How to patch a Silnylon Tent

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Small holes in tents can be easily repaired without a lot of effort. I got a few holes in my /Seekoutside Redcliff tent on a recent trip. Here’s a quick explanation of how to patch a Silnylon tent.

Gear Repair tape won’t stick to Silnylon on its own.

Contrary to popular belief gear repair tape won’t stick to Silnylon on its own. The best solution I found was applying a thin layer of Seamgrip to a small area around the hole and then embedding the gear repair tape in the liquid glue.

Tape in glue before final smoothing out.

Technique:

-Spread tent on a flat surface.

-Clean the tent around the hole.

-Apply a thin layer of glue.

-Cut an appropriate sized patch from the roll of tape.

-Apply patch in the glue.

-Use the tape backing to spread the glue over the tape. Gently squeeze out any air bubbles out form under the patch.

-Let the glue dry for at least 24 hours.

Finished patch

Before you embark on this repair, make sure your work space is relatively clean and dust free. You’ll want some nitrile/latex gloves, lint free rags, scissors or utility knife and a bit of time. Be sure to keep the tent on a flat surface while the glue dries, otherwise the glue will run down the surface of the tent.

Lightweight hot tents are great for basecamps and traverses, we’ll be bring big one on our Patagonia basecamp this September.