On the Trail

Food Storage

Never store food in your tent. Animals will often tear or bite their way into a tent to get your food.

Pole Care

When assembling the poles, never allow the pole sections to snap against each other. Always make sure that all pole sections are fully engaged before bending. Keep the poles clean and free of silt, sand and salt, taking special care with the aluminum tips, as they are not anodized and can corrode.

Field Repairs

Poles: All Atlas tent poles are field-serviceable by hand. If you break a tent pole, repair the break temporarily by splinting the pole with a short aluminum sleeve (called a repair sleeve, available at many outdoor gear retailers). The aluminum repair sleeve is fitted over the broken pole section and taped (or wedged) into place. In a pinch, ski pole repair sleeves, tent stakes and even branches can be used to splint broken tent tubes.

Zippers: One of the keys to zipper longevity is to keep them free of sand and grit. When pitching your tent, be careful to keep the door and window zippers out of the dirt. Never step on the zipper. Keep zippers clean by washing them (at home) with a garden hose and pressure nozzle. Most zipper failures result from wear to the coating on the inside of the zipper slider (the metal toggle). Once that coating wears off, the metal abrades rapidly, and the zipper slider no longer joins the continuous plastic coils securely. The plastic coils then tend to separate behind the zipper slider. You can replace a worn-out zipper slider with our patented Zipper Repair Clamp. The Zipper Repair Clamp is available from your local Mountain Hardwear dealer.

Tears and Other Damage: Small holes and tears can be repaired in the field using a needle and thread, adhesive repair tape or liquid urethane (Mcnett™ Seam Grip). Field repairs do not void the tent's warranty.

Ultraviolet (UV) Light

Ultraviolet light degrades lightweight tent fabric (and almost any synthetic material). UV light will cause the fabric to fade, lose strength and eventually disintegrate. The amount of UV damage is directly related to the fabric's exposure to the sun and the altitude at which the tent is pitched. If it is left pitched during the day, high-altitude exposure can damage a tent beyond use within a month. The best way to prolong the life of your tent is to keep it out of the sun. Pitch your tent in a shady spot whenever possible. By striking (taking your tent down) in the morning and pitching your tent late in the day, your tent will last many years.

Back to top

At Home

Storage

Store your tent in a cool, dry environment. Pack the tent loosely, and, if possible, leave the shock-corded poles completely or partially assembled.

Never pack or store your tent if it is dirty and/or damp. If you do so, mildew can form and ruin the waterproof coating on your tent. Mildew will cause your tent to smell and can eventually delaminate and damage the polyurethane coating. This will cause your tent to leak. There is no cure for mildew damage. Prolonged moisture on the polyurethane coating (storing the tent wet for more than a few days) can cause hydrolysis. The coating becomes soft and sticks to itself, peeling from the fabric which will lead to leakage.

Mildew damage and hydrolysis are not covered under our Limited Lifetime Warranty.

Seam Sealing the Tent Body

Please note that most of our current tent bodies are fully taped or welded, requiring no additional seam sealing. However, if your tent will be subject to prolonged rainfall or a persistently wet environment, and you want peace of mind, the bias-bound floor perimeter seam (where the sidewall meets the floor) on the tent body can be sealed. Do not seam seal the tent canopy or zippers. Pitch the tent in a well ventilated area (preferably outside and in the shade). Make sure the tent is clean, dry and taut. Stake out the tent floor. Never seam seal in cold, damp (humid) environments. Seal the inner, coated (shiny) side of the fabric only. Seam sealer does not adhere as well to the uncoated side because the water repellent finish is applied to that side. Apply several thin coats instead of one thick coat. Work the seam sealer thoroughly into the floor perimeter seam by applying pressure and brushing the liquid back and forth. Follow the drying instructions on the seam sealant tube carefully to prevent damaging your tent.

Seam Sealing the Tent Fly

The flysheet is factory seam sealed with hot tape. For most weather conditions, no further seam sealing is necessary. However, if it will be subject to prolonged rainfall or a persistently wet environment, we recommend that you seam seal certain points on the inside of the fly. Lay the flysheet inside-out on the pitched tent. The coated (shiny) side of the fabric should be facing out. Seam seal all points where webbing or Velcro are sewn into or on a seam. Work the sealer into and around these attachment points using the techniques described in the paragraph above. Follow the drying instructions on the seam sealant tube carefully.

Cleaning Your Tent

Never machine wash or machine dry your tent. For localized cleaning, use a sponge with warm water. When cleaning the entire tent, wash in a tub (bathtub) of cold water. Never use hot water, bleach, dishwashing liquid, pre-soaking solutions, or spot removers. If you use soap, always use a non-detergent soap. Dry your tent by pitching it in the shade or by line drying only. Never machine dry your tent.

Back to top