A friend had a problem with leaks on a recent camping trip whioh made me think that I should think about "re-protecting" our Vango Tigris (c 4 years old, used 8 times).
A couple of questions -
1) Should I just do the seams, or the whole tent?
2) Which product should I use for the Vango Tigris? I have seen that different products should be used depending on the type of nylon.
Thanks,
Ian
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In a word (or two)...no need to do anything unless it is actually leaking. It is unlikely to leak directly through the material although it is possible for taped seams to start raising up after a lot of use...a lot more use than it has had so far. If it worries you buy a tube of seam sealer, which is just like plastic cement that you used to use on Airfix kits, just in case you spot any seams leaking. If seams do leak just brush the seam sealer on them from the inside of the tent.
The outer coating on a tent is simply to cause rain to bead and run off rather than soaking in to the outer layers. If rain still beads then no need to touch that. Either way the waterproofing is on the inside and laminated into the material on manufacture.
Your tent is polyester and if you do decide to replenish the outer coating then Fabsil is the most common waterproofer used but there are other brands like Nikwax.
Quote: Originally posted by ifenelon on 21/7/2014
Thanks very much.
I will check it out and invest in a tube of "seam sealer" - just in case.
If it needs re-proofing all over (ie if it no longer "beads" water), do you spray the inside or the outside of the tent?
Cheers!
You spray the outside of the tent.
I sprayed mine because it was an ex display model and had been erected in a field for possibly 6 months or longer in all weathers and the rain clearly wasn't beading at all. It took 3 x 600ml spray cans of Fabsil at £7.99 a can if that helps.