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ranger rock
One of the boys



Joined: 14 Dec 2011
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ranger rock
One of the boys
PostMon Aug 26, 2013 3:17 pm 
I've got this tent : http://domsoutdoor.com/Eureka-Assault-Outfitter-4-Tent/p/1-034881/ The front window disintegrated after a few years and Eureka fixed it for free by sewing in a green fabric panel in place of the window. But they did not seal the panel and it leaks. I used seam sealer but the thing still leaks even in a very light all night long misty rain. Water got into the body of my tent on my last trip due to the fly leaking where Eureka repaired it. I'm thinking that maybe I can seal the thing with something like tenacious tape but it will take several rolls of it. The tent is 8-9 years old and I don't feel like sending it back to Eureka yet again, I don't know if this would be covered and I don't trust Eureka to do a good repair job. Also it takes Eureka about 6-12 weeks to repair a tent and return it. Some of the fabric in the front door near the zipper is fraying.. is there a way to stop the fraying before the zipper detaches from the tent body? Maybe it's time for a new tent, I need a tent that is really waterproof for fall and winter camping in the rain forest. But I also need the tent to be tough since my kiddo is not easy on gear. I would get a new version of the same tent except they still make it with the horrible disintegrating window...

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Ski
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Ski
><((((°>
PostMon Aug 26, 2013 4:03 pm 
right off the top of my head, I'd say time for a new tent. like I said in the other thread, check Craigslist. right now is the time of year all those people who thought they were going to get into camping and backpacking and realized it entails dealing with bugs, critters, dirt, and walking long distances decide to dump their newly-purchased gear. saw two "Big Agnes" UL tents on there a couple days ago.

"I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach. I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each."
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Ranger Smith
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Ranger Smith
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PostMon Aug 26, 2013 5:09 pm 
How to fix your old tent, Goodwill. That tent was $600.00 new wasn't it? Write that on your donation receipt.

I'm a man, I can change, if I have to, I guess.
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ranger rock
One of the boys



Joined: 14 Dec 2011
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ranger rock
One of the boys
PostMon Aug 26, 2013 5:53 pm 
I don't make enough money to get write offs, thus I'd like to be able to repair my old tent rather than buy a new one. The tent was about $300 new. (I do get your drift though) The budget is MUCH tighter these days.. frown.gif

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coldrain108
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coldrain108
Thundering Herd
PostTue Aug 27, 2013 10:18 am 
Ranger Rock wrote:
I need a tent that is really waterproof for fall and winter camping in the rain forest. But I also need the tent to be tough since my kiddo is not easy on gear.
Do you actually need a heavy(13lb) 4 season tent just to keep rain out? Especially down in the sheltered regions like the rain forest. 4 season tents are more designed to withstand really strong wind and heavy snow buildup. Not so much temperate rainforest rain where you end up wetter from condensation than from the actual rain itself. My 4 season tent is sealed up tight and becomes a swamp if used in above freezing temps, especially when it rains and you need to close it up.

Since I have no expectations of forgiveness, I don't do it in the first place. That loop hole needs to be closed to everyone.
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ranger rock
One of the boys



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ranger rock
One of the boys
PostTue Aug 27, 2013 10:31 am 
This is not my backpacking tent, this is my car camping / fall mushroom hunting tent. Yes I do need one this strong as I take it to the coast in October where the winds gust and it rains in buckets. I've suffered with many cheap leaky tents over the years and decided to get one that lasted more than one season, that was 9 years ago.

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DIYSteve
seeking hygge



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DIYSteve
seeking hygge
PostTue Aug 27, 2013 10:56 am 
Not quite getting this. By "window," do you refer to bug screen? Is it leaking through the repair patch or at the seams? If the former, maybe Eureka used the wrong fabric for a patch. If it's the latter, are you using the right seam seal stuff? Is the urethane coating starting to peel in places? That's usually the death knell for urethane coated nylon. Tenacious Tape is great stuff for patching tents, garments and Synmats, but if you need several rolls for a job it's not the right stuff, and sewing/seam-sealing a better patch is the answer. Car camping tents are cheap.

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ranger rock
One of the boys



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ranger rock
One of the boys
PostTue Aug 27, 2013 4:58 pm 
I bought some tape at REI today, I'll give that a try. The tent came with a stupid PVC window in the rainfly. The PVC window cracked. Eureka, under warranty replaced the PVC window with fabric. Eureka did not properly seal the seam on the fabric and liquid seam sealer is not fixing the problem. I think the tape will do it, I can cut it in half lengthwise so two rolls of the tape should be enough. Yes car camping tents are cheap and they generally only last my family one season because they are too damn cheap. I got sick of crappy car camping tents that leak or have plastic clips that break, so I went out and bought a quality car camping tent and have been mostly happy with it. This tent cost about $300.00 and has lasted for 8 years. The coating is not peeling. It would cost $300 to replace it with the exact same tent with the exact same stupid PVC window... frown.gif The two person military verson does not have the window but I don't know where to buy a new one. Lots of damaged used ones on Ebay though.

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Randito
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Randito
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PostWed Aug 28, 2013 2:56 pm 
Duct Tape

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GeoHiker
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GeoHiker
Rocky Walker
PostThu Aug 29, 2013 2:17 am 
Buy a tube of Marine Goop ($5.99 at hardware, auto stores) and seal around the patch and any leak points. Would work to fix that fraying zipper too. I use Goop on everything from seam sealing to gluing and it works great on nylon. The marine variety has U/V inhibitors, so won't yellow like regular Goop.

You call some place paradise, kiss it goodbye......Eagles
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ranger rock
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ranger rock
One of the boys
PostThu Aug 29, 2013 10:35 am 
Thanks, I'll try that.. I can do most of the repairs on the inside of the tent so yellowing might not be an issue and I have a tube of shoe goo. I was wondering about shoe goo. I taped the entire seam with green tenacious tape. I had to cut each roll into thirds lengthwise to get enough tape to do the job. I feel pretty good about the repair. I will tackle the zipper next. The tent was so dirty that I ran it through my front loading washing machine on the low speed spin setting and with no soap or detergent, just warm water. The tent looks new again. I've had tents that flatten when I take them to the coast in September, this is the only tent I trust to stay upright in such winds with it's sturdy poles and multiple tie out points on the rain fly. I've sworn off all Kelty products after having a bad tent, a bad sleeping bag and a bad child carrier made by them. I see that one of the marmot tents at REI has a teardrop shaped plastic window, I wonder how long that window will hold up?

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GeoHiker
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GeoHiker
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PostThu Aug 29, 2013 12:49 pm 
Shoe Goo is about the same thing, but dries harder and isn't as flexible as Goop. Now that you have the tent clean I'd seal up every outside seam with Goop and any stress points. I've done that with every new camping tent and that adds a considerable amount of time to the inevitable break points. Eureka makes a solid tent. I camp year round, so I need some thing I can depend on. I have a 4 person A frame Timberline Outfitter that is my go to bad weather tent if I'm short on space. It's held up in 60 mph winds, heavy snow, and not a drop of water in torrential rains. If anyone is looking for a super easy to set up car camping tent the Coleman Instant 6 is awesome. I should do up a review. I put in about 3 weeks of camping in that tent this month and I was very impressed. up.gif up.gif

You call some place paradise, kiss it goodbye......Eagles
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ranger rock
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Joined: 14 Dec 2011
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ranger rock
One of the boys
PostThu Aug 29, 2013 1:02 pm 
I'll take another look at the timberline then. Department store tents are okay for car camping in the summer, but when you camp year round and spend several weeks a year in you tent you need something better. This tent is our motel room when we travel. We took it coast to coast the year before last. It was a three week trip and we spent about every 4th night in a motel room so we could clean up. The last trip was a ten day trip to the redwoods. A light misty all night long rain hit us at 2,000 feet on the Oregon coast range and the fly started leaking at the repair point the water from the fly came into the bathtub floor at the seam where the tag is sewn in. In the past this tent has stood up to torrential thunderstorms in the Rockies and on the plains. I really hope it can stand up to the Wasington coast this fall. So many good memories in this tent that I hate to buy a new one anyway. Here is my tent with repaired window in Ohio
tent-in-Ohio
tent-in-Ohio
And here it is with a river running under it in Wisconsin. The inside stayed dry in spite of the river running under it. This was after the bad repair job too. So just sealing the floor seam at the label should help a lot.
river-running-under-tent-in-Wisconsin-thunderstorm
river-running-under-tent-in-Wisconsin-thunderstorm

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Blue Dome
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Blue Dome
Now with Retsyn
PostThu Aug 29, 2013 3:08 pm 
http://www.rei.com/product/783045/gear-aid-tenacious-tape-repair-tape Use the nice clear version for tent windows.

“I never give them hell. I just tell the truth and they think it's hell.” — Harry S. Truman
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ranger rock
One of the boys



Joined: 14 Dec 2011
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ranger rock
One of the boys
PostThu Aug 29, 2013 6:08 pm 
What window? Eureka replaced the window with a leaky patch. The tenacious tape on the patch did not work so now I am testing out shoe goo. At least water is not getting in the tent body now with the shoe goo I put over the floor seam where the tag sticks out.

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