How To Seam Seal Your Tent
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- Опубліковано 30 вер 2024
- In this video I show the process of how to seam seal your tent. I have 2 tents to seal,the yet to be released OEX Bandicoot 2 Ultralite and the Bobcat 1 tents. Seam sealing is pretty easy to do but is it something that should be done by the manufacturer? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.
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Just buy a Terra Nova. They finish their tents properly before selling them.
I’m in a tent watching a bloke seam sealing a tent ⛺️ what is my life become 😂😂
Sounds like a good way to spend time to me.....
LOL that's inception level tragic
@@lardyguts2 ...and yet.....here you are commenting. Lmfao
@@lardyguts2 haha 😂
tentception
Personally I think it’s ridiculous having to do this yourself. It’s like buying a new house with tiles missing off the roof. The price they charge. They could come up with a manufacturing process that seals it as they stitch it, this day & age surely.
Not the end of the world is it..Get a life..
Hes just speaking facts you whopper.@@jamieforsyth4804
@@jamieforsyth4804😂
Hilleberg do, by cooling the sewing needles to achieve a precise hole size without any melting of the fabric, so no sealant needed. On the other hand, not exactly the cheapest tents…
I've got a Ali express sil nylon tent thats seam taped and has double the HH of these tents and is way cheaper so I won't be buying any of these new tents, shame really because i am an OEX fan boy
Thing is , if I pay 500 quid for a tent to be waterproof, I don’t expect to be the person to do it!
I paid extra to have my 'American-tent-that-was-all-the-rage-about-2-years-ago' to be factory seam sealed...... guess what I ended-up doing after it went through it's first wet night? That's right........ The manufacturer was good enough to send me a seam sealing kit after I called and complained, wasn't good enough to return my £40 quid though! ATB
P.S. you should seam seal the underside of the seams too, strip out the inner and repeat the process from within the tent.
Was it MLD by any chance? Thats what happened to my tent from them.
Six moon? Tarptent?
@@PaulMessner Begins with 'T' and ends with 'arptent'......
@@long-long. Tarptent.
@@PaulMessner Begins with 'T' and ends with 'arptent'.
Yeah, I had situation like that. I live in the apartment in the big city, no backyard to pitch a tent and let seams to dry. I went to the city park and was almost immediately approached by police. They ignored all my explanations and told me to pack up. I would rather pay extra to get my tent seam sealed by manufacture.
you always got someone to blame if it leaks.ive returned a couple of tents that leaked. I took video evidence and received new tents without a problem, although nordisk was shocking to deal with, but I still got a new tent. If you have evidence, they have to replace or reseal.
I wonder what law you were supposed to be breaking?!?
being homeless@@peterharrington8709
Tents in any public park draws a lot of negative reactions/vibes.
@@peterharrington8709 Well, assuming you wanted your tent to still be there in the morning... wild camping in a public park for one! Presumably other laws against vagrancy and erecting things I guess that are enforced in city parks. Out of town parks I imagine they'd turn a blind eye.
they could do it but choose not to .,and I believe the reason behind it to stop returns of leaking tents
so they put the responsibility on you., they look at how many Returns there are getting., best way to stop that return is to give you the stuff
I charge for my time and labour, just as those tent manufacturers do.
Ah, but do you add 200% mark up?
This is the best seam sealing video that I’ve seen to date. Clear instructions and explanations as to why it needs to be done. Thank you for sharing Sir 🙏
Good explainer video, the alternative method I’d suggest and have used many times is to not add spirit to the sealer but simply pop the tube or container into a mug or cup of boiling water, leave it 5 mins or so, give it a shake and then pour some into the top of a deodorant tin…or whatever, just as you did, and then apply it neat. The heat makes it naturally runnier. Works a treat. Slightly different method but the principle is the same and it’s a money saver and helps avoid leaks. Especially where the seams and stitching are under a lot of tension and will inevitably stretch and widen.
I never thought of or considered HEAT instead of a thinner. Good idea. Comments like yours are the reason I read 'em with as much interest as watching the video.
Warm Regards from far away Reno, Nevada, U.S.A.
Silicone sealant needs water (- humidity in the air) and heat to cure. Heating it up will drop the viscosity somewhat but may shorten the cure time. The viscosity may not drop as far a mixing in a solvent would.
Adding a solvent drops the solids content from 100% to maybe 50% so you end up with thinner films- less material per square cm so you need to make sure you add enough to fill all the needle holes. The solvent may extend the cure time by keeping water away as the solvent slowly migrates to the surface and evaporates. So as stated in the video you need to leave the tent pitched long enough for the system to fully cure. Depending how skilled you are with a paint brush- adding solvent will look neater - less blobby but more likely to drip.
Both methods have pros and cons, you just need to adjust your method to accommodate to the system that you are using.
I think the next time that I do this I'll try the solvent method.
A tent that leaks water is not fit for purpose.
Not all tent manufacturers, as far as I'm aware, fail to seal the seams of their product.
I wouldn't buy a car that didn't have brakes either.
No matter if the car manufacturer offered to sell me brake pads that I could fit myself afterwards.
Others might feel differently.
"A tent that leaks water is not fit for purpose."
It depends on what your purpose is. Let's face it, 95% of people who own a tent use it for camping in summer, they don't care it it leaks a little on the rare occasions that it rains.
"I wouldn't buy a car that didn't have brakes either. "
Ofcourse, but a car without brakes gets you killed. A tent that leaks a little during extreme weather is, at worst, an inconvenience.
I'd compare it cars with carbon fiber brakes: yes they have more stopping power than regular disks but most drivers are never going to get into a situation where they need that so why charge them extra to fit them at the factory?
And yes I've spent way too long typing this reply and I hate myself for it.
Breaks don't have to be applied by hand and sit around for the best part of a day in a car that's been expanded to 100x the size it's usually stored in 🤷♂️
I've found if you don't seam seal silnylon tents well then you will definitely get water ingress in persistent rain. That Bandicoot looks great, interested to see the price of that thing...
Been long distance hiking an backpacking for years and I refuse to buy a tent that I have to labour over myself, especially the prices they charge these days!
So you prefer to pay even more for a tent that doesn’t ?
@@maximex2347 Paid less than £100 for my trusty lanshan 2 non pro. Light and best of all, comes ready waterproof
It would be even more expensive if they sealed it for you.
You've got to do some labor on any tent eventually, it's just part of standard maintenance.
@@farstrider79 Drying it off after a wet night is about the most labour ive put into my tents
Who seam seals on the outside? It will look a right mess. Seal on the inside, invert the flysheet it you can.
Silicone is silicone, so just use some cheap clear bathroom sealant. 300ml tube will go a long way !
Great tutorial. I've done this on a Lanshan but still enjoyed watching this 😊
I always thought that you sealed the seam on the inside! That's what I've always done. Polyester tents have the waterproof tape on the inside don't they?
Better to stop the water at source
Excellent video. Watched a couple of times before seam sealing my new Wechsel Exogen 2 tent. Did mine indoors in a large hall that was available and empty for several days . A couple of observations as a first timer.
1. It takes way longer than 15 minutes to seam seal a 2 man tent based on my experience today. If its your first time and you want to do a neat job I'd say 45-60 minutes was a more realistic time depending on how many seams your tent has.
2. I found that after about 10-15 mins of application the mixture seemed to thicken up - I suspect due to the white spirit evaporating so twice in the process I had to add a tiny bit more white spirit and give it a good stir.
Definitely takes patience and a steady hand and a couple of cloths with white spirit on to wipe away any excess either side of the seam as you go, followed by a second wipe with paper towel. Very happy with the result. Thanks again Paul for the clear video.
I’d definitely prefer to have a product that’s meant to be waterproof actually be waterproof from factory and pay a bit extra.
If they’re designing and selling a waterproof product then back stepping saying well it’s not really practical for us to water proof it - well that’s not my problem as far as I’m concerned lol. But I do understand why they do it as you’ve told us. I wonder how brands like Heidelberg tackle this?
Hilleberg don't seal any seams. They instead "hand" stitch every tent (obviously not a dude with a needle and roll of thread) with a specific type of seam and water-cooled needles to make the stitching holes as small as possible.
Which are mostly the reasons why they cost a fortune (probably the hand stitching).
In the end, after prolonged use it'll still require a bit of sealing once the holes have stretched.
@@shabingly thank you. I learn something new every day :)
Nothing personal but this is pretty close to watching paint dry.. 😉
Sorry Paul, don’t agree in principle. I just don’t think it’s acceptable companies can sell tents not finished, it’s a neat way to save money on manf costs, and dodge then most warranty claims related to weatherproofness.
Just curious, could you/do you also seal the inside too? Or could you only do it from the inside, would that work?
Yeah, it'll work. Generally easier to do the outside though, as you'll need to have the bugger pitched and unless you can pitch the fly so the inside faces out, you'll be sat inside it doing it.
@@shabingly And you will be breathing possibly toxic solvents ; have someone dependable about to pull you out if you faint ! That said , I would seal inside seams if it was safe to do . Turning the tent fabric inside out and then tensioning it , to allow easier sealing of seams , sounds like a recipe for disaster . Has anyone tried a sponge roller to apply a neatish edge of sealant , followed up with a rubbing in action with a brush to get the stitches soaked well ?
Love watching tbe evolution of Paul Messner from its ridiculous we need to seam seal a tent to this is why and how and get on with it 😊 like i was doing and saying for last 12 years.
I just use direct from tube onto seam and rub in with fingers...matters not what looks like to menot beauty pageant lol.. youre definitely doing it the pro way 😊
Good video Paul...I do it inside pitched and after the seam sealer is applied, I use talc on the seams, so it don't stick all to must, when you folds the tent again. Fabric can stick a lot together when you pitch it first time after. I let it stay up for more days/weeks, and I test the stickiness with my thumb ..A good winter-project.(maybe the outside dry it faster, haven't tried that yet. Here in Denmark it rain god damn all the time lately)
A handy trick is to use silicone you have in your diy tool box and white spirit. Works equally as good for way less than manufactures tiny expensive tube.
All most all tents in the US are seem sealed with seem tape which readily seals on PU COATED NYLON. So they could have sealed those tents that way if they had wanted to…..no pitching required….
Quality tent manufacturers are moving over to Polyester. Durston and Six Moons as examples.
I bet they’re not pitched up down Page Hall for 24 hours 🤣
😂😂😂😂Wrong type of grass
so how would to know if been seam sealed if a company have said oo yes we take time in doing it ,thanks for money and say it done all need i s video or pictures say that your proof 1 tent in 1000 done also is 100% all parts done me 89% and may be nothing happens for few times then bang its leaking ,...........so doing good second coat would make sure it last even longer that's how see it ,yes annoying but its you know your done it and cant blame others for leaking tent as i could say 10 pounds for doing that job and say its done your have to proof to me how and were done ,.........
I've had the bobcat 1 for two years and it's served me really well but it is heavy. I can't wait for the ultra light version, it's perfect timing. It is annoying that there's no ground sheet, and whilst it's a nice colour the green is nicer plus you can't see through it. I don't fancy getting changed in the ultralight version...
Makes sense about the seam sealing although I guess it'll be a pain, but your videos are so well put together and explained.
I see comments are chock full with the usual level of thoughtfulness, understanding and intelligence 😂
It's like someone's let the gates open isn't it? I've been watching for years and some of the comments recently are absolutely bewildering 😮😮😮😮
@@mountain_del1863 Yeah. Some people just choose to believe what they want no matter what the actual facts are.
Ultimately, if you feel that strongly about not having to do summat people have been doing for years.... Don't buy a tent made out of nylon siliconised both side.
Are you sure that this is done on the outer side and not on the inner side? It will be exposed to all weather conditions. All tents are sealed or taped on the inside.
Also, the excuse that manufacturers can’t be bothered to seam seal the tent due to productivity doesn’t make sense to me. Why then they seam tape PU tents?
Just saying..
Industrialized Seam Sealing of Polyurethane and Nylon Fabrics is a widespread and long established manufacturing process , the reason these people dont do it is cause they dont want to invest into proper machinery. Ofc noone would pitch the tents after stiching them together. The sealing is done on the manufacturing line usually by robots or at least some automation assistance, at same time as the parts of the fabric are sown together, or the thread used contains sealant that will expand when it comes into
contact with moisture, closing any gaps.
thank you Paul, I always love watching your videos, your laid back attitude is soothing to the soul.
your video was extremely useful.
ciao from Venice, Italy
Every tent I’ve bought I’ve only sealed the seams if they’ve leaked and that’s only been about three,maybe four of all the ten tents I’ve bought so far
Doesnt nylon stretch when wet? I thought polyester was better for tent fly's
If youd carried it you could have out some on that Duomid from inside as emergency fix
Thanks Paul this my mate got a OEX lightweight he doesn't know how to seal the tent he watch your video my mate said thank you 👍
Thoroughly enjoyed this video, some good tips are always welcome, best to learn from experienced people.
I do like the look of that Bandicoot II UL. Not exactly UL at 1.45kg but light enough. Any idea what the price is going to be, as they aren't listed yet. As it's OEX and a budget brand I can forgive them for not seam sealing.
Going by the rest of Go’s own brand products, RRP will be £450, card members price £250. Or something along those lines.
Standard bandicoot II is roughly 3.88kg I think would need to check mine
Nice clear video Paul...I'd save the £50 and seal it myself for sure.
"Gloopy" must be a technical term.
Did you test it first with the hose to see if it actually needs sealing Paul? Just curious as not all double sided silnylon tents need it doing depending on the maunfacturing process...
Just mix with acetone ffor easyer use 🤗🌞
I’ve always wanted to know how to seam seal a tent and THIS video was step by step perfect! Thank you for making this very beneficial video. You made it simple and clear on how to do it.
Best demo of how to do it I’ve seen yet thank you Paul 🙂👍🏻
Well done Paul. Ignore the ‘ knockers’, this was useful 🙂
So I’m starting the whole journey Paul,,, I’m afraid the bug for camping has bitten been out two weekends on the trot,, and watched your vids for a couple of years now and there fantastic. Question is this,, at the moment I’m not doing wild and blowing stuff and have had the the cloud peak two for a year and a half,, literally looked at your old review video and you say it’s taped seem sealed ,,,, I’ve had her out in heavy rain on the Sussex downs with my boy and she’s pretty dry,, do I need to seem seal a taped sealed tent …..?? Cheers for your great content
no.
you could and it would be super watertight.but the tape means you don't need to.
Yeah, if it's taped and the tape is good (it generally starts to go opaque and lifts when it eventually goes) you'll be reyt.
really good lesson this, very clear and easy to follow and remember. I'd still rather pay someone to do this for me I'd be fed-up after 5 minutes!!!! £50 bargain!
Sometimes manufactureres use a factory applied tape, or add it for a price. This is actually a little heavy and can come loose with age. I have always preferred the much cheaper, more liquid sealers with built in brush. They are not messy, no mixing and work just fine for many years.
Nice video. Good job. When are these going to be released? I have the Naturehike Cirrus (discontinued). Same design more or less. But 2kgs. Strong as. Bandicoot2 UL looks nice though!
Snugpak scorpion 2 would like a word with the oex bandicoot 👀
Nice Video about a useful and not mentioned too often subject on UA-cam. I've always done mine and I agree with the earlier poster that it is quite therapeutic !
ps Is Goldilocks Porridge a euphemism for something ?
Yeeaah, Man like Paul uno with the vid. Right! Am ordering a uber eats. Ill be back😤🤣🏃♂️💨🍔🍟🥞🍗🍕🥗🍩🍩
If i have to seam seal my 'mountain home,shelter' myself,then so be it.I enjoy the process of knowing my tent is fully prepared,so that i can chill out and enjoy the wilderness..I erected my Tarptent Scarp 2 ,4/5 times in my front room,seam sealed it before i went anywhere..I paid a lot of money for it too but i enjoyed seam sealing it..Blimey, some people are never happy..Probably annoys them having to pitch the tent themselves..
No different to buying boots that say they're waterproof !!!.Yeah,if you look after them and clean,re proof them..
Thanks for that. Helped build my confidence!
Thanks for the thorough tutorial. So, I'll fix my leaky cyclocamping tunnel tent rather than trashing it and buying a new one.
I never knew this Paul what a great video. Thanks for sharing your experience on this
I did my seal sealing on the inside of the flysheet by erecting the fly only 'inside out'. That way, it wasn't visible from the outside.
Will there be a Bandicoot ll Ultralight review coming up? I agree with you, it looks great!
Well that simple enough Paul. (Sorry)
Thankyou for a really clear instructional video.Ive been perfectly happy to seam seal my own tents -worked a treat but they all looked really a bit 'dogs dinner'ish afterwards...now I know -bio ethanol and white spirit !
The amount of times i find a tent second hand somewhere that ive been looking for and then see that they've just lobbed on suuuuper thick silicone it drives me mad. I refuse to buy that shit. The idea is, like you say, to have a consistency that seeps into the thread holes, not create a thick layer.
Thank you ... very handy. Prompted me to get out a Silwing that has been waiting to be done (waiting a couple of years!)
Great video and explainnation. I'm using an Argali Rincon tipi trekking pole tent. It is made of polyester and is super robust and beads off water like dymeema (at half the cost) I needed to seam seal it also. I am sold on high quality polyester. It holds its shape taunt unlike sil nylon which absorbs water.
If tents were a little cheaper I’d go for that every time, I’d love to be able to get a tent like that but I don’t stand a chance with being a single parent to 2 boys
Cheers for the vid Paul,didn't look forward to doing this,but after watching this I've more confidence,cheers again Paul.
Great video! VERY helpful. Thanks-
Thanks for taking the time to show us the process. I've seen some really poor attempts at this over the years. Though I'd recommend a better brush than the one one that comes supplied. Also could you use Fabsil instead? It looks to have the same consistency as your 'thinned down' silicone...
I like that bandicoot .
Im guessing with bag ,pegs and guys . It will weigh around 1.62 kg which for a geodesic 2 man tent of that size is fantastic .well done oex .bring that is at around £250 and its a awesome tent for the money .bit of seam sealing isnt too much of a chore considering the alternative tents
I need to do my Lanshan 2 pro so found this video both timely and excellent, thanks Paul 👍
Great video as usual. Maybe a demonstration of re sealing a waterproof jacket. Ironing on a new seal. Even if a tent was pre sealed, I think I'd do it myself anyway. Like to make sure.
Great to see you ever gave up and continued to make these awesome videos ❤
Need some patience Paul But I’d probably have a go myself
I got a used tent of fbook a year ago. Never got round to using it but I plan too his yr. Would recommend me sealing it and waterproofing it?
not really a fan of oex gear although i do have a few items and can't really fault them.its cheap and you get what you pay for however the new bandicoot looks cool.i have a couple of tents in this style and they are extremely wind resistant.the door on bandicoot has been positioned with a bit of thought as most tents this shape have a more central door which can be a pain in the arse to close when indoors.
Gear Aid seam sealants
recommends seam sealing the inside not outside due to UV damage,about to do my first ever seam seal on my Lanshan,so which is best inside or outside? Thanks
It doesn’t actually matter that much. It’s easier to get the sealant to soak into the threads from the outside but the job looks neater from the inside.
@@PaulMessner thanks for the speedy reply Paul,think I will go for the outside. Also thanks for all the your great content,it’s got me motivated to get back out there after a 20 year break 👍🏻👍🏻
@@skip7053 I’ve done both ways. The vern 1 I did inside is I didn’t want to alter the aesthetics of the tent. It never leaked a drop.
👍👍👍👍👍👍
Really clear explanation and demonstration. Good timing for me as I've a new tent on the way. Practice pitch and seam seal? Good idea!👍
Yep, I sealed my tent. What's the hassel it's dead easy and you've got pease of mind that the tent shouldn't leak and maybe a little stronger. Thanks Paul great demo.😊
Thanks for that tutorial. I have never done it and I probably should.
...and VERY transparent. Like sleeping in a green house
I put the tube into a cup of hot water... Easy as that. LOL
Hi Paul, whats the name of the Bandicoot tent please? i didn't catch it when you said
Thanks for posting - great videos 👏👏👏👏
Thanks for an excellent instructional video
DIY, snot ard is it......
'Ull' east yorkshire
Good demo - thank you, Paul. I learned a better way to do this.
There are NO excuses for the manufacturer not to seam seal the tents!
👋🏼
Oooh not good !
Guess i'm not going to buy one of these tents !
Mike.
Top draw Paul, top draw…thanks 👍🏼
Excellent video Paul, thank you
Hilleberg use flat fell seams so sealant isn’t required. I’d be interested to know what seams are on these tents?
Hilleberg: “We carefully select the thread we use for strength and durability, and we always use a flat fell-seam.
This means that every stitch goes through four layers of fabric, ensuring both strength and water resistance. Additionally, our sewing machines employ cooling jets around the needles, preventing heat-producing friction that could enlarge the stitch holes. The end result is a very precise, very reliable seam that has remarkable durability and water resistance.”
Google such a wonderful thing 😂
@@Gumbo1970 🤣
I had loads of fun with my Lanshan pro 2 you showin me the right way to do it 😂 👍
As always a great vid. I don’t mind doing my own but as you say you need a dry day.
yes I did ask you the other day lol thanks for the video
how much is it,cant even find it online.
How often does it need resealing?
Only once
@@cedarcanoe thanks
@@hedleythorne or of course if there would be water ingress, but that can happen with any silnylon tent over the years. Silnylon is the best material.
@@cedarcanoe ah I see. I am a bit of a novice so this is useful. I currently have a PU/Polyester tent and am considering an upgrade so this is useful.
Thanks for the explanation 👍.