 30

The rainfly shouldn't cause a leak even if it touches the inner tent. I presume the fly is coated nylon and water should not penetrate it. The fly may leak where there are stitched seams. The simple solution for leaking seams is to coat them on the inside with seam sealer.

You need to fix the fly. Trying to fix leaks on the inner tent is a lost cause.
posted by JackFlash at 3:42 PM on March 30

And you would be better off adding an extra loop on each side and pulling out the fly with extra stakes.
posted by JackFlash at 3:47 PM on March 30

I think duct tape and self-adhesive velcro will work as well as anything.

I think you are right. I will try this out for the warmth factor and see how it goes. Having a leaky tent is not ideal but I'll see if I still feel it necessary to fiddle around with the rainfly after I try this.
posted by who else at 5:07 PM on March 30

Every tent I've ever had has the window covering on the outside of the tent. This way you get all the insulation and rain protection you're looking for plus it automatically sheds the water onto the outside rather than pooling on the inside. If I was you that's where I'd be looking to put my cover.

You can buy sealant stuff for tents to help re-waterproof seams etc. I don't know what it is but a good camping store will. The one I've used was an aerosol spray but there may be different types of product. You should try glueing your covering as planned then put some of this sealant over the seams. Otherwise the glue or tape will probably give another place for water to enter (anything pressing on the side of the tent causes leaks, even for a good tent). While you're at that camping store ask them about adhesives, they can probably sell you some appropriate glue for your fabric. A really big good tent is quite an investment so there's a market for the various stuff to do repairs.

And yeah, stopping the fly from touching the tent is definitely necessary regardless of the cover you put on there. Rigging up some kind of spacers should be easy.
posted by shelleycat at 6:06 PM on March 30

Just to be clear: if you seal up all the mesh on your tent, you are going to get a lot of condensation inside the tent, which is going to make the tent wet, which makes you wet and cold, which is not the goal. You need ventilation to keep things dry. Make sure you have enough open mesh to prevent condensation. It will be far more effective to keep warm by using a warmer sleeping bag, using a sleeping bag liner, using a better insulating sleeping pad, wearing long underwear, or wearing a toque.
posted by ssg at 6:19 PM on March 30

fshgrl... try typing in your area code at the CTC link.

I thought the same until I put mine in. It took me straight to the tent.
posted by Taurid at 7:13 PM on March 30

Frankly, if you're not really concerned with aesthetics, I would get some simple blue tarp, sized so that it covers the tent from side to side almost (but not all the way) to the ground, and just stake it out over the tent. You will be dry, and warmer, and not trying to duct tape anything to your tent,
posted by anastasiav at 8:06 PM on March 30