How to Fix a Tent

Clean the area and let it dry

Big Agnes says to “alcohol wipe the affected area and apply the patch to the dry/clean surface”. Gear Aid says “Begin by cleaning the repair area with isopropyl alcohol to remove any dirt or body oils which may prevent a good bond.” NEMO says “Clean the area around the hole with rubbing alcohol or soapy water to make sure all dirt and build-up is removed.” MSR warns: “Isopropyl is effective for cleaning everything except waterproof items like tent flies where it will damage the waterproof coating.” If the damage is on a fly and you are unsure, soap and water is the option both MSR and NEMO list. Washing the whole tent first? See our guide to cleaning a tent.

Cut a patch with rounded corners

MSR says to round the corners “to decrease the likelihood of peeling”. Overlap differs: MSR and Gear Aid say half an inch (13 mm) past the damage; NEMO says “large enough to cover the hole completely, as well as one inch of fabric on all sides” (25 mm). Use your maker’s number.

Press it on, working out bubbles

NEMO has you stick the patch over the hole on the inside of the tent and smooth it down with the back of a spoon. Gear Aid says “The optimal operating temperature for initial adhesion is 50-104°F (10-40°C).”.

Patch both sides for a large hole

Gear Aid says “For large holes, repeat the above steps on the opposite side of the fabric.”

Give it time before stressing the fabric

Follow the label of the tape you used. Gear Aid says “The adhesive will reach full strength after 24 hours.” NEMO says “Allow the patch to cure for at least two hours before stressing the fabric.”

Duct tape: the makers disagree

Big Agnes says “Please do not repair your gear with duct tape!” because it falls off and leaves residue that “makes gear unrepairable because we are not able to stitch through it”. MSR lists it as a field fix and says “Remember to remove the duct or medical tape as soon as you return from your trip to avoid leaving a sticky residue on your tent.” Follow your maker.

Protect yourself and keep flame away

This step is for Seam Grip WP. Gear Aid’s tips page says “Note: Wear gloves during application to avoid skin contact.” McNett’s Seam Grip data sheet says “Wear protective clothing and gloves at all times. Use only in well ventilated areas. In case of insufficient ventilation wear suitable respiratory equipment.” Gear Aid’s WP page warns: “California WARNING: Using this product will expose you to toluene, a chemical known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm”. McNett’s Seam Grip safety data sheet (dated 2001) says “Vapors are heavier than air and may travel along the ground or be moved by ventilation and ignited by pilot lights, flames, heaters or other ignition sources”. So work in a well-ventilated space, away from stoves, lanterns and open flame, and not inside a closed tent. Follow the tube’s label.

Clean the spot and let it dry

MSR warns isopropyl damages the coating on tent flies, so on a fly soap and water avoids that risk.

Hold the tear closed from the inside

Gear Aid’s repair guide for the product says “Add masking tape to the inside of fabric to hold tear and dam any gaps.”

Spread a thin coat over the outside of the hole

The guide says to spread it on the outside of the fabric “extending beyond the damaged area by 0.5″ (13 mm)”. Gear Aid’s 2016 tips page says a quarter inch (6 mm) and overnight drying, so check your tube.

Keep it level until cured

Gear Aid’s repair guide says “Keep repairs level until fully cured (8-12 hours).” Its page lists 60° to 100°F (16 to 38°C) above 40% relative humidity. Follow the label.

Use a patch made for silnylon

Gear Aid describes Tenacious Tape Silnylon Repair Tape as “Strong ripstop nylon with silicone-based adhesive, these patches are perfect for repairing silnylon tents, tarps, backpacks and stuffsacks.” Its page uses the same clean, half-inch (13 mm) overlap and press-from-the-center steps as above. Follow the label: that page lists “Application Temperature: Room temperature” and says “Your gear is immediately ready to get back out there.” The figures above are for standard Tenacious Tape.

For a liquid fix, use Seam Grip SIL only

Gear Aid’s guide says “Use a silicone-based sealant for sealing a silnylon tent or tarp”. Its SIL product page lists a cure time of 3 to 6 hours and an application temperature of 60° to 100°F (16 to 38°C). A retailer, Litesmith, reprints the SIL instructions with a different cure time of 24 hours. For a pinhole, the reprint places clear tape behind the hole and coats it and 0.25 in. (6 mm) around. The tube’s label decides.

Wear gloves and ventilate

Litesmith’s reprint of the SIL instructions says “Apply outside or in a well-ventilated area. Wear gloves.” Check this against your tube’s label.

Pick the patch

Big Agnes says “We recommend using two and sandwiching the damaged mesh in between the two patches.” For a larger tear it suggests Tenacious Tape.

Clean the spot

Tear-Aid says “Clean the damaged area with an alcohol prep pad or a 50/50 mixture of water and isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) and let dry.”

Apply and seal the edges

Tear-Aid has you extend the patch 1 inch (25 mm) past the tear, round the corners and rub down firmly. For Type A it says “When you apply TYPE A, you are instantly at 90% adhesion and it takes 1 hour to cure to full adhesion.”

Cure before packing

NEMO says “We recommend reinforcing two patches on each side of the mesh and letting it cure overnight before packing the tent back in its stuff sack.”

Clean with rubbing alcohol and let it dry

Kodiak says to wipe both sides with a cloth dampened in rubbing alcohol.

Stitch longer tears first

Kodiak says “For tears longer than half an inch, bring the torn edges together with a few hand stitches using your sewing awl before applying the patch.”

Cut a canvas patch with rounded corners

Kodiak says “The patch should extend at least one inch beyond the damage on all sides”, and “ideally closer to two inches for anything larger than a pinhole”.

Bond and weight it

Kodiak has you coat patch and tent with canvas-specific adhesive, press from the center outward, and “Weight it with a flat object overnight.” Follow the adhesive’s label.

Seal the patch edge

Kodiak says “Once the adhesive has cured (typically 24 hours), run a bead of canvas seam sealer around the patch perimeter”, then “let that cure for another 24 hours before exposing the tent to rain” and says “the tent should stay dry and unfolded during that window.” Follow the sealer’s label.

Use the sleeve that came with the tent, or one sized for it

Big Agnes says “Every Big Agnes tent comes with a pole repair splint.” and describes it as a 6-inch (15 cm) metal sleeve. NEMO says its tents include one in the pole bag. MSR sells two sizes: its product page says the small sleeve fits 1-, 2- and 3-person MSR tent poles and the large one 4- to 6-person.

Straighten the break

MSR says to “straighten out any bends or jagged edges in the poles as best you can and then line up the broken sections”.

Slide the sleeve over the break and tape it

MSR says “Slide the sleeve on and center it over the break, then wrap duct tape liberally around each end to keep it in place.” NEMO says “Use duct tape or repair tape to secure the pole splint securely to the pole set.”

Treat it as temporary

Big Agnes says the sleeve keeps “your pole system in working order until you get back to town”, then asks you to send the pole set in.

For a replacement segment, label the segments first

Big Agnes says “Mark all the segments in your poleset prior to unstringing it” and warns “Failure to reassemble your poleset correctly can lead to further damage to your tent that will not be covered under warranty.” NEMO adds “the order of the poles on the shock cord does matter”. NEMO has you request the replacement segment from it; Big Agnes points to its repair center or at-home pole repair.

Clean and lubricate the track first

NEMO says to start by “cleaning and lubing the zipper track” with a stiff brush such as a toothbrush, and a zipper cleaner or silicone spray.

Check the slider if the teeth come apart behind it

NEMO says dirt build-up can spread the slider. It says “Using a pair of needle-nose pliers, gently press the top and bottom back together, a little at a time.” and “Do not press together too much.”

Keep it gentle on canvas too

Kodiak says “Squeeze too hard and the slider cracks or jams permanently” and “Standard WD-40 is not recommended for tent zippers.”

Know when it needs a replacement

Big Agnes says “If the two sides of the zipper are separating when you run the slider, replacing the sliders will be the simplest fix.” and “If there is damage to the teeth of the zipper, unfortunately the whole zipper will need to be replaced”. It says fitting a slider “requires some tools and sewing skills” and recommends starting a claim online. Gear Aid’s slider guide lists “Closed-loop” zippers, which are fully sewn in, among those found on tents, and gives a longer sewn-in slider procedure.