My tent material has become sticky

The floor of my Sierra Designs tent and the rainfly are very sticky. I've stored both loosely packed for about twelve years on a shelf in a closet close the the ceiling where heat gets trapped. It can get quite warm there at times, so I believe the heat has broken down the material over the years. I tried airing out the tent and rainfly in the sun and washing both in cold water with a mild detergent, but these made little difference. Is there anything I can do to rehabilitate them?

I think it's time to get a new tent.

BF <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Yup. To expand a bit, the urethane waterproof coating is breaking down, and there's no proven way to restore it. It's often accompanied by a sour odor.

Time for a new tent.

To expand a bit more. Twelve years is a long time for most anything to survive heat. Plus the designs have improved greatly.

And now... it's time to "expand" your wallet enough to get your credit card out and buy a new and better tent. You'll love yourself for the indulgence after your 1st night.

Have fun shopping among the greatly expanded tent selection.

Eric

If i were you, i'd buy this tent:

http://www.tarptent.com/new.html

I can personally vouch for the designers <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

BF <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

The polyurethane (PU) coating has begun to return to its component parts. After all, it is poly - UREA-thane. (Of course, being organic chemistry, it is much more complicated than that.) That's why it smells like dog vomit.

Short answer: either get a new tent or replace the floor and fly with new material - maybe silnylon - which will not rot on the shelf. Carefully remove the stitching from the existing fly and floor and use the pieces as patterns, taking care to align the direction of the weave. Plain old silnylon will weigh much less than the old fabric which, in addition to rotting, has probably absorbed atmospheric moisture.

I had a bivy sack do the same thing and the floor on my SD Flashlight finally deteriorated and started leaking. Both were many years old and not stored the best way possible.

As already noted, time for something new.

Good idea. No reason to get rid of the tent if I can just replace the floor. I really like the tent, and it's little used. Seems like I could just spray the thing with some kind of water repellent coating, but I'm sure that's just wishful thinking because the material is probably deteriorated. I'll get to work on replacing the floor. Is Thruhike.com a good source for material? Thanks for all the helpful replies.

One more thing: If the PU has not deteriorated too far, that is, if it is sticky and stinky rather than dry and cracked, you may be able to restore it temporarily - for a few uses - by throwing it in a medium drier for 15 minutes.

And, if you decide to replace the floor and fly, consider the double-coated silnylon from:
http://www.americanhomeandhabitat.com/products/Silk-iene%20Silicone%20Coated%20Nylon%20Ripstop.htm

It is less permeable than simple silicone permeated nylon, so there is less splatter-through through the fly and less seaping through the floor.