I recently bought a Sierra Designs tent. First trip out loved it! Stayed dry, great ventilation.
Second trip out – this weekend, in my back yard. Went to take the tent down this morning and the no see um mesh is full of holes.
Now what do I do? I am sure that some bug must have put the holes in. You would think that a tent made for outside use is made to be bug resistant. Will the company warranty? Who could I send it to for repair?
The other tent we set up is just fine.
And, what kind of bugs would do such a thing?
I’ll bet
the damage was not done by insects, but by a cat or raccoon or some other animal. I have never, in my 40+ years of camping encountered an insect that was capable of seriously damaging netting.
As for repairs, you could go the route of sending it to Sierra Designs repair service, or could tackle it yourself with materials from Outdoor Wilderness Fabrics.
Jim
hmm
Mesh is supposed to be full of holes! Did any thing get put on it chemical wise that might have damaged the mesh? On that same note my screen on my screen porch, had a big hole in it, I think it was made by a Carpenter bee.
not bugs …
sounds like a critter. i’d send it back for repair by the manufacturer if it were my tent.
Sierra Designs
I just got my SD tent back from the warranty/repair shop after it got loose from its stakes in a 45+ mph wind. I was careless to leave it poorly staked and unattended but I sure enjoyed sleeping out in the wind. Anyway, I had one small hole in the mesh and a few small holes in other areas of the tent body after it came to rest in a pine tree. I sent it in for a repair since I also needed some free warranty work done on it for a buckle they didn’t get put on during the manufacturing process.
–The patch they put on the mesh was worthless. They put a little piece of clear tape on it that was 1/2 off when I opened the box upon getting the tent back. I was not happy and I sent the tent back to them stating that the repair was not satisfactory. So, I would recommend that you have the mesh replaced by SD or you patch it yourself. I have requested that they replace it and I will pay for it. I don’t want to be out in the backcountry worrying about black flies getting into my tent.
David
bug repellent
Did you spray any insect repellent with DEET in it nearby? DEET is notorious for dissolving any and all synthetic materials. If that’s the case, you should probably check the rest of the tent, seam seals, etc for damage.
maybe not a critter
and I never would have thought of this if you hadn’t been in your backyard, but did you barbecue? Maybe sparks from a fire?
if the
holes aren’t too big you can dab some aqua seal on the no-seeum and the tent body .
Thanks.
I think I will just send it back for screen replacement. We did not have a fire. I think that the cat theory may be the best one. Any ideas how much $ it will cost to replace the mesh?
If anyone is looking for a new tent I definately would recommend this one. The ventilation is great and it stays dry. Good for camping in the yak. Just over 4 lbs.
I have mended lots of holes in
no-see-um over the years. I always just used a needle and some good quality thread and simply stiched the holes closed. Of course, if you are concerned about form over function, this probably would not be your route. It never ceases to amaze me the number of people that buy things to use outdoors and get upset when they get a little dirty or less than pristine. It is like the people that buy a 4WD SUV/truck and then refuse to take it off-road because they do not want to scratch the paint. Anyway, thread works great, cost about nothing, and last for as long as your tent will.