cooper.phoenix•21d agoMost Upvoted

Tore a hole in my tent on the first night of a weeklong trip in the Smokies

I was setting up camp near Elkmont last October and snagged my tent wall on a sharp branch I didn't see. Woke up at 2am to rain dripping right on my sleeping bag. Dug out the repair tape from my pack and patched it up, but it only held for two nights before peeling off. Ended up buying a new tent at a outfitter in Gatlinburg for $120 and learned to always carry a spare patch kit. Has anyone found a tape that actually sticks in wet conditions?

2 comments

2 Comments

lopez.simon21d ago

Ngl, is a little rain really that big of a deal? I've had a leak in my tent more times than I can count and just hung a tarp over the wet spot. Works fine for the whole trip. You spent $120 on a new tent when you could have slapped some duct tape on there and called it a day?

gracewebb21d ago

Wait didn't I just see a post on r/campinggear about how repeated moisture kills the waterproof coating on sleeping bags over time? I get that duct tape fixes a quick leak but if water soaks into your bag even a little you're basically sleeping in a damp sponge all night lol. Guess it depends if you're a "rough it" camper or someone who actually wants to be dry after a heavy storm.