Do you have any question to Dr. Tent? You may have some questions other people also have. Here are some questions Dr. Tent has answered. Dr. Tent is always within your reach for any question. If you want to know something else more, don't hesitate to Ask Dr. Tent. Dr. Tent will be happy to answer your questions.

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Mon, 3 Apr 2000
I have noticed that a nylon rain-fly when stretched very tight during the warm day will begin to sag very badly when the temperature drops at night, and gets even worse when it rains. Is the same behavior true of rain flies made of polyester?

Every fabric, whether nylon, polyester, or cotton, contains moisuture and tends to show the phenomena. Fabric shrink and stretch is not avoidable to a certain extend. Polyester is the weakest fabric among the three.
But your case sounds to me wrong manufacturing. Every tent should cut fabric to tame the nature of fabric and campers should not feel that bad changes. Some manufacturers don't consider the fabric nature and just try to save fabrics.
Dr. Tent.

Mon, 3 Apr 2000
Poor storeage and age have caused the polyurethane coating to flake and peel away from the nylon fabric on my 25 year old North Face tent. What can I do to re-waterproof the material. Someone has suggested applying Thompson's Water Seal to the fly and the floor. Would this work without damaging the material? Do you have any other suggestions? I could buy a new tent, but this one is perfect for my one man kayaking/camping trip.

You can apply any waterproof spay and I have not seen difference between brands. Just keep in mind that you fold your tent after complete dry. That treatment is very temporary and you may need to treat it every time.
Another important reminder, the treatment may weaken air permeability of tent fabric, which is as important as waterproof, and cause suffocation. Make sure to treat fly an floor only.
Dr. Tent.

Fri, 31 Mar 2000
What tents withstand the wind the best? Is a taller tent more vulnerable to the wind?

Theoretically, a taller tent is weaker for wind. Practically, it is mainly matter of structure of tent. Once you decide size of tent(sleeps how many), consider the wind of your camping area. If you are looking for an 1 or 2-person tent, you have lots of choices. If you want family tent for 5 or up, you have almost no choice. Tell me your tent size and budget and I can recommend you some brands.
Dr. Tent.

Fri, 31 Mar 2000
I have a cabin tent 9'x18' made or 16oz. duck it needs cleaning, sand bird droppings, sap from trees and what can I do to protect it from absorbing moisture, rain and fog.

Use your common sense to clean the tent. Mild soap, soft brush, no machine wash, no machine dry, etc. After dry, you need to seal seams. Seam sealers are available from most camping stores as well as TentsOnSale.com. Polyester canvas also requires waterproof spray for waterproofing fabric. Cotton canvas may not need this treatment since cotton threads naturally expand to shut holes between threads when they are wet. Anything else?
Dr. Tent.

Thu, 23 Mar 2000
Any thought to creating an optional rain fly for your 5-man tent? Maybe with a 3-4' extension out over the door? I currently have an 8 x 10 tent of similar design to yours, but without a rain fly, so heavy rain can be a problem. But it does have a 6" long fly over the door which is one of it's best features. I can stand there out of the rain and take off my shoes or poncho without tracking mud or dripping rain inside the tent. I also prefer the stand-up interior room, due to my age. I just wish I had a rain fly on the one I have. If you could add such a feature to yours, even as an option, I'd sure buy one.

Thanks for the idea. I'll try to add a rain fly for the 5man tent. As a reminder, we will have 5 more tents coming in late April, including 10'x14' 8man cabin tent with fly and front canopy. Thanks again.
Dr. Tent.

Wed, 22 Mar 2000
Well I have a project for my marketing class about Tents, so I would like to know what tents are made of? How is it packed? What are the tests that tents are subject to before they are passed on to consumer? Thank you very much!

Well, let me think where I start from. Read the followings and specify your inquiry. If I know how much knowledge you have about tents, it would be relatively easier for me to help you.

Classification of tents

• By size: sports(~3) / family(4~)
• By shape: dome / cabin
• By material: nylon(cheap & light) / polyester(cheapest & weak) / cotton(expensive & heavy)
• By purpose: leisure / backpacking / expedition, mountaineering

Customers buy decision points (ranked)

• Size
• Price
• Brand
• Rain protection
• Color
• Convenience (# of doors, etc)
• Personal preference or experience
• Package

Consideration on designing new tents (ranked)

• Cost
• Durability
• Rain protection
• Ventilation
• Convenience
• Fashion trends
• Packaging

Packing of tents: major concern is how to keep them compact, since it is related to logistic cost and neat looking. Mostly length of package is decided by that of poles. Every thing is rolled up together and put in a carry bag, then in a box. Industry standards: CPAI-84 for flame retardancy We inspect waterproofs, color fastness, pole strength & stitching strength. Did those help you to decide what to explore?
Dr. Tent.

Thu, 16 Mar 2000
I want to design and make my own tent. My wife sews. where can I find manufacturers of tent poles. Also which is better aluminum or fiberglass. Any advice you give will be appreciated. Thanks.

There is a fiberglass pole manufacturer in suthern California. They don't retail. They sell to tent manufacturers only. Aluminum is higher spec than fiberglass. But you are not gonna buy aluminum poles. They are output of very lengthy process, which means a lot of set-up cost. If you buy a set of aluminum pole, cost must be over $1,000. The best deal is to go to Wal-Mart or K-Mart and buy fiberglass poles for replacement. Assemble them for your own tent.
Dr. Tent.

Tue, 14 Mar 2000
How do I fold my S3050 tent in a carry bag?
Brian.

Brian, I understand that most bags are too small to put in tents. Most campers want to carry them compact and we made the carry bag that small. O.K. Simple steps.

1. Open all the zippers
2. Spread the tent. Fold it over and over (floor side out) until the width is 1" shorter than the length of the folded poles. S3050 tent folds 2 times to fit the pole length.
3. Fold it by the length one time. You will have door side and window side together.
4. Fold and place the fly to fit on the folded tent.
5. Place poles and stake on the other end of the folded tent and start to roll up.
6. Roll up slowly and air comes out through the openings on the other side.
7. Use your knees to hold the roll and keep rolling further.
8. Is it compact enough to put in the bag?