Leaky Tipi - Bison

[Aliwren]

Just got back from 4 days in the Peak District in my Bison Tundra 4 where it rained alot!!

After about 12 hours of rain it started to drip into the tent via the internal tabs which are located at about mid height and I think are there for hanging things on (didnt use them)

I am thinking either buy a tipi stove which will dry the tipi from the inside out and should stop this or to re-waterproof the tent with fabsil or something similar. If I treat the outside can I still use a stove at a later date or will this cause problems?

Any tips or suggestions?

 

[Brian.T]

As far as I know Fabsil is flammable? Not sure if that matters or makes a difference when it dries. Why not try the manufacturer? http://www.grangers.co.uk/

 

[Aliwren]

Just bumping this to see if anyone has had the same problem or has any advice to prevent future occurance?

 

[Stuart]

have you tried calling roger at bison for advice?

 

[Squidders]

Roger Harrington?

I thought he sells Tentipi ones not the bison/beaver ones?

 

[mayfly]

I would definitely go back to the manufacturer and at least raise the issue if I were you. The thing should not leak when so new, surely? I have a Tundra 8 and this has made me wonder if mine will do the same. Not had it up in really persistent wet weather yet, just showers, no leaks. I have had a stove in mine several times, and they chuck out a lot of heat, so should have a significant drying effect. No idea about effects of treating it, but Bison should be able to advise on this as well as the leaking. They seem to respond to e-mail well from what I've read here and there.

Chris

 

[Stuart]

Roger Harrington?

I thought he sells Tentipi ones not the bison/beaver ones?

Ah yes, my mistake, must pay more attention!

I thought it seemed odd, Rogers stuff is normally first class

 

[Aliwren]

I think a stove is the best way to go!!! I dont expect it will rain that hard for a while and it was drips not floods so the stove should easily deal with that!

 

[SOAR]

Just got back from the lake district, my Bison Tundra 4 leaked on the first night. It rained very heavy on the first night and it seamed to leak where the ropes for the top hat were touching the material of the tent. In the morning I used the brass eyelet at the bottom of the two, that night it rained again, the leak this time came from two of the internal tabs, which dripped on me and not my wife, to her amusement. the next night it rained again this time the tent didn't leak at all. In the day time the tent dried out on all three days, so the conditions were the same on all occasions. It beats me but it seemed that the wetter the tent got the less it leaked in
I might try some sort of sealent for the seams.
I also had a stove on for cooking and just before bed.

Simon.

 

[thingswelike]

I know that Tentipi recommend that you soak the tent in water before first use. I think this gets rid of excess proofing agent and also tightens the weave of the fabric - so maybe that's what you experienced Simon - that after the first soaking, the weave tightened because the cotton swells.
I think this is also why seams aren't taped on polycotton tents - the cotton swells around the stitching holes when wet.

 

[leon-1]

Bigman suffered a dripping tent on the bushmoot this year, from having a look at it and chatting with him and Neil1 I think it is capillary action through the seams. So we will be spending some time with seam sealant specifically on the tabs mentioned before as this was where his leaked.

Seam sealant is made by companies like Granger's so should be available from Millets or you could look up the McNett product range and buy their version of it.

 

[xylaria]

Don't know much about tipis but new canvas tents need to be weathered before use. In my experiance the best way of doing this is erect on a hot day and water very profusly with hose. Then allow to dry in sun, this seems to expand and then contract the fibres to the correct postion. I also repeat this after proofing with fabsil.

I my experiance canvas tents toughen up in harsh weather. The more wind and rain they are exposed to the stiffer the tent stands. I have camped out in F9 on north yorkshire moors and not felt a breeze from inside the tent.

 

[Aliwren]

This is the reply I have just received from Bison Telt:

The leaks have been a problem at some tents, and the factory is working to solve that part of the manufacturing process. The easiest way to solve this is to add more impregnation liquid on the spots that are leaking water. You can use all sorts of liquid that are for cotton fabric. It will probably be enough with one ore two litres. You can by this at your local sports supplier, ore I can send it to you by ordinary mail service.

I have been promised that the problem will be solved on the next deliverance.

The tent that we have tested here at work has not had these problems. So it must be a manufacturing problem.

I will also like to say that my experience from cotton tents tells me that water may penetrate anyhow. After many days with very wet weather the fabric needs to dry. And the easiest way is to fire up a multifuel primus ore a stove.

I guess I will try reproofing!

 

[weekend_warrior]

Same kind of reply from him here - not very impressed I must say. I've ordered a litre of NikWax cottonproof and dug out my garden sprayer. it that doesn't work it'll be refund time... :bluThinki

 

[baggins]

It's certainly interesting. I had my tundra 4 up in snowdonia last week. The weather on friday was torrential rain and average wind speed of 40mph (driving the rain horizontaly,and gusting up to 75mph). Most of the tent was bone dry, even where the rain was being forced into the fabric. There were, however, a couple of patches which obviously didn't get the full proofing treatment in the factory and the water came in pretty quick. All the seams and hanging points were fine (and i had damp dog towels, wet ventile jackets etc hanging on them).
All in all, i'm pretty chuffed with it (after all, there were several expensive mountain tents at the same site, and they had water coming in aswell), and for the cost of a couple of litres of proofer every now and then, i still reckon they are a good buy. (you still have to treat the tentipi's occasionally).
My only problem is finding a treatment that is ok with a fire box inside. Any Suggestions?
Baggins
by the way, i hope you all get yours sorted out

 

[Squidders]

It's ironic but tentipi do really good proofer in big containers for such a thing

Worth checking out as some of the more public branded stuff could work out to be underwear-soilingly expensive

 

[Aliwren]

Bison have offered to send me some re- proofer gratis to hopefully solve the problem so good customer service there!!

 

[MikeDB]

I guess it would be wrong of me to report no leaks on mine at all. It has been spot on and for the price I'm very, very happy with Bison. In comparison to some others the cost of seam sealant of re-proof is something I'll be quite happy to live with in the comming years. After all, it wasn't so long ago that you had to seal seams and 'weather' new tents anyway.

Mike

 

[ggfh666]

Spent 3 weeks in Norway, end of july to half august.
The weather has been rather nasty. Only a few days without any rain.

The tent has proven to be capable of handling this without a problem. No need for an inner tent.

If it stops raining a small amount of wind dries the tent in an hour.

Only drips we had was after moving to the next campsite with the tent packed completely soaked. Probably the pressure of the ropes against the fabric during transport made some 'bridges' allowing a few drops of water to pass through.

Only issue imo are the pegs. They are the type for heavy tents but still not large enough to hold the tent during a storm (depending on type of ground). So I had to make anchors to keep them in.

Also on rockier ground, hitting a stone is desastrous. They simply bend over. So I'll need some replacements, but that's a low cost issue. And I consider this normal practice, regardless of tent brand.

But most important : no leaks.

 

[kiltedpict]

Ok, sorry to bring back an old thread, but wondered how those with a leaky Tundra 4 have got on with them?

I bought mine last year, but only got to use it once last year (no rain) and once so for this year where it rained.... a lot.... and leaked a lot too, mostly through the hanging tabs inside.

Contacted Dave at Pointbarwilderness.co.uk who sent me out a litre of cotton proof for free to rectify the issue. I had also enquired as to the existence of a half floor, to which he very generously sent me out a complete floor for free as a good-will gesture! Now thats customer service... Dave :- :You_Rock_

I am looking forward to some fine weather so I can give the tent a soaking with a garden sprayer and the cotton proof.. failing that, anyone used Thompson's waterseal? apparently quite good on fabric too??

Any tips or hints gratefully received!

Best wishes,

KP