Waterproofing is a time period that comes up typically within the tenting tools world. However what’s it in concrete phrases? The waterproofing of a tent is its resistance to water: rain, condensation, snow, humidity, and so forth. Waterproofing is a crucial criterion for selecting a tent since it’s what’s going to let you sleep dry throughout your tenting or bivouac keep.
Do you know that there are totally different levels of waterproofing for a tent? The waterproofing of tents varies relying on their materials and what they have been designed for.
How does a tent turn into waterproof?
There are primarily two strategies for waterproofing a canvas:
- For the primary methodology, the piece of cloth is impregnated with a waterproofing agent. Polycotton is waterproofed this fashion as a result of the material can drink up the waterproofing agent.
- For the second methodology, the fabric is roofed with a membrane, a movie related to the inner a part of the material. This methodology is known as “coating”. Polyester receives this waterproofing approach. Membranes have the benefit of being extra versatile than the primary methodology, however they’re much less proof against perforation. They’re typically extra sturdy and extra breathable.
How is the waterproofing of a cloth examined?
To test the effectiveness of the waterproofing of a textile, there’s a course of that consists of putting a column of water on a bit of cloth. This check means that you can see the extent of waterproofing of the material. The result’s expressed in millimeters, for instance, we communicate of PU 3000mm. This course of is known as: The Schmerber check.
The upper the mm results of your tent, the extra resistant it is going to be to water stress. However this isn’t true for all supplies. Nevertheless, it isn’t the identical measurement for all materials:
- For a polyester tent, our measurements vary from 800mm to 5000mm. Nevertheless it have to be thought of that past 1000mm we’re coping with overquality.
- For a cotton tent, our measurements vary from 250mm to 800mm as a result of cotton is extra resistant and extra breathable. There isn’t any coating. The material will naturally be extra waterproof. Typically the measurements are linked to the burden of the cotton canvas. The upper the burden, the extra waterproof it is going to be. We think about an over high quality past a resistance of 250mm.
Each canvas we manufacture is examined utilizing this course of to find out its stage of resistance.
What concerning the seams?
Seams can be a weak point within the waterproofing of your tent. For this reason seams are additionally waterproofed, in two methods:
- The primary means is to make use of a polycotton thread. When the stitching wets the outer shell of the thread, which is manufactured from cotton, the thread swells and makes the seam waterproof.
- Weld a protecting movie onto the seam that can make it waterproof, a course of carried out by warmth welding. That is referred to as taping.
Which waterproof score for which observe?
Since you do not want a Rolls Royce to buy groceries on the grocery store, there isn’t any level in having a 5000mm tenting tent to camp one night time a 12 months! And because you would not do the Paris-Dakar together with your grandparents’ “deux-chevaux”, a tenting tent with a 1000mm score would not be sufficient to do a month of tenting in a area with unsure climate within the low season.
It is best to subsequently select your tent based on what you like (form, variety of locations, materials, weight, value, breathability, and so forth.) and the situations during which you’re going to camp (area, season, altitude, atmosphere, climate, temperatures, variety of days of tenting, and so forth.).
The common stress exerted by falling rainwater is roughly 1,000 to 2,000 Schmerber (or mm).
Caring for the waterproofing of your tent
All our polyester tents have a polyester flysheet chosen, amongst different issues, for its good UV resistance. Nevertheless, very extended and even everlasting publicity to UV rays (for instance: all summer time in a backyard in full solar) could cause untimely deterioration of probably the most uncovered elements of the tent and thus alter its water resistance. For that reason, it’s advisable to test the waterproofing of your tent earlier than you permit.
Relating to cotton tents, we advise you to not contact your canvas when it rains as this might take away its waterproofing. Additionally, by no means clear your canvas with a detergent product because it might dissolve the waterproofing agent.
There are waterproofing sprays. For those who see that an space of ​​your tent is missing waterproofing, get one in all these sprays to re-waterproof your tent.
