My 'all weather' tent turned into a kiddie pool during a storm in the Ozarks

Got caught in a crazy downpour last weekend near Jasper, Arkansas. My tent, a brand I won't name but cost me about $200, was supposed to be waterproof. After about two hours of heavy rain, I felt a cold spot on my sleeping bag. The seam tape on the rainfly had completely peeled off along a whole section, letting water drip straight through. I had to spend the rest of the night mopping up with my camp towel and shifting my gear to the one dry corner. It was a miserable, soggy mess. I'm done trusting factory seam sealing. Has anyone had luck with a specific aftermarket sealant they'd swear by for a fix?

4 comments

4 Comments

lane.drew1mo ago

Hate to hear that, nothing worse than fighting water inside your tent after a long day. I had similar luck with factory sealing on a budget tent a few years back up in the Rockies. Seam Grip is the only thing I've used since then, clean the area with alcohol first and it sticks great.

elizabethblack2mo ago

Been there. My rainfly seams gave out in a Georgia thunderstorm. Seam Grip works. Fixed mine two years ago, still dry.

jakep241mo ago

Oh man, that Georgia humidity is brutal on gear. Did you have to clean the old tape off first before you applied the Seam Grip, or did you just go over the top of it? I'm curious because I've got a fly with some peeling but the adhesive residue is a nightmare to scrape off without tearing the fabric. Trying to figure out if I need to spend an afternoon with rubbing alcohol or if I can just skip that step and hope for the best.

faithb782mo ago

Sounds like a bad night but maybe not a total tent killer. That seam tape peels on a lot of them. Just slap some sealant on it.