Should I test my tent?

[Ruby77]

So my tent was fine last time I packed it away and was last used in the year of the heat at Glasto 2010 so was not wet when packed up.

Should I get it out and put it up to check it's all alright. I can't really be bothered to go all through that and pack it all up again when I know it was ok when I put it away.

What do you all do?

[ImGilo]

yes, I can't imagine anything worse than arriving to a broken tent - just to be safe I'd test it out!

[Jadey]

I'd test it out too, just to be on the safe side :-)

[lcb172]

always test it out because, you don't want to turn up there and find you have a broken tent, and having to buy tent a tent there that will be 100% more expensive.

[Thearg]

A couple of years ago I was off to Boomtown and thought should I check the tent,no I'm sure its ok because I'm so careful with it but then had a few hours spare so thought I'd put it up,turns out one of the poles was missing and I must of left it at the last festie.

I would of been Royaly pissed off with myself if I hadn't checked.

[ink1ing]

I usually check my tent and depending on when I last did it give it a spray of waterproofer and do the seams.

Always worth checking it hasn't been nibbled by mice, gone mildewy or anything like that too.

Edited June 15, 2014 by ink1ing

[Mr_Grump]

You really need to check it out - lots could have happened in those 4 years (even though it was used in the heat of 2010, the slightest bit of wetness can cause massive problems).

I've been wanting to get my tent checked out & the seams re-done this weekend but the weather has been against me (rained both mornings....looks like it's gonna be next weekend now as it needs to be put up and allowed to stand for a period of time to allow the seam sealer to dry.

[Ruby77]

Ok need to put it up then, was trying to get out of it haha! So much to do...

[pie_and_a_pint]

If you need to ask whether you should test your tent, you know in your heart you need to test the tent! Half an hour's annoyance now to avoid potentially expensive disaster on site will be worth it, promise!

[stardustjunkie]

Always test the tent!

I was a Guide leader for years, and being one of the youngest adult leaders (and young leader at one point) it was always up to me and my friend to get the girls putting the old ridge pole tents up before we went camping. They hated it and we had the tiniest space behind the Guide hall to do it in!

One year we got them all new tents, we made them check them all and for some reason didn't check the leader tents. When we put ours up on the camp we had disintegrating pole elastic and dodgy zips galore despite it being brand new.

So yes, always check! Don't learn the hard way

[Narnia]

Test the tent! I actually have been mega prepared on previous visits and also took my 1 man tent as a spare in the boot of the car. My tents only go for about 7 months without use but I still get them out to check at the start of the summer

[rischbrit]

Best to give the tent a good airing to get rid of and musty smells!

[markrkp]

I once unpacked mine at the last minute before setting off (well, the evening before) and found some holes that a mouse had chewed! Had to revert to Plan B, which was Tesco 24 hour store, as I couldn't have patched it (would have looked polka dot).

[Helephantelope]

Am I the only one who really enjoys pitching my tents to check before I go? It doesn't seem like a chore at all for me, in fact it gets me even more excited! I always get in, zip up the door and close my eyes and think "next time I'm sat in here I'll be there!" I fully admit to being a bit of a camping geek though, I'm taking all of our groups tents down this year as we'll be first on site so I've test pitched 6 of them in the last couple of weeks!

[matt2007]

I did that once after 5 years and found a fiver in the tent!

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

I bought a 4 man double skinned pop up tent last year for Glastonbury. I have managed to get about two thirds of it back into it's bag. It is straining at the leash to pop out right now. I really should take it into the back garden and unleash the beast (the tent that is!) so that I can learn how to pack it away correctly. I think this thread has just swayed me to do that.

[Ruby77]

 

Am I the only one who really enjoys pitching my tents to check before I go? It doesn't seem like a chore at all for me, in fact it gets me even more excited! I always get in, zip up the door and close my eyes and think "next time I'm sat in here I'll be there!" I fully admit to being a bit of a camping geek though, I'm taking all of our groups tents down this year as we'll be first on site so I've test pitched 6 of them in the last couple of weeks!

[Jeremiah]

I did that once after 5 years and found a fiver in the tent!