My old tent's waterproofing gave out in a downpour at Lake Tahoe last month

I've had this same two person tent for about five years, and it always kept me dry. Last trip, a storm rolled in fast and I woke up to drips on my face. The rainfly was soaked through, and water was beading up but then just soaking into the fabric instead of running off. I got damp, not soaked, but it was a bad night. I realized I'd never re-treated the waterproof coating. Did it at home with a spray can kit, let it cure for a full 48 hours, and tested it with the hose. The water just sheets right off now like it's brand new. How often do you guys actually re-waterproof your tents? Is there a better way than the spray stuff?

3 comments

3 Comments

casey9093mo ago

Glad you got it fixed. I had the same wake-up call with my old rainfly on a trip to the Adirondacks. I used the Nikwax Tech Wash and then their spray-on waterproofing, which worked great (the wash gets the fabric clean so the spray can stick better). I try to do a quick check and maybe re-treat every other season now, depending on how much I use it.

ryan_clark4027d ago

I get the whole "wake-up call" thing but honestly, are we really treating rainfly maintenance like it's open-heart surgery? I've thrown mine in the washer with regular soap before and it still kept me dry on a three day trip in the Smokies. Not saying Nikwax doesn't work, but I think people act like if you skip one treatment your tent is gonna disintegrate in a light drizzle.

stellawood3mo ago

Yeah the Nikwax spray-on is solid. I learned the hard way too, you gotta wash it first or the waterproofing just beads up and rolls off. I use a garden sprayer for the treatment, way easier than the bottle.