FAQ

These are a collection of some of our frequently asked questions. This page will continue to grow as you contact us with queries so if you cannot find the answer please please feel free to contact us and ask

What is weathering?

Weathering is a process required to make our PolyCotton and Canvas Series tents truly waterproof. This is a process of soaking the fabric to ensure all the thread swells up filling stitch holes and creating a watertight surface. When you pitch your tent for the first time soak the fabric with a garden sprinkler until the fabric looks visibly damp. Allow to dry, and repeat, two or three times.

Your canvas tent will get more watertight the more you use it. Do not be concerned if a small amount of water comes through the seams the first few times you get heavy rain.

This weathering process is not applicable or required for a polyester tent as they already have a PU coating on the inside for waterproofing, the threads do not swell the same as a Polycotton or Canvas tent. This is explained further below.

Why is the waterhead rating lower on more expensive canvas tents than polyester tents?

Canvas fabric and polyester fabric work in different ways to keep you dry. Because canvas poly cotton is breathable it relies on the cotton to swell with water to fill the gaps between the threads preventing the fabric from leaking. So although it holds a lower water pressure than polyester the thickness of the fabric means it is incredibly waterproof and will get more watertight the more it is used. Polyester fabrics rely on a PU coating on the inside of the fabric to prevent leaking. It is important that this coating is thick enough to remain durable waterproof as the fabric itself does not have any waterproof qualities. Hence Polyester fabrics are coated to a higher level than Canvas as there is no breathability in polyester that can be compromised when increasing the waterhead rating.

Will the inflatable tubes burst when it gets hot?

No, the tubes in all our tents are tested to very high pressure. Tents are inflated to 7PSI and most tubes have a burst strength of over 20PSI. The tent will also stay pitched at anything above 4PSI. So even if the tent is pitched during the cooler morning, the increased pressure created by the midday sun will not cause the tube to burst.

What does 75D and 185T mean?

The "D" refers to the denier of the thread which is a measurement of the thickness of the thread. The "T" refers to the Thread Count of the fabric. This number is the sum of threads vertically and horizontally in a square inch. So the Denier tells you how thick a fabric thread is and the Thread Count tells you how dense the fabric is. While both are important in camping tent fabrics a heavier Denier provides greater durability and resistance from UV damage.

I have a polyester tent, what product do you suggest to protect and increase its lifetime?

There are some great products on the market available to do this but the two products we recommend most are either Grangers or Nikwax. Both brands offer various products designed to be used on your outdoor gear but make sure you read the instructions correctly and use the correct product for your tent and requirements.

I have a canvas tent, what products should i use on this to protect and waterproof?

Firstly and most importantly a canvas tent has natural waterproofing and UV protective qualities so you do not need to treat the fabric with anything, we simply recommend weathering as mentioned and outlined above. If you do treat the fabric you lose the natural breathability quality which is one of the main advantages of natural poly cotton or canvas product. If you have an older canvas tent that is starting to lose the natural waterproof quality or has spots that are now leaking you can spot treat as required, the product we recommend for this is called Dynaproof.

My tent has mildew or mould on it, how do i remove this?

The best thing for mould and mildew is to prevent it and the only way to do this is to ensure you never pack your tent away damp or wet. This can be hard however and mould and mildew does happen, we recommend only using natural cleaning products on your tent with warm water and a soft brush, anything more corrosive or abrasive than this will risk damaging your fabric further. One of the best things to kill mould spores is direct sunlight so after cleaning leave the affected area in direct sunlight to dry completely before packing away again.

If you have a canvas tent we can recommend a product designed specifically to remove mould or mildew from canvas only, this is called COI Mould Rid.

Why have we placed a proposition 65 warning on some of our products?

The official name of Proposition 65 is the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986. The law requires businesses selling products in California to provide a warning when the product contains one or more of the approximately 1,000 chemicals known to the state of California to cause cancer and/or reproductive harm. Prop 65 is intended to help Californians make informed decisions about their exposures to these chemicals.