If you take care of your tent, you can have it for many years. We see several 30-40-year-old tents that are still in use, something we are extremely happy to see. We give you our best tips for taking care of the tent in the best possible way.
Do you always have to hang up the tent in turn?
Simple and easy, yes! After you have been on a trip, it is extremely important to hang up the tent for this to dry. To be absolutely sure that the tent is dry before storing it, you should hang it up after the trip. This applies even if you have been on a trip one night where the weather has been nice. This is partly due to the fact that it is often moisture from the ground that settles on the inside of the tent fabric or under the bottom fabric that makes the tent damp.
- Always hang up the tent in turn and dry before storage
- Store the tent in a dry and cool place
- Pack the tent so you are ready for the next trip
How do I dry my tent?
It is an advantage to dry the tent in a dry and cool place. Take the tent out of the tent bag and hang it over several drying ropes so that the tent stays as low as possible twice. This shortens the drying process and you prevent places on the tent from drying out before unpacking. If the tent has been completely soaked, it is recommended to unhook the inner tent from the outer tent and hang this separately. You may want to hook the inner tent on the outer tent again before you unpack it, then you will not have to do this when you pitch the tent on a trip.
If you pack a wet tent, mold can form in the tent. Therefore, always remember to dry the tent in turn. Also, remember to dry the tent bag so that it is not wet inside when you pack the tent.
How do I pack my tent?
If you have plans to set up the tent in inclement weather, it is an advantage to have packed it down well in advance. This is how you can easily find plug mounts and tent pole openings when the tent flutters in the wind. If you have a TREK tent with polyester fabric, you will also get the tent easier into the packing bag if you fold and roll it up first, as polyester with PU coating is stiffer and not as easy to stuff. But, you can stuff well with a clear conscience! The tent is not damaged by being stuffed. It is allowed to be a little lazy on the trip!
How to store a tent when not in use?
Packed and ready for the next trip. Fold, roll or stuff it into the cover and place it in the shed or in the closet or under the bed. Store dry and not in direct sunlight.
Before storing it, it is important to check that no places have been damaged, so that you can possibly repair this immediately and do not risk going on a trip with a tent that is not completely in order. Also check that all plugs are included, so you do not have to go on a trip without sufficient plugs.
How do I wash my tent?
There are several things you can do to take good care of your tent. But do not think of putting it in the washing machine! Set up the tent, and cover with a cloth or sponge and lukewarm water. Do not use strong soaps and do not put the tent in the washing machine. Then you do more harm than good. Here there are no breathable membranes whose microscopic pores must be kept open. If it has become really muddy or sandy, it is still good to be able to dry, brush and shake most of it, so that fine-grained sand does not gnaw and wear on the fabric. If you use footprint, this tent protects against getting dirty. A footprint is also significantly easier to clean, and helps to keep the tent dry - which will have a preventive effect against condensation and less need for drying after the trip.
"There are several things you can do to take good care of your tent. But do not think of putting it in the washing machine! ”
A tent that is water-repellent will, as a side effect, also be naturally dirt-repellent. Thus, there is rarely a need for particularly more cleaning of a tent than to brush off debris and quickly that accumulates in the inner tent. A tent has a bit of the same non-stick properties against dirt as the Teflon pan you have in the kitchen. If you rub and scrub with heavy soap and steel wool, you do more harm than good.
Cleaning the poles is extra important if you have used the tent a lot by the sea, for example on a paddle trip, as deposits can easily form on the connections between the poles, which means that they do not go together completely. Also remember to wash the plugs if there is a lot of soil left on the plugs after use.
My tent smells bad and it seems to have moldy. What am I doing?
The smell of tents that have been lying around for too long without being allowed to dry probably comes from mold. Mold spores are practically everywhere, all the time. The only way to avoid mold attack is to make sure that the tent is ventilated and dried after use. So remember, always air and dry your tent as soon as you get home from the trip!
If the smell has settled, the damage has already occurred. It will help to ventilate well, and get the tent dried out, but if it has been too long, then there is not much to do. There are powerful cleaners that kill and remove mold, but then you kill and remove the tent in the same sling. The mold attack will be visible in the form of small black dots. A few dots here and there are basically not dangerous, but if there is a lot, there is not much to do, unfortunately.
"Remember, always air and dry your tent as soon as you get home from a trip!"
Does it help to impregnate my tent?
Our TREK tents have a polyester outer fabric, with polyurethane coating (PU) on the inside and impregnation on the outside. The impregnation on the outside will wear away during use, and you can re-impregnate if necessary. Such impregnation intended for synthetic fabrics without a membrane can be bought at most sports shops. Some such impregnations will also help protect the tent fabric from the polyester tent's perhaps worst enemy, UV rays.
Our PRO and X-TREM tents are made of silicone-treated nylon. You can not impregnate such substances, as the impregnation will only bounce off the silicone. But this is not a problem either, as silicone-treated nylon can not be affected by wear and UV radiation in the same way as PU-treated polyester, and the tent will stay waterproof for many years, without having to be re-impregnated.
What do I do if I have broken a tent pole or got a tear in the tent fabric?
Do not worry, we have a separate service department at Melhus that makes repairs and helps you to extend the life of the tent. Should it happen on a trip, it is a good idea to bring a rope. kit. All our tents come with a repair kit that contains, among other things, a needle and thread, tent cloth, extra pole joints, and a sleeve for quick repairs for broken tent poles.
Remember that you must practice setting up the tent before you go on a trip, and be careful and patient when setting up the tent. Then you take care of it for many years.
Good trip!
