1.1 Capacity: Number of Persons

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The capacity of the tents specified by tent manufacturers (and as labelled by SMUX) gives an exact number of people that the tent can accommodate (for instance: 4-men, 5-men, etc.). Although it offers a convenient estimate, it is always useful to judge the capacity of the tent by the actual dimensions to the shoulder width. Generally speaking, approximately 55 cm is a good gauge for a male’s shoulder.

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1.2 How to Keep a Tent?

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1. Give air an escape route. Open doors and windows in order to allow air to escape as the tent is collapsed. Letting the air escape as the tent is collapsed will make rolling and storing it easier. Rolling the tent toward the open doors and windows will help too.

2. Fold your tent. It may be easier to fold the tent along original fold lines. However, after a few years, this becomes more difficult as the lines fade. A good rule of thumb is to fold the tent about the same length as the tent poles before you roll it up.

3. Roll your tent lightly and neatly with poles and stakes (in their bags) rolled into the tent body. This technique uses the tent poles as a structure to help roll the tent. A slow, tight roll of the tent is one of the easiest ways to compact the tent for an easy fit into the storage bag.

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1.3 Pitching a Tent in Windy Conditions [1]

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Windy conditions can make it very challenging to set up your Tent as the Tent cover is likely to flap and lead a life of its own. Before filling in your backpacks with some stuff, here are some tips on how to pitch a Tent in windy conditions:

1. If the winds and weather conditions are very rough then you might want to wait for things to settle down a bit before you try pitching your Tent. You could look for a natural shelter or create makeshift shelter first if the changes of your Tent being blown away are too great or if you need to seek shelter as quickly as possible.

2. Find the most sheltered location and get as many teammates as possible to help and act as weights.

3. Make sure to have some heavy but smooth objects at hand before you unpack your hiking tent. You can use them to weigh down the Tent sheets and keep them secured.

4. Unfold your Tent sheets as close to the ground as possible and place heavy objects on them as you unfold it. Use your body if no objects are available.

5. Depending on the structure and pitching method of the Tent you can now start driving in the first pegs. Fix the windward side of your Tent first! Keep all sheets flat and weighted down. When the moment arrives that you have to lift up the Tent sheets, do so as fast as possible.

6. Once you are done, make sure to check all pegs. It is likely that some of them are not very securely connected in your hurry to get your Tent upright.

7. Only dig drainage moats if you have a Tent without a high waterproof lower wall or if you expect extreme rains. In most cases, digging drainage moats is not needed, takes extra time, and damages the surface. Pitching your Tent at slightly elevated surfaces can prevent problems.

Video: http://www.coleman.com/coleman/video/video.asp?link=77233

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1.4 Care and Cleaning of Tents [2]

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• Do not snap poles together. Expend poles section by sections. Using care here will greatly extend the life of your poles, aiding in splintering protection and keeping the structure of your tent sturdy.

• When collapsing your sock-corded poles, collapse them near the center first to ease the stress on the cord. Try to avoid pulling the poles as this can tear the shock-cord or the tent body. Often it is easier to push the pole through the pole sleeve.

• If your tent will be set up for a week or longer, it may be wise to place the tent where it may get an ideal amount of shade from the surrounding area. In order to extend the life of your tent, avoid extended UV exposure. UV rays can damage all fabrics over time. If there is no shade available, your rainfly will help protect the body of your tent from damage by the elements.

• Sweep out your tent. Make sure that rocks, leaves, dirt and branches are all out of the tent before packing it.

• If at all possible, only take down your tent when it is completely dry after a rainstorm or morning dew. Wait until it dries, so you will not have to worry about drying the tent at a later time.

• You can use a sponge and mild soap to wipe off a dirty tent. Do not use a washing machine to clean your tent. And always let it air dry before re-packing.

• Your tent must be stored dry. If you must close camp in the rain, open your tent and set it up as soon as possible to avoid mildew and odors. When your tent is stored between camping trips, a cool, dry place is ideal.

• Depending upon the temperature and climate, your tent may gather some moisture on the inside. This can usually be avoided by opening the tent to allow ventilation. The easiest way to ventilate is to open all nylon windows and allow the screen to protect you when possible. Please note that if you are in inclement weather, condensation is not leakage.

• Under hard ground conditions, stakes may bend. Tent stake replacements are available, but not always handy at a campsite. A tent may also be tied using guylines, to rocks or other stable objects as a temporary fix.

• Do not pull up stakes with the tent body or stake loop. Use a stake puller or the end of a mallet to remove stubborn stakes. Ripped stake loops can be sewn into the tent again, but be sure to seam seal the stitching.

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1.5 How to Repair a Damaged Tent [3]

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A small tear in a tent can worsen quickly, but it’s easy to repair even on the trail. Carry mending materials with you to keep your tent secure.

 

Tools: small scissors, sewing awl, straight pins, grommet setter.

Materials:

for nylon tents — ripstop nylon repair tape, seam sealer made for nylon;

for canvas tents — taffeta repair tape, seam sealer made for canvas;

for both — waxed thread, scrap nylon screening, grommets.

 

Time: 10 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the damage.

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Most rips, tears, and leaks occur because a tent has been pitched too rigidly; find ways to set up your tent so that it can flex in high wind conditions. Use shock cords wherever possible. Check your campsite for dangerous limbs, projecting roots, and sharp rocks that could cause damage; if you must pitch your tent on a hazardous site, pad sharp rocks and clear away debris before pitching it.

 

Seam

• Sew patches shingle-fashion, seams down, to shed water; seal the open bottom edges with seam sealer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Rips and tears

• To mend small tears, cover the damaged area with cloth repair tape — ripstop nylon for nylon tents, taffeta for canvas tents. Apply a liberal patch to both sides of the tear, smoothing the edges of the tape carefully to prevent snags and leaks. Coat the edges of the patch with seam sealer, on both sides of the tent. Be sure you’re using the right sealer; canvas sealer could damage a nylon tent.

• Large tears must be sewn closed or patched with repair tape. If the tear is in a part of the tent where extra pressure doesn’t matter, turn the top edge of the tear under about 1/4 inch and stitch the turned fabric over the outside of the bottom torn edge, using a sewing awl and strong waxed thread, forming a new seam. Plan your sewing to account for water runoff; turn the edges of the patch to create a shingle effect to shed water, not a shelf to hold it. Make your stitches short and close together; double seams are strongest. To ensure a watertight seal, apply a bead of seam sealer to the bottom edges of the overlap or patch, on the outside of the tent.

• Patch holes or tears in tightly stretched areas of the tent with strips of repair tape cut at least 1 1/2 inches longer and wider than the damage; if necessary, overlap strips in a shingle pattern to cover the damage completely. Tape both sides of the damaged area, and seal all edges of the tape with seam sealer, inside and out. If the patch isn’t sturdy enough, replace it when you get home with a patch of tent fabric.

• Stitch a patch over the hole on the outside; then trim the torn fabric and turn it under on the inside.

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• Cut the patch about 3 inches larger than the damaged area all around. Set it over the damaged area on the outside of the tent and pin it in place. Turn the edges of the patch under 1 inch and repin it. Topstitch around the entire patch 1/16 to 1/8 inch from the edge. Topstitch again 1/8 to 1/4 inch in from the first row of stitching and remove the pins. On the inside of the tent, trim the damaged area into a square or rectangle, trimming as close to the damage as possible. Clip the corners in diagonally 1 inch. Turn the cut edges under 1 inch pin them into place, and topstitch close to the edge around the entire hole. Topstitch again 1/8 to 1/4 inch from the first row of stitching, and remove the pins. If desired, make additional topstitching in a quilting fashion to strengthen the patch. Finally, apply a bead of seam sealer to the perimeter of the patch on the outside of the tent.

• Reattach torn ties, flaps, windows, and zippers the same way, forming overlapping shingles and applying seam sealer to the finished mend. Patch torn screens with a patch slightly larger than the tear or hole, stitching all around the edges with the awl.

 

Grommets

Tears around grommets require the removal of the old grommet and replacement of the damaged material. Cut the grommet out with a small scissors, being careful to remove as little fabric as possible. Reinforce the grommet area with repair tape; stick the tape to one side of the fabric and fold it over on itself to produce a double-strength patch over the grommet hole. Stitch the patch into place with a double seam. Set in a new grommet with a grommet setter and seal its edges with seam sealer. Seal the edges of the stitched-in patch with seam sealer on the outside surface of the tent.

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Leaks

To stop a leak in the rain fly or upper surface of your tent, apply seam sealer when the fabric has dried out. Leaks in the floor are probably the result of tears. Locate and repair the tear; be certain that the ragged part of your seam is on the inside surface of your tent. Seal this seam. To protect the patch, cover it with repair tape. To prevent any further damage to a waterproof floor, use a plastic dropcloth under your tent.

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1.6 Summary of SMUX Tents

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