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Hi there,

As my name suggests I cam new to the forum AND new to camping. We bought a new Wynnter eagle tent and have had to cut short our second ever trip due to lots of leaks. It was like a sieve last night ! First the window seams leaked, then the doors. Next the ceiling seams, until the middle of the night when the main body of the ceiling started to let in water which dripped through the bedroom and soaked our beddding.

We had to mop up continually with towels and use buckets and bowls to collect the drips.

Immediately on our return I called the vendor to be told that it is perfectly normal for all new tents to leak and actually tents only become waterproof once you've taken them on a few trips. I was told to persevere if I wanted the tent to become more waterproof as the seams and stitching needs time to 'bed in'.

Now to me, this sounds like rubbish. If it leaks it leaks. I can't see that I convince my partner and small children to endure another potentially wet trip this summer just to see if the tent has become waterproof ! Especially after we have had to abandon our family holiday.

Thoughts ?

I agree , think they are trying to pull the wool over your eyes. We have had several tents not one of them has leaked. Take it back and ask for a replacement or a refund don't let it put you off camping though!

Lizzie

Only canvas tents need a good soaking to get completely waterproof, as the natural fibres swell up when wet.  A nylon tent should be 100% waterproof from day one.  However, a nylon tent will also suffer from condensation - drips and maybe even puddles will be inevitable as moisture cannot escape outwards through the 100% impermeable fabric...

I agree with the above, the tent is not fit for the purpose.  Some manufacturers try to get out of their responsibilities by giving away a tube of seam sealer with the tent, knowing that once you have applied it they can blame you for any leaks.

Take the tent back and demand an acceptable replacement or a refund.

Oh dear, someone is pulling your perverbial plonker .

All new tents leak? What a cheek!

Demand a refund

Angie

Never had a new tent leak (part from odd drop) so I would also quote 1979 Sale of Goods Act, replace or refund!

Absolute gobsh*te!

A manmade fabric tent does NOT "bed in". On a new cotton tent the fibres swell in the damp and seal off the little holes left by stitching so you do need to wet a new cotton tent to make it sealed against the rain and this is usually referred to as "weathering" the tent.

However, the fibres of a manmade tent do not swell when wet so the only way to seal the stitch holes is for a hot sealed clear tape to go over the seams. Tents are usually therefore desribed as habing fully sealed seams. Occasionally the seal on the seam have a small imperfection so you may get the odd drip coming through, and that is where a blob of seam sealant is needed. Also as others have pointed out, manmade fabric is not breathable so contensation builds up on the inside and will drip and run.

But the extent of leakage you are describing ans where you found it suggests that this is NOT condensation and that the tent is not fit for purpose. So you need to get asertive with the vendor (armed with your camping knowledge off here!) and demand your money back as it is your right to do so under the legislation others have referred to.