Tent 101 With MEC: How to Care for Your Tent
From weekly car camping trips to backpacking adventures with friends, a sturdy tent is designed to keep you dry, warm and safe. No matter how frequently you go camping, proper care before, during and after any trip can significantly extend your tent’s lifespan.
Here’s what you need to know to keep your tent in optimal condition and what to consider when it’s time to invest in a new one.
Prep Your Tent for the Season
Whether you’re a first-time or seasoned camper, practice setting up your tent before heading out. “A simple setup in the garden or park will ensure you remember how to set the tent up and have a quick look to ensure your tent is in tip-top shape,” says Mark Knight, manager of product concept design at MEC. Because each model boasts different features, even experienced campers can benefit from refreshing their memory on how to set up their specific tent. This also allows you to check for any damage or missing parts, which gives you time to repair or replace them before your trip.
Regular Maintenance
“Depending on how dirty the tent gets, some tents never need cleaning,” says Knight. He suggests simply shaking out or sweeping the tent free of dirt before packing it up if you’ve been camping in dry and optimal conditions.
While a bit of dirt on your tent may not require a thorough wash after every camping trip, prolonged exposure to elements like smoke, sand, salt water and the sun can weaken a tent’s fabric and cause metal zippers and aluminum poles to corrode. If your tent is especially dirty or if you’ve been camping by the ocean or on the beach, spot clean with a soft sponge or submerge it in a bathtub with warm water and non-detergent soap to maintain its integrity. “Using harsh cleaners may degrade the waterproofing of your tent or remove the colour,” points out Knight.
Properly Store Your Tent
“The most common mistake campers make is forgetting to dry your tent when you come home,” says Knight of the factor that causes mildew to form, resulting in an unpleasant smell and the gradual breakdown of waterproof coatings. Even when camping in dry conditions, condensation can form beneath the tent floor, so before packing it up, dry the tent by hanging it on a branch or draping it over a boulder, while taking care not to snag the fabric. When packing up in wet conditions is unavoidable, dry the tent as soon as possible by pitching it in your backyard and leaving it in a shaded spot, or hanging it on the patio or in your garage.
Knight suggests campers loosely stuff their tents into their carry sacks to store in a cool and dry place, which helps to randomize the folds. “In theory, if you fold your tent in the same exact way, it creates wear on the corners of the folded material. This, over time, could weaken the waterproof coating.”
What To Consider When Shopping for a Tent
Large tears, broken poles and zippers, and persistent mould or mildew are just a few signs that your tent has reached the end of its lifespan. While backcountry campers should consider aluminum tent poles for durability, like the ones featured in the MEC Spark, Knight suggests front-country campers prioritize ease of setup and features like vestibules, storage pockets and mesh panels for comfort and convenience, like the MEC Base Camper. “As with all tents, fully taped fly and floors are the only way to ensure you’re protected from the weather.” Plus, campers should consider size and weight, and check that the actual floor space of a tent comfortably accommodates the number of sleeping pads it advertises.
Join MEC’s Upcoming “Home of Camp” Events
Throughout the summer, MEC stores across Canada will host various events to help you prepare for camping. These events, which are free or by donation in support of Park Bus and the L.A. Foundation, offer opportunities to join fellow camping enthusiasts on sunrise hikes sponsored by Merrell, as well as in workshops and clinics on gear repair and maintenance led by Kathmandu, Osprey, Mountain Safety Research (MSR) and Nemo.
This article was sponsored by MEC
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