How to Maintain Your Hiking Tent

Hiking tent needs constant maintenance to fulfill its function and to be durable in use. There are rules to follow before installing, during use and after use.

First of all, a right procedure of setting up will help extend the lifespan of your hiking tent. You will have to choose a suitable camping site. The site shall be smooth and large for installing and try not to disturb other land such as a vegetable field. And you need to make sure the tent won’t expose to the sunlight all the time. For the ultra violet rays in sunlight will degrade the fabrics in the canopy and rainfly. After the place is done and other parts ready, it’s time for installing. Try to use custom-cut foot-print. It will prevent your tent from abrasion and you will have a clean surface to pack up your tent after use.

Secondly, there are rules to follow when in use. Try to keep your tent clean and ventilated. Food shall be kept clean in exclusive containers and put at the outside of the tent. Or else there will be annoying visitors in your tent. Less important belongings such as hiking boots shall be left outside. Keep it ventilated during the day by unzipping it. Be gentle to the zipper when operating. Sometime, it’s likely to get struck. It might happen for both cheap hiking tent and expensive hiking tent. Under such conditions, gently slide it backwards and wiggle it from side to side until it goes smooth again.

At last, after-use maintenance is crucial. Keep your backpacking tent ventilated and dry it thoroughly before packing. Humid environment will degrade the fabric inside and gradually reduces the lifespan of your tent. Avoid machine washing. For it’s much likely to destroy the coating and pressing glue and further makes your tent useless. You could hand wash with non-alkaline detergent. For particularly dirty part use a cloth to rub it but be careful enough not to use too hard items. It will damage the waterproof coating.

So long as you follow the right procedures for maintain your hiking tent, it can always help add convenience and fun to your journey for a long period of time.