How To Look After Your Outwell Tent This Summer

It’s that time of year when you’re due to pull your tent out from storage and start planning your summer camping holiday and you may now be regretting how you stored it over the winter. We have many emails and phone calls regarding repairs and re-proofing at this time of year and our best advice is to pack it away clean and dry in a cool dark place free from vermin. There are also a few items you can add on to your tent to improve its life and we’ve detailed some of these below.  

What are Dual Protectors?

Outwell have developed the Dual Protector for this season that essentially goes over the top of your tent to protect it from bird droppings, tree sap and prevent UV light degradation. This innovation will lengthen the life of your Outwell tent and will make cleaning so much easier. The protector lays over the tent and allows air to flow below it so won’t hinder breathability. The protector is silver coated on one side and this can be used outwards on those hot, sunny days to reflect heat away and keep the inside of your tent cool. At cooler times of the year the black side warms up the tent and provides darkness which allows for those coveted lie ins during the early mornings. There’s a zip off and roll away canopy that fits over the side door to provide shading. For more information visit our Dual Protector Range.  

 

What’s the deal with Footprints?

Footprints are designed to lay down before pitching your tent to protect the underside of your groundsheet from stones and sharp debris as well as mud and dirt. They also offer some insulation from the cold ground. Outwell footprints come with pegs and make pitching easier as you can select where the best location is before pitching the whole tent. They’re fully waterproof with a 10k hydrostatic head so won’t allow water to come in. Make sure that the footprint is completely covered by your tent to prevent rain channelling under the floor. For more information visit our footprint range.  

   

Do I need a Tent Carpet?

Carpets are similar to footprints in that they protect the top of your groundsheet. These fit in the living area of the tent and provide a comfortable, home from home touch for longer camping holidays. They’re easy to remove and wash at the end of your holiday (unlike your Outwell groundsheet) and keep the groundsheet clean and unmarked. You can find our Fleece Carpets and Flat Woven Carpets here.  

   

Are there carpets for the bedroom area?

Another new development for this season are Inlayzzz carpets that are designed to fit into the bedroom of your Outwell tent for ultimate comfort, warmth and insulation under foot. The top of the carpet is made from soft fleece and the underside is foam for cushioning and durability and we offer 3 different sizes to suit. Find more information on Inlayzzz here.  

   

How do I care for my tent flysheet?

Tents that are not clean and dry when packed away will develop mould and once this has set in you have to stop it spreading. You can kill mould spores by washing in a mild solution of 1 part white vinegar to 10 parts water or use diluted Milton but remember to rinse the tent off thoroughly. After cleaning, we suggest you use Nikwax Tent and Gear Solarproof which can be used straight on the wet flysheet. This not only replenishes the DWR coating on the flysheet to allow for better water run off but also protects against UV deterioration meaning that one application can double the life of the fabric! We recommend that you re-proof your tent annually.     You can shop our whole Outwell tents range here.