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If you’re in a rush, one of the best tent waterproofing spray is the Nikwax Tent & Gear Waterproofing & Solarproofing Spray.
Anyone who has spent an evening in a storm is aware of one easy fact: you don’t need a leaky tent.
But the unhappy reality of life is that each tenting tent will finally must be waterproofed. That’s the place tent waterproofing sprays are available.
We researched over 20 totally different sprays and narrowed down our selections to those 5:
Still can’t resolve? Check out our Tent Waterproofing Spray Comparison Table.
Best Tent Waterproofing Spray: Our Top 5 Choices
Nikwax – Tent & Gear Waterproofing & Solarproofing Spray
Applications: tents, backpacks, awnings | Volume (fluid ounces): 16.9 fluid ounces | Price: $18.25
Nikwax’s tent spray is terrific not just for waterproofing your tent however for offering UV safety, as effectively. This spray helps extend the lifetime of your gear whereas additionally reviving outdated gear that you could be not in any other case have the ability to use.
Also, this spray cleans filth and dirt off your tent whilst you apply it. That means there’s just one easy step to waterproofing your tent, saving you time. This waterproofing spray covers a big space and could be very simple to use.
Pros:
- Beyond waterproofing – this spray sun-proofs your gear, as effectively.
- It works effectively on tents, rain flies, backpacks, awnings, tarps, umbrellas, and extra.
- Because this product is water-based and biodegradable, it’s protected and environmentally pleasant. It comprises no PFCs, VOCs, optical brighteners, or added scent.
- Straightforward utility – Nikwax removes filth and dirt from the fabric, whereas additionally waterproofing.
- A bottle of this waterproofing spray is sufficient to cowl a seven-person tent, with some to spare.
Cons:
- This waterproofing shouldn’t be as sturdy as different merchandise.
- Might stain gentle coloured supplies. Spot examine earlier than utilizing it!
Best for: individuals who need sun-proofing and waterproofing in a single environmentally pleasant product.
Kiwi – Camp Dry Heavy Duty Water Repellent
Applications: tarps, boots, searching attire, outside gear, boat covers, patio furnishings | Volume (fluid ounces): 10.5 fluid ounces | Price: $16.70
The Kiwi Camp Dry Heavy Duty Water Repellent is a stellar waterproofing spray to make use of when tenting. One package deal comes with two cans, so you’ll have greater than sufficient to waterproof your entire gear. Not to say, one can is sufficient for 2 coats on a seven-person tent.
You can waterproof tents, tarps, coats, footwear, backpacks, and extra with this waterproofing spray. It even has a pleasant mist applicator that makes waterproofing a breeze.
Kiwi Camp Dry makes water wick proper off the floor as a substitute of soaking in. When tenting, this waterproofing spray has the potential to be your most crucial instrument.
Pros:
- This pack comes with two cans, so that you waterproof your entire gear and preserve one for backup.
- One can is sufficient to cowl a seven-person tent with two coats or a number of totally different gadgets of clothes and/or footwear. No matter what you’re waterproofing, you’ll have sufficient available.
- This waterproofing spray retains water out of issues like tents, tarps, footwear, jackets, backpacks, sleeping luggage, and far more.
- The mist applicator ensures a fair layer and doesn’t by chance drip any spray alongside the floor.
- The efficiency of this spray is top-notch, that means water will get thrown proper off your cloth.
Cons:
- This spray might stain sure materials, particularly if it’s white. Do a spot take a look at earlier than making use of to examine.
- Kiwi’s spray works nice, however it requires you to attend the complete time to realize full waterproofing.
Best for: campers who need to waterproof all of their gear, and ensure it lasts.
GEAR AID – Seam Grip TF Tent Fabric Sealer for Waterproofing
Applications: tents, tarps | Volume (fluid ounces): 4 fluid ounces | Price: $13.29
The GEAR AID Seam Grip TF Tent Fabric Sealer for Waterproofing is a wonderful instrument for waterproofing your tent and different important gear. With a foam applicator brush tip, it’s simple to unfold the sealer out into a skinny layer that protects all the pieces from water.
Not solely does one tube go a good distance, however this product dries clear so that you received’t have to fret a couple of mess. The mixture of its clear coloration and foam applicator tip makes this a best choice for repairing current waterproofing.
Pros:
- A tube of this tent cloth sealer can cowl 85 sq. ft. of fabric. One bottle is all it’s good to waterproofing a whole tent.
- Compatible with polyurethane coating, so you possibly can shortly repair any current waterproofing that’s fading or chipping away.
- The foam applicator brush on the tip lets you simply brush a skinny coat of product on the floor of your tent.
- This cloth sealer does an excellent job on tent flooring, rain flies, tarps, and far more.
- Best of all, these things dries clear. You received’t have the ability to inform there’s a coating in your tent.
Cons:
- Although the applicator works effectively, these things is thick and takes a bit elbow grease.
- The texture makes it in order that this sealant is best on seams than massive items of material.
Best for: individuals who need to restore outdated or peeling coating, or seal up the seams in your tent.
Atsko – Silicone Water-Guard
Applications: tents, tarps, boots, sleeping luggage, patio furnishings | Volume (fluid ounces): 10.5 fluid ounces | Price: $26.70
The Atsko Silicone Water-Guard is a killer waterproofing spray for your entire tenting gear. You can apply it to tents, rain flies, umbrellas, footwear, jackets, and far more.
Since it dries clear, you received’t have to fret about making a large number or highlighting any errors. Not to say, one can is sufficient to coat a number of pairs of footwear or gadgets of clothes. This waterproofing spray can be nice for anybody working on a small finances.
Pros:
- Easy to use over your complete floor space of your tenting gear.
- It doesn’t produce a nasty odor like different waterproofing sprays.
- Dries clear to the purpose the place you possibly can’t even inform there’s a coating in your tenting gear.
- Great for waterproofing footwear, tents, rain flies, umbrellas, jackets, and far more.
- One can is sufficient to coat a number of clothes of garments, a automotive cowl, or an entire tent.
- One layer of coating is all it takes to waterproof your gear. No second coat wanted.
Cons:
- An uneven layer of Atsako may trigger some slight discoloration. Spot examine earlier than utilizing.
Best for: individuals who need to waterproof their clothes like jackets or footwear.
Scotchgard Heavy Duty Water Shield
Applications: outerwear, rain gear, umbrellas, patio furnishings, outside gear, backpacks, baggage, canvas tarps, boat cowl | Volume (fluid ounces): 21 fluid ounces | Price: $15.99
While all the sprays talked about listed here are wonderful, they do have one main flaw:
Almost all of them focus solely on waterproofing nylon and polyester tents – and may’t do something for canvas tents.
Luckily, this spray made by Scotchgard is the reply to each canvas camper’s prayers.
On the plus facet, it’s reasonably priced, non-toxic, and may waterproof each nylon and canvas tents. It’s additionally fully protected to make use of in your outside patio furnishings, boots, jackets, and plenty of different outside gear.
On the draw back, Scotchgard claims that one canister can present 20 sq. ft of water resistance on heavier materials. This means you may find yourself utilizing two or extra cans simply to waterproof one tent.
Pros:
- Budget value makes it an excellent alternative for frequent campers.
- The coated cloth maintains its breathability, so there is no such thing as a probability of inhaling harmful chemical substances.
- Versatile – you should use it to waterproof your tent, sure, but additionally your outside furnishings, backpacks, boots, and the remainder of your tenting gear.
- Zero long-term odor – you may really feel one thing for the primary few hours, however the odor needs to be gone fully afterwards.
Cons:
- It may take two or extra cans to fully waterproof your canvas tent, so you’ll want to purchase sufficient.
Best for: campers who need to waterproof their canvas tents.
Comparing Tent Waterproofing Sprays
Choosing A Tent Waterproofing Spray: A Buying Guide
When it comes to selecting one of the best waterproofing spray, your alternative actually comes down to 3 vital issues:
- Aerosol vs spray bottles
- Silicone vs non-silicone sprays
- Type of tent cloth it’s meant for
Don’t fear if this feels too overwhelming – I’m going to interrupt it down for you so that you’ll know precisely which spray to decide on and why.
Let’s dive in, we could?
Aerosol Vs Spray Bottles
The very first thing it’s good to resolve is whether or not or to not use aerosol or spray bottles – each include their execs and cons.
| Aerosol Bottles | Spray Bottles | |
| Application | Click and spray | Pull the set off and spray |
| Pros | Easy to make use of, penetrate the material higher | Better management utilizing the spray |
| Cons | Bad for the setting, should use a number of cans | Might find yourself spraying your tent erratically |
Aerosol sprays are simple to use – simply click on the button and spray away. They additionally penetrate the material a bit higher. On the draw back, they don’t seem to be actually nice for the setting and also you may find yourself utilizing much more spray than you deliberate on.
Spray bottles work like a spritzer – you need to manually pull the set off and the spray comes out. On the plus facet, you get significantly better management over how a lot spray you’re utilizing. On the draw back, you may find yourself spraying your tent erratically.
Silicone Vs Non-Silicone Based Sprays
I’ll make this straightforward – you need to use silicone-based sprays.
While waterproofing sprays have a tendency to return in many various sizes and shapes, silicone is by far one of the best.
Silicone is used to seal bathtubs, sinks, and in different circumstances the place no water is allowed to leak by. Compared to PU or acrylic coating, it fully penetrates the tent cloth and it can’t peel off.
All in all, in relation to sturdiness, security, and waterproofness, you possibly can’t go flawed by selecting silicone-based sprays.
Type Of Tent Fabric
Finally, we’ve got the selection of tent materials.
Generally talking, most tents in the marketplace right now are made out of three foremost cloth sorts:
This is another excuse it is best to use silicone-based spray because it’s fully protected to make use of on all of the above-mentioned sorts.
If your tent is already coated or laminated, then you definately need to go for a water-based spray – they received’t mess your tent up.
How to Waterproof Your Tent
You’ve received the waterproof spray, now what?
Well, waterproofing a tent is a reasonably easy job.
It’s a easy 3-step course of that goes like this:
- Wash your tent first
- Spray the tent
- Let it dry
Before you start, you need to do some prep work.
Start by washing your tent to get filth and dirt off of it. If you place the spray on prime of filth and dirt, it is going to result in a nasty seal and won’t work accurately.
Once your tent is clear, arrange the tent (if you happen to haven’t already) and start to spray the tent down. Make positive to spray each sq. foot that you could. Do in order evenly as attainable and pay additional consideration to waterproofing the seams. After a couple of minutes, wipe the surplus off and now all you need to do is let it dry. Cure the tent for the size of time the directions let you know earlier than you pack it up or use it.
At this level, it’s possible you’ll need to think about an extra layer (or sealant) to guard your seams, however that’s not at all times needed.
Congratulations – your tent is now waterproof!
How to Make Your Waterproofing Last
Now that you simply’ve waterproofed your tent, you need to ensure it lasts. You don’t need to should undergo this entire course of each time you need to use your shiny new waterproof tent. So, after getting let it dry and treatment correctly, ensure to retailer it correctly.
Keep your tent in a cool, darkish place, like a closet. Avoid leaving it out in direct daylight. And if you happen to go a very long time with out utilizing it, ensure to examine it repeatedly for mould.
To actually care on your tent, by no means put it within the washer. Make positive you restore any injury to the waterproofing as quickly because it occurs earlier than issues worsen. Keep monitor of your tent’s situation, and your waterproofing will final.
It’s additionally a good suggestion to maintain a spare can of waterproofing spray available always, so that you received’t have something to fret about!
Also See: Camping in a Thunderstorm (How To Stay Safe)
FAQ
Since I wrote this text, I’ve acquired a bunch of emails asking me in regards to the specifics of the tent waterproofing.
Plenty of the identical questions pop up repeatedly, so I needed so as to add this FAQ part to reply the most typical ones.
Does a brand new tent even must be waterproofed?
The quick reply?
It relies upon.
While most tents that had been made prior to now few years are presupposed to be waterproof proper out of the gate, some cheaper ones usually are not.
When you mix that with the truth that these sprays are actually low-cost and straightforward to use, you don’t actually lose lots by waterproofing your tent with them.
How usually do you have to waterproof your tent?
Again, all of it relies upon.
If you’re dwelling in wet elements of the nation like PNW and also you’re tenting regularly (each month or so) you may have to do it on an annual foundation.
On the opposite hand, if you happen to’re an off-the-cuff camper who camps a number of occasions per 12 months in honest climate circumstances, then it is best to have the ability to make your waterproofing final a number of years a minimum of.
What’s the distinction between seam sealing and waterproofing?
It’s fairly easy:
You use tent waterproofing as a safety measure earlier than you go tenting.
You use seam sealing to shut a leak that already exists. A seam sealer is a glue-like substance that’s absorbed into tent cloth and improves its water repellency.
Our Verdict
Make positive you’re by no means caught off guard within the rain once more with one of the best tent waterproofing spray: Nikwax Tent & Gear Waterproofing Spray. It does an excellent job at waterproofing quite a lot of supplies together with tents, tarps, footwear, jackets, and far more.
Imagine by no means having to fret about getting moist whereas tenting once more. Sounds nice to me!
Be proactive and use this waterproofing spray earlier than you allow and preserve an additional can available always for emergencies.