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I have a repair question for my 4 season tent.

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  • I have a repair question for my 4 season tent.

    Hi,
    New member here.
    I own a Wilderness Experience 3 person dome tent that I've had for over 20 years. It is a very high quality tent with good materials and quality construction. I use it very sparingly and never in harsh conditions other than a rainy adventure now and again.
    My problem is the zipper is completely unusable and it has just the nastiest smell to it. Like an old plastic smell. My kids don't like to sleep in it because of the smell and the door doesn't zip so there is no privacy.
    I live near Seattle, is it possible to get a zipper repaired for a reasonable cost and is there a way to remove the "old" tent smell.?
    I've tried airing it out for days but the smell just returns.
    It really is a quality tent and I just would feel terrible just throwing it in the trash.
    Thanks, Brad

  • #2
    Re: I have a repair question for my 4 season tent.

    Originally posted by Bradbo View Post
    Hi,
    New member here.
    I own a Wilderness Experience 3 person dome tent that I've had for over 20 years. It is a very high quality tent with good materials and quality construction. I use it very sparingly and never in harsh conditions other than a rainy adventure now and again.
    My problem is the zipper is completely unusable and it has just the nastiest smell to it. Like an old plastic smell. My kids don't like to sleep in it because of the smell and the door doesn't zip so there is no privacy.
    I live near Seattle, is it possible to get a zipper repaired for a reasonable cost and is there a way to remove the "old" tent smell.?
    I've tried airing it out for days but the smell just returns.
    It really is a quality tent and I just would feel terrible just throwing it in the trash.
    Thanks, Brad
    The smell part has a relatively easy fix. Sprinkle a lot of baking soda in and around the tent's body and exterior. Place the tent back in it's bag and then seal it in a plastic bag. Repeat up to 3 times vacuuming up the used baking soda. You'll probably need about one large bag of baking soda for each "de mustifying". I think the large size holds about 10 lbs. Not sure from your post as to whether it's the zipper or tent body that has the musty smell. If it's only the zipper concentrate the baking soda on it.

    Now to the zipper problem. Is the zipper head missing, is it off the track, is it frayed, or something else? If it sounds like I'm speaking a foreign language just take it to a local tent shop and they can repair or replace the zipper. Should the questions I asked make any sense, come back and answer the question(s) and I'll try to guide ya thru the repair:D. Some zipper repairs can be done in the field as they are that dead on simple; others need more time and a controlled environment.
    2017:

    July 3 to July 16- annual kiddo trip
    Aug 2 to Aug 14- adult trip to recover from kiddos' outing. Bring on the Campari!



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    • #3
      Re: I have a repair question for my 4 season tent.

      Toss the tent and get a new one. A ruined zipper costs more to replace than the tent.

      Tent stinks? Why bother with deodorizer that might ruin the waterproofing?

      Good tents are so cheap now. You can get a very good tent for the price of one night stay at a moderately priced hotel.

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