Intro and Tent questions

[Ramaniac]

Greetings from Saint Peters! My wife and I decided to pay down some bills instead of purchase a trailer this year thanks to our 5 tax credits. One week ago I purchesed a Sears Hillary Family Camping tent Model 308.771650 for $3 at an estate sale-in a great army issue duffle bag (which probably kept it from mildewing). It is canvas and 9x11x6'8" It is a great old tent, thick, and it has no holes, polyethylene bathtub floor, and does not leak, al the parts including the instructions!

You really can tell the advances made in the years since it came out-mainly having a rain fly. Here are my questions (for now)

1. How do I clean it?
2. Should I modernize the waterproofing?
3. Can I just get a tarp to make a rain fly?
4. Should I seam seal it-just in case?
5. Is there anyplace I can find more information on this tent?

Thanks! Prepare yourself for all the newbie questions, but thank you in advance!

[Smokey Mtn. Camper]

Greetings from Saint Peters! My wife and I decided to pay down some bills instead of purchase a trailer this year thanks to our 5 tax credits. One week ago I purchesed a Sears Hillary Family Camping tent Model 308.771650 for $3 at an estate sale-in a great army issue duffle bag (which probably kept it from mildewing). It is canvas and 9x11x6'8" It is a great old tent, thick, and it has no holes, polyethylene bathtub floor, and does not leak, al the parts including the instructions!

You really can tell the advances made in the years since it came out-mainly having a rain fly. Here are my questions (for now)

1. How do I clean it?
2. Should I modernize the waterproofing?
3. Can I just get a tarp to make a rain fly?
4. Should I seam seal it-just in case?
5. Is there anyplace I can find more information on this tent?

Thanks! Prepare yourself for all the newbie questions, but thank you in advance!

I cant answer your questions but I can tell you to hang on and enjoy the tent camping experience. You came to the right place to get your answers. Just do your reasearch and enjoy the camping. You will get your answers but in the mean time, welcome and start planning your next camping trip. Thats part of the fun.

Good luck!

[familycampman]

$3

I can't answer your questions either but for $3 it's a steal, especially if it doesn't have any holes in it.

[tplife]

Laundry detergent in water and 3% bleach with a big sponge inside and out, rinse well and air dry. Once completely dry you want to seal all the seams with a small paint brush and seam sealer.

I wash my tents in a top-loading washer, but they are built to take that kind of abuse. I don't recommend you do that with this tent.

[renodesertfox]

Though no longer manufactured, Hillary Legend Dome Tents offer stable, reliable camping shelters for those seeking a good tent on a budget. Look for this make and model, originally manufactured for Sears, at garage sales, second-hand sporting goods stores or online auction sites. The Hillary Legend Dome Tent assembles in the same fashion as most traditional dome tents, relying on two shock-cord tent frame poles and a ridge pole for the rain fly. Users can leave the tent free-standing on hard ground surfaces or stake it down for stability in heavy winds.

There are both good reviews of other models of Hillary Tents and there are bad. For 3 bucks, it's worth trying to figure out a way attached a tarp as a rainfly. I have never owned a Hillary tent so I can't rightly speak of it. Seam Seal every inch, both inside and out. Set it up before you go camping, so you're not surprised by anything. Follow TPlife's guidelines for hand-washing.

This might help:
http://www.campinggearguides.com/hil...ping_gear.html

Good luck! Let us know how it works out for you? Thanks for joining camping forums!

[Ramaniac]

Is there a seam sealer that is preferred above others for canvas tents?

[renodesertfox]

Canvas Tent Maintenance

Here's the skinny that I have followed since I began camping for over 40 years. I started at the age of 4 with my pops and I was upset when I joined Cub Scouts that I would have to wait until I was 11 and in Boy Scouts. Well, I still went tent camping with my Mom & Pop.

Tent Maintenance:

Zipper Maintenance: Always have zipper unzipped when placing/removing tent over frame to prevent too much stress on zipper. As your roof shrinks the tent will fit tighter on the frame and increase stress on the door zipper.
Recommendation: Cut rafters down as necessary to prevent unnecessary stress on zipper. You do not want to be camping in cold weather and have an unserviceable zipper.

Mildew: If you have mildew on your canvas wall tent mix 2 cups of bleach in a 5 gallon bucket. Wash only the area with mildew. A tent with mildew will leak at the mildew spot regardless if treated with bleach.

Washing Tent: Use only mild detergent like "Woollite". Use a hose and scrub lightly.

Storage: Never store a damp or wet tent. Always let it dry naturally. Your tent will get mildew if stored wet regardless if you have a mildew treated canvas.

Cleaning: Always brush off caked on dirt or mud (let mud dry) with a soft brush.

UV Rays: Long exposure to the sun's UV rays will damage all canvas wall tents. A fly is recomended to prevent UV damage if you set up your tent 2-3 weeks or longer annually. A fly also keeps your roof clean, snow slides off the roof better and acts as another weather barrier. We only use a tarp or rainfly if we plan on an extended stay.

Leaking Seams: Use Canvak or a tent seam sealer to stop leaking seams or purchase a fly. Walmart has good goop too. Seal inside and out and allow the tent to dry completely before storing. Seam sealing should be done once a year.

Set up Location: Be aware of which trees emit resins and avoid setting up your canvas wall tent under these types of trees.

I recommend: Coghlan's 703 Tent Seam Sealer Repair Kit and you can get it here:
http://www.acehardwareoutlet.com/Pro...aspx?SKU=84949
Owning a Canvas Tent requires more care but with the proper care a canvas tent will outlast 3 season tents with no problem. Good luck.

[Ramaniac]

Great information reno!. I am big in to keeping things clean (you should see what I can do with an antique Coleman lantern) and proper maintainence. I was afraid of washing away any of the waterproofing-but, heck, I am going to redo that anyway. I did not know what bleach would do to canvas, but it makes sense to use it sparingly.

I started camping since I was six but stopped when I got married. My oldest is now 13 and it is time to get back into the woods!!! I have a weird view of camping. I think you should work with nature not have 80 jillion things to combat nature at every turn. Take only squaw wood. Leave footprints as your only testament to being there. Yes you will get cold, yes you will get wet, but if you want to stay comfortable-stay home!

My favorite aspect of camping: Waking up in the fresh air-fully refreshed.