Tent waterproofing?

[nemmm]

I have a 20+ year old Eureka Timberline 4. I really like the tent, except this summer realized the floor is nowhere near waterproof anymore. There are a few very small tears and cosmetic defects. New, this tent model sells for $225.

I re-sealed the seems, and used niwax ($20) on the fly and inside of the floor. I ran out of niwax before I could do the outside of the floor/bathtub though. The fly seems very waterproof now, but the floor/bathtub is nowhere near waterproof.

A quick glance on amazon reveals I can buy a highly-rated 4 person Coleman Sundome for $50... Is it worth spending another $20 on niwax to coat the floor again to see if it makes it water proof, or am I better off just junking the tent at this point at getting something that already is waterproof and brand new?

[nereo]

Nikwax is designed to restore the DWR (durable water repellent) of fabrics while allowing them to still be breathable.  It's not the best choice for the bathtub floor which is in direct contact with the (often wet) ground and does NOT need to be breathable.  As the fabric wears (which happens most around the base which rubs against the ground) even the best DWR sprays and washes won't be as effective.

The cheapest option is to simply get a ground tarp and cut to  (slightly over)size.  If you can find a fitted footprint for that particular tent that will help too, for slightly more..  Another nikwax treatment won't hurt... but there's a limit amount if can do on worn fabric.

For the small tears I recommend tenacious tape (made by Gear Aid).  STuff is indestructible, and in my kit as one of the '10 small items I always have on hand'.

[Linea_Norway]

I think that when the floor is leaking so much that you can not easily tape over a whole, it is ready to be replaced.

Look at the second hand market for fancy tents. You might find a slightly used one for a good price. Don't get stuck to one brand and model, but try to be a bit flexible, there are so many tents to choose from.

I would have a look at whether you can find some tent floor material and try to sew in a new floor yourself.

[magnet18]

An easy idea is to cut cheap painters tarp oversize, and put it under the tent, then clamp it to the sides or poles with binder clamps.  A couple strategically placed pieces of guerrilla tape and you can have a re-usable and very effective "bathtub"

Kept some old tents going long past their prime when I was in scouts :)



If you're an REI member, I saw some great deals at their last "garage sale", a lot of tents that had been returned with just the note "decided they didn't like tent camping"

[big_owl]

My experience with this, and it is rather extensive, is to just buy a new tent if you're concerned about the waterproofing.  You can spray waterproofing shit on there til the cows come home but it'll never fix it long term.  Buy a tent with an actual waterproofed cover and you won't regret it. My experience with nikwax, which again is rather extensive, is that it's basically good as a water repellant for a few rain events.  My current tent, a hilleberg jannu, admittantly a very expensive 800 dollar tent has a tub that you could set in water and it wouldn't leak through. There are other tents for much cheaper that do the same.  REI makes some good basic tents that are waterproof.  If you camp more than once a year then spring for a good tent.  Life is too short to sleep in a shitty tent.

[sillysassy]

will those 3M spray on waterproofing works?
i thinking of spraying on my hammock to make them waterproof actually

[big_owl]

I tried that stuff a few years ago and it was trash. It worked for about half the trip but the water quickly stopped beading up and it stopped working.

[magnet18]

will those 3M spray on waterproofing works?
i thinking of spraying on my hammock to make them waterproof actually

Their seam sealers work pretty well for rigidish seams of a tent, but something like a hammock it will wear off of the large surface really fast

[nemmm]

Thanks to nereo for the tip about niwax being correct for the outside only. I bought some GEAR AID Seam Grip TF and used it on the inside of the floor. I turned it inside-out and treated about 50% of the floor so far. I did a quick water test tonight, the untreated side the water immediately is absorbed and comes into the tent. The other side, the water pools and rolls off the fabric.

I did not do the best job of applying it - but here to another 5-10 years out of this tent hopefully!

I do always use contractors plastic on the inside of the tent - but last time I had it out there was a big pool of water under it and a little bit was coming ontop of the plastic so I decided it was time to finally tackle this.

[thecampguy]

My personal suggestion would be to invest in a footprint tarp. It saves the base bottom plus adds water repellency, plus some thermal (albeit not much) insulation.

Eureka has a lot of similar sized based products so you may be able to find one that fits. If not REI/MEC should have a generic one for pretty cheap.

I've patched countless holes on the Eureka Susten III and IVs with iron on seam tape. Which worked for a really well and was really simple to do. Just don't have your iron on steam - just heat. And put a sheet of paper between the tent and the iron so you don't melt an iron shaped hole in your tent. Keep the iron moving constantly. Use pressure and voila!

https://www.amazon.com/Seam-Sealing-Tape-Waterproof-Transparent/dp/B00ZROHPYI

I ran a canoe tripping camp so our tents got so much use. But we were able to keep them for 5-10 seasons with constant summer use.

[FINate]

You got 20 years out of a $200 tent. Put another way, you spent $10 per year. How much have you spent on sprays and sealents trying to keep this tent going? In my experience these fixes don't usually last long, so you can easily exceed the replacement cost in a short time. Don't buy a craptastic $50 tent. Instead, get another quality $200 tent that you really like and get another 20 years out of it.

[msbutterbean]

If you go the tarp route, I always understood it should be slightly smaller than the tent footprint so you don't create a puddle underneath if it rains?

[thecampguy]

You'd want it to be the approximate size of your tent base, but if you use your fly, and peg it out, anything smaller than the size of your extended fly will do. You definitely don't want to run the risk of it puddling under you.

Eureka sells generic "floor savers" and model specific ones too!

But I also agree with @FINate 20 years is a great value.
 

[Wintergreen78]

Another really good cheap tarp option is Tyvek sheeting. If you know someone who works construction, you can probably get a scrap for free. There are also camping suppliers on-line who sell small sheets just for ground covers. It is important to cut it slightly small so it doesn’t funnel water under the tent.

I agree with the votes for a new tent. Once the fabric starts breaking down you can’t do much to really fix it.

[FINate]

I use Tyvek as a groundcloth with my floorless backpacking shelter. It's light, durable, and waterpoof. Can be a bit loud at first, but quiets down as it breaks-in and gets dirty.

[Fishindude]

Sounds like time to replace your tent and regardless of ratings, I don;t think you will be happy with a $50 tent for very long.
Get a good one.