I've had 2 tent groundsheets start leaking badly after a few years of relatively light use now (light as in maybe 50 nights total use but not necessarily light as in conditions). Am I just unlucky? Do most groundsheets last well? I know when I first had this latest tent it would sit happily on top of running water for several hours and remain dry but this last trip the bottom of the thermarest soon got soaked in similar circumstances.
Two coatings of Nikwax TX Direct seem to have done a good job of making it waterproof again but I don't know how long this will last. Anyone used this?
On Tue, 17 Aug 2004 20:44:55 +0100, "AndyP" <[email hidden]> wrote:
| I've had 2 tent groundsheets start leaking badly after a few years of | relatively light use now (light as in maybe 50 nights total use but not | necessarily light as in conditions). Am I just unlucky? Do most | groundsheets last well? I know when I first had this latest tent it would | sit happily on top of running water for several hours and remain dry but | this last trip the bottom of the thermarest soon got soaked in similar | circumstances. | | Two coatings of Nikwax TX Direct seem to have done a good job of making it | waterproof again but I don't know how long this will last. Anyone used | this?
When we were tenting we used special patching stuff for groundsheets. Better multicoloured than leaking ;-)
I've had 2 tent groundsheets start leaking badly after a few years of relatively light use now (light as in maybe 50 nights total use but not necessarily light as in conditions). Am I just unlucky? Do most groundsheets last well?
Mine do...
It's easy to mistake condensation on a thin groundsheet for leaking, especially if the ground underneath is very wet.
If you think you have a leak then make a bowl of the groundsheet area in question (perhaps suspend it from legs of an upturned stool or similar) and add enough water for a pool which will give a hydrostatic head. If it leaks then drips will come through the bottom. If that is the case, maybe take it up with the manufacturer.
The thin groundsheets on my Saunders tents are still fine, 7 years on in the case of the Spacepacker (its predecessor was 7 years old when it went in a burglary and that was fine too). Both my Saunders tents I've /suspected/ of leaking but in each case it turned out to be just condensation from very damp and/or humid conditions.
Pete. -- Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/
It's easy to mistake condensation on a thin groundsheet for leaking, especially if the ground underneath is very wet.
If you think you have a leak then make a bowl of the groundsheet area in question (perhaps suspend it from legs of an upturned stool or similar) and add enough water for a pool which will give a hydrostatic head. If it leaks then drips will come through the bottom. If that is the case, maybe take it up with the manufacturer.
Or, put wet towel underneath tent, exert downward pressure with hand and note water coming through after a few seconds. Compare to non leaking tent with no water coming through.
Quoted message said:
The thin groundsheets on my Saunders tents are still fine,
My Saunders groundsheet leaks, as did my Sierra Designs one (seems ok again at the moment after twice spraying with TX Direct), the Vango one is still fine but hasn't been used much at all since my girlfriend went for the comparative luxury of a camper van and never in such adverse conditions as the others.
On Wed, 18 Aug 2004 11:21:08 +0100, "AndyP" <[email hidden]> wrote:
| Or, put wet towel underneath tent, exert downward pressure with hand and | note water coming through after a few seconds. Compare to non leaking tent | with no water coming through.
Put patch material from local camping shop over the hole. Problem solved! My groundsheets got holes from sticks, stones etc.
My Saunders groundsheet leaks, as did my Sierra Designs one (seems ok again at the moment after twice spraying with TX Direct), the Vango one is still fine but hasn't been used much at all since my girlfriend went for the comparative luxury of a camper van and never in such adverse conditions as the others.
In that case I can only conclude you're vicious and cruel to them :-(
Pete. -- Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/
Put patch material from local camping shop over the hole. Problem solved! My groundsheets got holes from sticks, stones etc.
It appears to be seeping through just about anywhere pressure is applied to the groundsheet rather than any specific holes. A 25m x 2m roll of lightweight polythene (£1.99 from Wilkinson's) should make a useful supply of lightweight floor liners if the Nikwax doesn't last.
