A camper’s second home is his tent, undoubtedly and it only feels like home when it’s properly maintained. If you are an avid camper, then your tent must have seen a lot of rough conditions and you probably are aware of some caring tips to maintain it. However, for novice campers, caring for their tents is essential right from the beginning. Here are some tips from my experience that would help in keeping the tent good as new.

  1. Avoid Prolonged Exposure to the Sun

When setting up the camp, try to look for a shaded area. The ultraviolet rays from the sun are not good for the tent as far as the fabric is concerned. A good way to avoid this is spraying solar proof spray all over the exterior fabric, only if the pocket allows.

  1. Look for a Flat Ground

Most campers choose an established campsite for camping. However, if you are exploring new areas, it is best to look for flat and durable ground that won’t damage the tent fabric at the bottom.

  1. Keep Away from Fire

While setting camp, you want to be near the fire pit so the tent is filled with warmth. But that only increases the possibility of a burn hole in the exterior fabric of the tent. Also, setting up the tent downwind from the fire pit is highly refuted upon for the sake of your own safety.

  1. Make use of the Vestibule area

The tent isn’t the place where you would keep your wet shoes, socks or gloves to dry. It is certainly not for keeping any camping gear, it is for comfortably sitting or sleeping safely at night. For keeping the dirty things like the shoes and the gear, making use of the vestibule area is your best bet. It helps keeping the tent clean.

  1. Start Detaching from the Centre

While taking down the tent, make sure you start taking off the poles from the centre and then work your way out. This helps in easing the tension over the shock cord that is increased when the poles are suddenly snatched away.

  1. Shake it and Dry it

If you are going camping in the snow or if there are sudden rain showers, leaving your tent wet, then it is essential that you wait for it to dry completely before packing it up. Once the tent completely dries up, shake it off so that any dust or dirt inside comes out.

  1. Pay attention to the Folds

Once you have shaken off the dust from the tent and dried it out completely, it is time to fold it. But make sure you fold it differently every time you use it. You see, the creases made on the tent fabric by folding it, shortens the life of the fabric since the tent is kept in the same position for at least a few months.

So, these are some of the tips that I follow to prolong the life of my tent and it works. But feel free to share tips from your experience too, if any.