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Camping under canvas - Tent talk. Advice, info and recommendations

Topic: Issues with camping

JessG

via mobile 28/10/2023 at 4:27pm
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Hello,

I am Jess and I am doing my A Level Design and Technology coursework. I am designing some sort of camping accommodation, potentially that is self sufficient etc.

Before I begin designing it would be great help if I could hear some of the issues you have with the camping experience that I could improve with my design. If you would have a few seconds to leave me some feedback, I would be so grateful!

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Fiona W

via mobile 29/10/2023 at 10:53am
Location: Ayrshire
Outfit: Auto-Sleeper MHs

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How long is a piece of string? You need to be far more specific in your question: your supervisor should be able to advise.
The bad news is that what you are setting out to design (some sort of camping accommodation, potentially that is self sufficient etc.) is very probably already in use on a site somewhere or up a Scottish hillside.
If you scroll through the various forums here (equipment especially) just reading the subject lines, you will get a pretty good idea about hundreds of issues & you will maybe be able to focus on a particular one relating to accommodation in tents.
Good luck.

Post last edited on 29/10/2023 11:02:26

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2024 = 18 sites / 38 nights. 2023 = 9/23. 2022 = 13/35. 2021 = 11/29. 2020 = 4/20. 2019 = 13/35. 2018 = 20/33. 2017 = 10/22. 2016 = 19/33. 2015 = 15 sites / 27 nights. Didn't count 1976 to 2014.

RainMagnet

30/10/2023 at 10:08am
Location: None Entered
Outfit: Karsten 350

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Hi Jess

As mentioned narrowing the scope will help with your enquiry. What type of accommodation are you looking to design / improve upon. As a very broad range of category types there are tents, touring caravans, static caravans, permanent structures and glamping, note this last category is very vague because almost anything can be classed as glamping theses days.

Each of the above have different issues associated with them. But also as mentioned in the previous post a look through these forums will give you a rough idea of recurring issues / gripes.

Personally static caravans might be a good choice as they are basically a box on wheels that once in place don't tend to be moved much, which can simplify the potential design remit.
These are a few uk manufacturers that might help you with any design queries if you send them a nice email. Swift Caravans, Willerby Holiday Homes, ABI and Delta are just some that spring to mind.

The people on this form are very helpful and will be willing to help, I would recommend keeping your post engaged with reply's to keep this post towards the top of the forum and reassure people posting reply's that you are keen to hear their opinions.

JessG

via mobile 31/10/2023 at 8:29am
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Thankyou so much for the reply. Since I posted that message I have some more clarity on what issue I am going to solve, which is the waterproofing of tents. If you wouldn’t mind, what do you think is the biggest cause of water leakage in tents?

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oldham

31/10/2023 at 10:50am
Location: OLDHAM
Outfit: KYHAM XXL Sterling Eccles Emerald

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Delamination, modern tents manmade fabric have a waterproof coating when this breaks down rain can pass through, this is called Delamination.
Sunlight can and will cause this as well as putting tent away damp this causes mould which also breaks down coating. Also mistreating tent,even letting kids or adults blowing soap bubbles or anything else that will break the bond of the coating and you will be amazed at what people spray, squirt, splash on or in their tents.

So start with price point this will let you know what material you are dealing with look at its Hydrostatic Head. This is 1000 is the legal requirement to be a tent, the higher the number the better it will perform e.g. 5000 + minimum for in the mountains. The can rise to 20,000 + for the wettest conditions.

This is a not an easy problem with a single answer, which is why tents come in all shapes and sizes and price points. You need to narrow it down further to look at the which part of the puzzle you are going to resolve.

Please let us know how it's going as we are interested.

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Yesterday is already a dream and tomorrow is only a vision, but today well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness and every tomorrow a vision of hope.

RainMagnet

31/10/2023 at 3:17pm
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I have encountered issues on one tent with the seems leaking. The tents fabric sheets where joined inline with the tent poles, water would ingress in these locations and run down the inside of the tend an puddle at the base, then running under the bedrooms and soaking everything.

oldham

31/10/2023 at 9:33pm
Location: OLDHAM
Outfit: KYHAM XXL Sterling Eccles Emerald

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Quote: Originally posted by RainMagnet on 31/10/2023
I have encountered issues on one tent with the seems leaking. The tents fabric sheets where joined inline with the tent poles, water would ingress in these locations and run down the inside of the tend an puddle at the base, then running under the bedrooms and soaking everything.

Could this have been condensation, we lose 400ml of water a day per person so overnight in a tent makes for drips from the highest point where it condenses then runs down to lowest point and sits between bed pod and groundsheet.

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Yesterday is already a dream and tomorrow is only a vision, but today well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness and every tomorrow a vision of hope.

Don't forget to leave a review of all tents you've used, for a chance to win fantastic prizes

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Pixie_Hez

01/11/2023 at 8:09am
Location: Liverpool
Outfit: Swift Challenger 560

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Thinking back to our days camping in a tent before we changed to a caravan, the question we were always asking ourselves was about cost versus hydrostatic head. The higher the hydrostatic head, the more waterproof the tent will be, however, a higher hydrostatic head means a higher price too!

If people only camp in France in the summer when you usually have a few heavy downpours in a holiday but which only last for a short time, you don’t need a really high hydrostatic head but if you regularly camp in the UK throughout the spring, summer and autumn (and even winter) you will need to spend more to get a higher hydrostatic head so the tent is suitable for the conditions you are most likely going to experience. It’s a balancing act trying to decide what you actually need and how much you are willing to spend.

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Pixie

RainMagnet

01/11/2023 at 8:33am
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Quote: Originally posted by oldham on 31/10/2023

Quote: Originally posted by RainMagnet on 31/10/2023
I have encountered issues on one tent with the seems leaking. The tents fabric sheets where joined inline with the tent poles, water would ingress in these locations and run down the inside of the tend an puddle at the base, then running under the bedrooms and soaking everything.

Could this have been condensation, we lose 400ml of water a day per person so overnight in a tent makes for drips from the highest point where it condenses then runs down to lowest point and sits between bed pod and groundsheet.

Unfortunately it wasn't, we tried everything at the time vents open, vents closed, or a mixture of the two to get some air flow through the tent, but we ended up with pools of water only when it rained even if the tent was unoccupied. I reapplied the water proofing to the seams to see if that solved the problem, but it must have been the stitching of the joints that was faulty as nothing seemed to fix the problem.

It was a shame really because it was a lovely big tent, it all came to a head when we got caught in a storm and in addition to having to bail water out the tent, two of the poles snapped. We managed to make repairs to see the holiday out but I had had enough of the tent by then.

DeborahTurner

via mobile 01/11/2023 at 10:24am
Location: London
Outfit: Vango Kalu Hypercamp Eldorado

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I have a cotton canvas tent.

An oft asked question is how people can clean a canvas tent without destroying the way that the fibres repel water. Basically , nothing but plain water and sunlight. Seagull mess on my tent concerns me, I brush it off when dry and then sponge with water, but I worry about ongoing deterioration from seagull mess!

Lukeledge

via mobile 02/11/2023 at 9:01am
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Seams!

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Beetlecrusher

03/11/2023 at 4:09pm
Location: Stafford UK.
Outfit: VW T25 Trout Lake 4

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Quote: Originally posted by DeborahTurner on 01/11/2023
I have a cotton canvas tent.

An oft asked question is how people can clean a canvas tent without destroying the way that the fibres repel water. Basically , nothing but plain water and sunlight. Seagull mess on my tent concerns me, I brush it off when dry and then sponge with water, but I worry about ongoing deterioration from seagull mess!

I have always cleaned my polycotton tent in pretty much the same way as yourself. Bird mess is a particular problem, especially if the offenders have eaten blackberries or similar before leaving substantial deposits on the flysheet. In these instances, I use warm water in a spray bottle with a bar of neutral pH balance soap, a soft nailbrush and lightly brush. Once clean, I treat the area with Nikwax Cotton Proofing and have never had one single leak. It should work just as well on your canvas tent. Attached is photo of treated area after re-proofing.

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