How to Store your Tent over Winter
(A friend’s tent, left in the shed over 15 years, after it was put away damp. More photos below)
Storing your tent over winter is a simple task, but many people fall short every single year, and neglect the basics, which can be detrimental to the health of your tent. After returning home from the camping trip, its very easy to forget about your gear, and just dump it somewhere convenient and forget about it till next year.
Store it Dry & Clean
-
Make sure you pitch your tent and dry it out completely
-
Any moisture will turn into a bad smell and mould spots.
-
Also any mud should be removed from the tent before storing.
-
You should only clean your tent using water - be careful using cleaning agents, as they can strip the waterproofing away.
Pack it Loosely
Packing the tent away loosely is always a good plan to allow airflow, into the tent.
This should stop any damp that is there from turning into mildew.
Storage :
Obviously a big heavy tent can be harder to store, our suggestion is to keep it somewhere dry and warm. If you can elevate it off the ground to stop mice getting to it if its in the garage or shed, as they love the groundsheets for some reason, and will nibble away at them.
Top Places to Store a Tent :
-
The Loft
-
The Shed
-
The Garage
Top tips for storing :
-
Store Dry
-
Store Loosely Packed
-
Store off the ground
Trial Run before getting back out next summer.
Its always good to double check your tent before any big vacation, so be sure to unfold it after winter and check all is as it should be.
The End Result of Poor Storage
What happens if you store your tent in poor conditions? Or you do not put it away dry? – well see below. This tent was stored in a shed, for years, after it was put away wet. I am told the smell was something to “behold” and that his wife is still not speaking to him. (Courtesy of – Stephen McCall & Benjamin Hall)
(A friend’s tent, left in the shed over 15 years, after it was put away damp. More photos below)
Storing your tent over winter is a simple task, but many people fall short every single year, and neglect the basics, which can be detrimental to the health of your tent. After returning home from the camping trip, its very easy to forget about your gear, and just dump it somewhere convenient and forget about it till next year.
Store it Dry & Clean
- Make sure you pitch your tent and dry it out completely
- Any moisture will turn into a bad smell and mould spots.
- Also any mud should be removed from the tent before storing.
- You should only clean your tent using water - be careful using cleaning agents, as they can strip the waterproofing away.
Pack it Loosely
Packing the tent away loosely is always a good plan to allow airflow, into the tent.
This should stop any damp that is there from turning into mildew.
Storage :
Obviously a big heavy tent can be harder to store, our suggestion is to keep it somewhere dry and warm. If you can elevate it off the ground to stop mice getting to it if its in the garage or shed, as they love the groundsheets for some reason, and will nibble away at them.
Top Places to Store a Tent :
- The Loft
- The Shed
- The Garage
Top tips for storing :
- Store Dry
- Store Loosely Packed
- Store off the ground
Trial Run before getting back out next summer.
Its always good to double check your tent before any big vacation, so be sure to unfold it after winter and check all is as it should be.
The End Result of Poor Storage
What happens if you store your tent in poor conditions? Or you do not put it away dry? – well see below. This tent was stored in a shed, for years, after it was put away wet. I am told the smell was something to “behold” and that his wife is still not speaking to him. (Courtesy of – Stephen McCall & Benjamin Hall)