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TIL your tent's 'waterproof' rating means nothing without checking the seam tape
I got soaked in Shenandoah two weekends ago because I only looked at the hydrostatic head number when I bought my tent, and nobody at the store mentioned seam tape. The rain came in sideways for about an hour and water was dripping right through the seams, not the fabric. I checked the specs later and my tent is rated 3000mm, which should have been fine, but the tape on the inside of the seams had started peeling after two seasons. Turns out most people in reviews brag about the HH rating and never mention whether the seams are taped, welded, or just sewn. I ran a garden hose test in my yard and sure enough the needle holes were the weak spot the whole time. My question is, do you re-tape seams yourself or just send the tent back for warranty? Would love to hear what actually works.
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grant_torres14d ago
Did the tape peel off in sheets or just start lifting at the edges? If it's just lifting you can hit it with a seam sealer like Seam Grip and get a few more seasons out of it, way faster than dealing with warranty. But if the tape is shot and the whole thing is delaminating, just send it back, that's a defect not normal wear.
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