If you have ever experienced a rainstorm in a tent you know how dependent you are on that layer of tent fabric to keep the elements out. Seam sealing and waterproofing your tent is a cheap and simple way to ensure that your tent won’t leak the next time it rains, and can even extend the life of well used and beloved tents.
There are a few different ways to protect yourself, your gear and your tent from the elements.
- Test your tent before use.
- Seal the seams of your tent.
- Use a waterproofing spray.
Test Your Backpacking Tent for Waterproof-ness
We have found that the easiest and safest way to find out if your tent leaks is to set up in your backyard or a park and spray it down with a sprinkler. We do this with both old and brand new tents, usually at the beginning of the season before our first backpacking trip. This simple test will help you familiarize yourself with the setup process of new tents before taking them on the trail, and help you quickly identify if your tent is leaking and where.
It’s also a good idea to test your tent after waterproofing it to be sure you didn’t miss any spots.
A few things to keep in mind while doing this test is that a sprinkler can put out a lot more water than your average rain storm and at a much high pressure. If you put the sprinkler close to or right up against the tent fabric you may notice water coming through the fabric and seams when it would not ordinarily, even in a rainstorm. The pressure from the sprinkler could potentially damage your tent at this close of a range as well.
Seal the Seams of your Backpacking Tent
So you’ve tested your tent, or just returned from a rainy backpacking trip, and found that your tent leaks along the seams. Don’t throw away or return the tent yet, fixing a leaking seam is often simple and inexpensive.
Seam sealing is also a good way to protect your tent before a long backpacking trip, thru hike, or section hike.
How to Seal a Tent Seam
- Purchase a seam sealer. Check with your tent manufacturer to see if they have a suggested product. You can usually buy one for under $10. Make sure the sealer works with your tent fabric.
- Set up your tent in a dry location, with the seams pulled taught.
- Apply seam sealer to all leaking internal seams, or to all seams for greater protection. Make sure to fill in the needle holes and we recommend applying sealer off the edges of the seams as well.
- If your tent is factory seam taped on the inside you can apply sealer to the outside of the seams for greater protection. Seam sealer can also be used to protect seams where the tape has peeled off. Depending on how the seams are sewn it may be easier to apply the sealer to the outside in general.
- Let the tent dry completely before storing. Check the bottle for drying instructions.
- If you have a rain fly repeat these steps for the seams on your rain fly as well. It can be helpful to set the rain fly up upside down to allow better access to the seams.
Before seam sealing it is always a good idea to see if your manufacturer has recommended seam sealing instructions or products. They know their tents best.
Waterproof your Backpacking Tent
If you feel like water is coming through the fabric of your tent, or water isn’t beading up as it should, it may be a good idea to use a waterproofing spray. A good waterproofing spray can extend the lifetime of your tent and prevent leaking. It can also help waterproof tent seams.
Waterproofing a tent is easy.
- Purchase a waterproofing spray. Make sure it works with your tent fabric.
- Set up your tent so that the seams are pulled taught.
- Spray the seams and body of your tent with the waterproofing spray. You can also spray the inside of your tent though we don’t recommend breathing in the spray fumes.
- Be sure to spray the underside of your tent as well, and the top and underside of your rain fly.
- Let dry. This can take up to 24 hours.
- Apply a second coat of spray.
- Let dry a second time before packing your tent.
You can also use a rag to wipe of excess spray and spread the spray evenly over the surface of the tent. This will also improve how the tent looks when the waterproofing spray dries.
Final Waterproofing Tips
Always check with the manufacturer of your tent to see if they have recommended waterproofing sprays or seam sealers for your tent. They can also advise you which seams might need sealing the most and how often you should treat your tent.
We recommend waterproofing your tent every season.
Leave your comments below with your favorite waterproofing spray, seam sealer, and tips you’ve learned from your backpacking trips.