It’s not common knowledge among new campers that a brand new tent may in fact not be 100% ready for camping conditions. That is, they are not waterproof straight out of the box. To fix this, you will need to find the best waterproof spray for tents in order to sleep in a dry tent.
Even if your existing tent was waterproofed when you initially bought it, it will require maintenance. It’s not a set and forget procedure that lasts you a life time. Mother Nature has a way of deteriorating your tents material, and will it goes the existing waterproof. So after some years you may experience some unwanted rain entering the tent.
But don’t blame the tent, this is normal. What it means is that the tent needs a new coat of waterproof added to the material, rainfly and seams. Whether you own a nylon or a canvas tent, it will require some waterproofing. Fortunately, buying waterproof spray for camping tents its not expensive and is very easy to apply. So before you throw out your leaking tent, give waterproofing your tent a try with these high quality camping water proof sprays.
Pro Tip: Regardless of how you waterproof the tent, if you don’t seal the seams of the tent your doing your tent a disservice. A separate seam sealer should be purchased along with the waterproof spray for the absolute best results.
There has been much discussion over Ozark Trail tent waterproofing. It’s amazing how many people didn’t realize that a brand new tent needs to be waterproofed. This tent got much criticism, but how the results changed once adding a coat of waterproof. Simply, yet not all that well known unfortunately.
The Best UV Protection Waterproof Tent Spray On
NikWax Tent & Gear Solar Proofing
NikWax have a number of high quality waterproofing product that can make anything from boots to jackets waterproof. This is their tent variation. What makes NikWax stand out from the crowd besides the long serving reputation is the fact this spray on waterproof also inhibits UV protection.
What this means is that when you apply the one spray to your tent, you are not only stopping the water from entering the tent. But you are also protecting the nylon or canvas tent material from the harmful UV rays of the sun. Basically prolonging the life of the tent and stopping the color from fading.
Whats cool about the NikWax waterproof spray is that it is fast curing. So there’s no need to wait for hours for it to dry before you can either re-apply the spray or go camping. This is handy becasue you can buy a new tent and take it camping while still in the packaging if you like. Set the tent up and spray the tent while you are outdoors away from any cars or buildings that don’t need to get over spray on them. The only drawback to this is if it rains when you are setting the tent up. In this case it would be better to waterproof the tent at home in the backyard.
- Bottle Size 16.9 oz. For me this bottle will do a 4 person tent with some to spare.
- Can be applied directly over wet surfaces
- Great for other outdoor items such as outdoor furniture, BBQ covers, Gazebo covers, outdoor flags etc
- Long Lasting – For best practice I recommend you re-apply every 12 months to the rain fly and every 24-36 months for the tent.
Best Waterproof Spray For Canvas Tents
Kiwi Camp Dry Heavy Duty Silicone Waterproof
Another good option for waterproofing your tent is with this Kiwi Camp Silicon spray. Because it is a silicon surface once applied, it does take several hours to dry. So you could set up the tent and spray it on campsite early in the morning provided there is no rain forecast. Playing is safe would be to spray the tent at home in sunny conditions.
Silicon is used for water proofing many areas of the house. If anyone has worked with silicon before, you know how tricky it can be to maneuver. But you would also know that it is the best kind of water proofing agent.
So Kiwi Camp have incorporated the waterproofing attributes of silicon into their tent spray. Making it one of the best waterproof sprays for outdoors gear like tents. But as it is silicon, it does smell a fair bit when applying. So perhaps wear a mask of some kind. Once it has dried, there is no obvious smell and you are good to go.
- Comes in a twin pack or a single bottle. Buying the twin pack is the best option as it is a lot cheaper overall.
- 10.5 oz bottle can cover a 4 person tent with 2 coats provided you don’t go to heavy on the first coat.
- Approved for use on cotton canvas. Make sure the canvas is fully dry before use.
What To Use For Waterproofing The Tent Seams
TexSport Tent Seam Sealer
Before waterproofing your tent, I highly recommend you going over the tent seams with the TexSport seam sealer. The seams are where most water leaks inside the tent. So its very important to pay more attention to the seams. This is why I always spray the seams first.
Some folks may tell you that using one of the above water proof spray cans will be fine for the seams. But I disagree and highly encourage you to use both. One tin of this seam sealer will gurantee you a waterproof tight seamed tent. Especially important around the bath tub floor seams.
What I love about the TexSports brand is that unlike many other seam sealers, this one doesn’t discolor your tent. Some other sprays are famous for turning the affected areas discolored and leaking streaking marks from the spray. I’m happy to report the TexSports does not do this to my gear. It also doesn’t have a horrible smell once dry either. This is why it is labelled as ‘Professional Grade’.
Can the TexSport seam sealer be used on more things than just the tent seams?. Absolutely. But remember that this is designed for the seams of your tent, so doing a large area could end up costing a lot more. In this case, its best to use one of the above waterproof spray bottles. For smaller jobs like seams, hats or even the camping airbed bottom.
