Just wondered if anyone could give me some advice. I recently purchased an Outwell Bear Lake 4 tent. This is the first tent that I have had that is made from polycotton fabric so I don't know much about it. The problem I had was that when I used the tent I found that when it rained I had 4 areas on the seams that were leaking. The rain wasn't heavy and I noticed the leaking after about an hour of it raining. It was a constant drip - almost like a dripping tap. On returning from my holiday I went back to the camping shop that I had purchased the tent from and was told that polycotton tents need to be weathered and this was not something to worry about and that once the tent had dried out and gets wet again it shouldn't happen. Obviously this being an expensive tent I am worried about this and i'm not 100% sure that I believe what the shop has told me.
I just wondered if anyone knows anything about the Bear Lake and leakage and whether this should happen - and maybe won't happen now that the tent has been rained on. If anyone can offer any advice that'd be great. I have e mailed Outwell and I'm waiting for their response.
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A polycotton tent shoud not leak even during weathering.
What can happen is that there is a fine mist inside the first time it gets wet but certainly not dripping.
I would pitch the tent in the garden and wet it with a hosepipe and see if there is any water inside. If there is any then take it back to the store and demand a refund on the grounds that the tent has been wet twice and there is still water inside.
Polycotton tents do need to be weathered first.It is not uncommon to have a very fine mist of water coming through on the tents first weathering,and the odd seam leaking.
This is the fabric tightening its self up when it gets wet and round the seams where the sewing needle has been the tiny holes tighten up.
I wouldn't be too worried at this stage.If it still leaks the next time you camp then I would think about contacted the shop again
------------- Sue & Phil
--------------------- I Love My AeroBed
We are currently in France with our Bear Lake 4. The first time we used the tent in the lake district we had rain but no leaks, it then dried and we thought that would be the weathering process over. Following our trip to the lakes we then put the tent up in a back garden and hosed the tent completely allowing it to dry again before packing knowing the next time we used it would be France. Since arriving in France it has rained non-stop including a heavy storm with Thunder and Lightning. During both nights our tent has several leaks in the roof panel which is constantly dripping and only stops when the rain stops. We also woke up to find a puddle on the side door and all the curtains on one side of the tent are soaked through asif the rain is seeping through the seems. Should we expect this to happen since we have already weathered the tent, or should we consider taking this back to the shop once we get back to the UK?
Thanks, Rob
------------- Outwell Bear Lake 4
04-06 June 2011 - Oulton Park
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After reading your post I would say that shouldn't be happening after the tent has already been weathered.
I would be inclined to take photo's of the leaks and on your return to The UK take it back to the retailer.
------------- Sue & Phil
--------------------- I Love My AeroBed