Although some people enjoy camping year round, regardless of weather conditions, summer is without a doubt the main season for most campers across North America. With virtually unlimited sunshine, plant and flower life in full bloom, and warm temperatures throughout the day and night, camping in summertime can’t be beat! If this is the first time you’ve pulled out your camping gear since last season, you’ll probably want to take a day to engage in some tent care and repair to make sure there are no surprises once you get out to the campsite. Here are just a few very inexpensive tools that will help you spruce up your tent for a great summer of camping.
MSR Shelter Wash and Restore – $24.95 $15.95
Unless you’re meticulous about cleaning and conditioning your tent at the end of the season, you’re probably going to want to start by giving your tent a good washing. The MSR Shelter Wash and Restore system has exactly what you need to get your tent back into like-new condition. Start by setting up your tent, and adding 3 capfuls of the Shelter Wash to 1 gallon of water (this is for 1-3 person tents; double the amount for larger tents). Wash your entire tent with a sponge and rinse. This will help remove any stickiness, stains, and mildew odors that build up throughout use. After the tent is clean, simply spray the exterior with the Restore solution and let air dry for a fresh new water-repellent shelter. Both products are water-soluble and safe for use on any tent fabric.
Over time, dirt, sand, grime, and rust can start to take over your tent zippers, making any trip in or out of your tent a frustrating annoyance. Now that your tent is squeaky clean, go over the zippers with McNett Zip Care. With its integrated push-pull brush applicator, this solution will get into all the tiny, hard-to-reach crevices where buildup tends to occur, making your zippers slide smoothly whether they are plastic, nylon, or metal. This is also a great product to carry around with your camping gear for unexpected zipper trouble.
Coghlan’s Nylon Tent Repair Kit – $4.99
Your tent is washed and newly water-repellent, your zippers are back on track — now it’s time to handle any of those little damages your tent may have suffered during the last camping season. Cover all your bases with Coghlan’s Nylon Tent Repair Kit. You’ll have everything you need to for basic tent care and repair, including 2 ripstop nylon adhesive patches, 2 mesh screen adhesive patches, 2 spools of nylon thread and a needle, 3 tent pole ferrules in 3 sizes, 45 inches of shock cord, and a tube of seam sealer, which all comes in a sturdy ziplock plastic bag for storage. This is another great kit that’s handy to have around on all your camping trips!
